First reactions to JJ Abrams’ new movie ahead of Wednesday’s reviews embargo indicate audience at Los Angeles premiere was feeling the force

This article is more than 4 years old

This article is more than 4 years old

There were “smiling faces” from the crowds exiting the Los Angeles premiere of The Force Awakens on Monday night. Amongst these, presumably, were Disney executives ecstatic that the $4bn they paid George Lucas for franchise rights looks to have been a sound investment.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens review – a spectacular homecoming Read more

Initial reactions from all three screening rooms where the film was shown for the first time – as well as from social media – suggest that JJ Abrams has the chops to please both critics and fans, and that The Force Awakens may well recoup at least half the $4bn by itself.

A journalist for the Hollywood Reporter was one of the first to tweet following the event, at which mobile phones were confiscated.

Matthew Belloni (@THRMattBelloni) Star Wars premiere just letting out now. A LOT of smiling faces. #StarWarsForceAwakens

A consensus quickly emerged: whether Abrams had killed it, nailed it or just done it, this was a job executed decently.

RainnWilson (@rainnwilson) 1st Star Wars review: it was epic, awesome & perfect. The cast was stellar. JJ killed it!

Amy Hennig (@amy_hennig) J.J. nailed it. #StarWarsForceAwakens is wonderful.

Patton Oswalt (@pattonoswalt) JJ did it. #StarWarsForceAwakens

Oswalt skirted the closest to a spoiler in a later tweet.

Patton Oswalt (@pattonoswalt) And without spoiling it, I can say that #StarWarsForceAwakens has the BEST final shot of any Star Wars film. Wow.

But by and large, audience members erred on the side of caution. Andrew Stanton, the director of Finding Nemo (from Disney’s Pixar), simply endorsed the film.

andrew stanton (@andrewstanton) How was Star Wars? Great. Nothing more to say. Just go. #spoilerfree

Likewise Hunger Games actor and Pitch Perfect director Elizabeth Banks.

Elizabeth Banks (@ElizabethBanks) #StarWarsForceAwakens totally delivers #nospoilers I repeat #nospoilers again #nospoilers just #wow pic.twitter.com/SD4odRnTZZ

Others were a little more fulsome in describing how the film related to instalments past, and the performances of key cast newcomers.

Steven Zeitchik (@ZeitchikLAT) Order of cast prominence, in ascending order 5) Driver 4) Boyega 3) BB-8 2) Ford 1)Ridley #StarWars #TheForceAwakens

Adam B. Vary (@adambvary) Rest easy: #TheForceAwakens is 100% #StarWars, and something new. Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac: welcome.

Rebecca Keegan (@ThatRebecca) Story, characters, design, humor -- #StarWars fans, this is the movie you're looking for.

Keegan – a reporter for the LA Times also provided reassurance about just how “female friendly” the new film really is.

Rebecca Keegan (@ThatRebecca) Among its many wonderful qualities, STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS passes the Bechdel test.

And others revealed that Abrams’ big-budget blockbuster does, as you might imagine, contain a number of high-octane scenes.

Josh Lincoln Dickey (@JLDlite) How many setpieces? SO MANY SETPIECES. Head spinning tryna reconstruct #TheForceAwakens

Dickey was among those who also sought to place the film within the seven-strong series.

Josh Lincoln Dickey (@JLDlite) STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS is a strong, promising kickoff. As a standalone, I'd rank it #3 in the series.

Steven Weintraub (@colliderfrosty) Not going to say much till I see it again but rest assured THE FORCE AWAKENS is the best STAR WARS since 1983...maybe 1980.

Others upped the hyperbole yet higher.

Brett Morgen (@brettmorgen) #ForceAwakens might be the best blockbuster since the original.

The sole seed of doubt was sewn by entertainment writer Germain Lussier.