It is hard to believe that some people have never seen the “Star Wars” movies despite their influence on popular culture. I happen to be one of those people. My parents were never fans, so I didn’t really find it incredibly important to watch the movies either. Because of the internet, however, I have been forced to know the major “Star Wars” quotes, memes, and inside jokes; however, I still don’t understand the details or even the context. Therefore, you can only imagine my dilemma when “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” was announced. Many of my friends are huge fans of “Star Wars,” and once I revealed my ignorance to the franchise, they constantly bugged me to go watch the new film.

In the weeks leading up to December 18th, the hype for the new “Star Wars” movie was becoming all too real. Commercials constantly played. Social media buzzed about it. Premieres were sold out. Reddit supplied a never-ending stream of speculation and leaks. So, I was slightly compelled to go see the film. At the same time, I still feared, the plot and the clever references would go over my head. Finally, though, I gave into the peer pressure of my incessantly nagging  friends to go see, what they called, “the best thing ever put to film.”

As I found myself walking out of the movie theater, I remember thinking, “Ok, that wasn’t bad.” I enjoyed it, but it just didn’t meet my expectations. Maybe it was the societal pressure to watch the film or the hype around the franchise that made me set unrealistic standards for the movie. But, I believe it was more the fact that the movie was pandering to the older fans who had seen the original movies as kids. I felt that the movie lacked a realistic plot, and was more dedicated to introducing old and new characters through expository dialogue.The obvious emotional manipulation, from the dramatic entrances of the original “Star Wars” cast to the somewhat cliched dialogue, was what kept me from fully enjoying the movie. Don’t get me wrong, “The Force Awakens” had many great aspects, such as the use of a strong female protagonist, the amazing comedic parts, and the spectacular action sequences. Movie scenes never seemed rushed or purposely stretched out. And there were plenty of great plot twists and memorable moments, making it overall a very entertaining movie.

If you are an existing fan, this movie will be right up your alley. And if you are considering seeing “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” but you haven’t seen any of the other movies, I would still recommend that you watch it. At least then, you won’t be that person who  hasn’t seen any “Star Wars” movies when “Rouge One: A Star Wars Story” releases in December of this year.