Star Wars: The Force Awakens held its star-studded premiere in Hollywood on Monday night, and some fans who were able to secure tickets are already raving about the film.
One Twitter user said that the film “spoke to [his] every emotion” and that it was an “amazing, overwhelming experience.” The Office alum Rainn Wilson also chimed in and said that director JJ Abrams “killed it.”
1st Star Wars review: it was epic, awesome & perfect. The cast was stellar. JJ killed it!
— RainnWilson (@rainnwilson) December 15, 2015
Other people on Twitter mentioned how the film fared compared to other Star Wars films in the past. A Twitter user said that he’d rank Star Wars: The Force Awakens as No. 3 in the entire series, while Collider EIC Steven Weintraub argued that the film could be the best Star Wars “since 1983… maybe 1980.”
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. — Steven Weintraub (@colliderfrosty) December 15, 2015
Leron Gubler, the president of the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, said that he and his wife Audrey loved the film.
“It brought back the magic of the first three films. What was great about it was that it didn’t take itself as seriously as the second trilogy,” Gubler said.
In addition, he also said that Star Wars: The Force Awakens film brought the entire franchise back to its roots, not to mention that it showcased the original characters of the first trilogy.
Fortunately, most of the reactions on social media are spoiler-free and should not worry die-hard Star Wars fans who are planning to see the film once or twice this week.
The premiere night for Star Wars: The Force Awakens was expected to lure in thousands, if not millions of Star Wars fans from across the country. As a result, the Los Angeles Police Department had to close a portion of Hollywood Boulevard.
The closure affected the boulevard from Sycamore to Highland avenue, and Hawthorn Avenue between Orange Drive and Highland Avenue was also closed until midnight.
The premiere night of Star Wars: The Force Awakens was held at the TCL Theatre, where the first film of the franchise premiered when the venue was still called Grauman’s Chinese Theatre. Security was a priority around the area of the premiere. Metal detectors were reportedly used to ensure safety during the entire Star Wars: The Force Awakens affair. As for the film’s viewers, they were requested to surrender their mobile devices before entering the cinema.
It is obviously a precaution to avoid camcording during the premiere and releasing a copy in piracy and torrent websites. Each mobile device was kept in a little brown bag, which were all redistributed to the viewers after the premiere.
High profile celebrities, as well as the film franchise’s actors, attended the premiere night for the highly anticipated film. It served as a reunion for Harrison Ford, who reprised his role as an aged Han Solo; Mark Hamill, who plays Luke Skywalker; and Carrie Fisher, who plays the role of Princess Leia.
There were also new faces to fill the new characters in the story, which was set 30 years after the events of Episode VI: Return of the Jedi .
Daisy Ridley appears as Rey, John Boyega as Finn, Oscar Isaac as Poe Dameron, and Adam Driver as Kylo Ren. The film mixes old and new characters that introduce a new storyline, which could possibly lead to two more films in the coming years.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens will also premiere in London on Wednesday, December 17. The film will be shown in London’s IMAX cinemas after midnight.
The BFI IMAX in London scheduled the premiere screening of Star Wars: The Force Awakens at 12:01 a.m., Empire Leicester Square IMAX will have it at 12:05 a.m., and Odeon Swiss Cottage IMAX scheduled it at 12:01 a.m. as well.
[Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images]