TO be frank, I think its a decent movie but not something to go crazy about.
This is right place to ask I suppose as they portray as if all geeks, tech people love Star Wars.
From what I've observed, the new movie is being very heavily marketed. Facebook now has the option to stick a light saber on your profile picture. The merchandise is all over the larger stores. In my opinion, it's mostly hype due to its prevalence from marketing.
The movie was epic. I loved it. Damn. Just set your expectations at 0 and may the Force be with you.
I wonder what it would be like if all of advertising space were instead filled with affirmations about the human condition, about empathy, about statistical intuition, and about finding cognitive distortions. You know, the opposite of what advertising needs to function. So, totally not possible. But I think it'd be a good idea.
Anyway, since I didn't grow up on it, there's no nostalgic connection for me and I'm not into it at all.
(Whereas I'm at least somewhat aware of the Star Trek goings-on because I was exposed to TNG by television.)
Everyone in the marketing business should learn how it's done from such premieres (other examples are Bond, Hobbit, Harry Potter).
I think those strategies would not work with a completely new title. Here you have a series that spans over 2-3 generations and through marketing you can create this illusion that this is an incredible cultural phenomenon, and that everyone is waiting, and that it's a part of the saga, and that without watching it you cannot call yourself a member of the polite society, or a middle class.
Look closely at what kind of arguments are used in the marketing messages. "This episode fits to the style of the other films". Now do reverse engineering on that statement - they took focus groups, sociologists, cultural anthropologists, ask people questions: "what are you most afraid of with the new episode", they say: "that it will spoil the style and mood of the previous movies". Now take 2-3 most repetitive statements and construct the smart message that will cover these problems. This is how it's done.
Another element is that the screenplay is written in such a way, that this episode has to be both - relating to the previous episodes and satisfy the fans, but also has to have a self containing story, that will be understood by those unfamiliar to the series. From the marketing point of view the Star Wars fans are not really the target group, they will go to see it no matter what. The real challenge is to broaden the fan base, attract those uninterested. Make the girlfriends go together with the boyfriends, and parents together with the children. Big bucks rule.
I particularly like the way they insert the information into the news reels. Of course the TV stations are being paid for it and the message is well tailored, but goes seamlessly well with other pieces of news. Very few movies are honored like that.
On a technical level - I think Episode I in 1999 was the last one shot on 35mm film. But actors spent most of the time in the blue box, so the editing deserves applause. Episodes II and III were shot on video making the composition with the CGI much much easier. But this time they went back to shooting on film, natural scenery and models. Interesting development. It's also interesting how they are able to release it on all different formats, 2d, 3d, IMAX etc. all at once (like games on different consoles).
I'm slightly critical from the point of view cinematographic art, but I'm admiring it as a global social engineering masterpiece and a business enterprise.
It's funny how all the real fans agree that 3/6 movies were terrible. The first 3 released didn't age well in my opinion but were probably great when released.
I don't think this is a unique phenomenon. Although the real fans hate it, I'm sure that some Star Trek viewers enjoyed Spock's Brain, or Threshold (well, I take that back; no one liked Threshold).
It's also "cool" to dislike Special Edition versions, and the Clone Wars show, but that doesn't mean they're bad, or even that fans actually dislike them.
Additionally you have people who watched the originals so many times that they were just disappointed with the prequels (it's hard to make a prequel right, and even if it was nearly perfect, it wouldn't be what the True Fans hoped for). Star Wars was never made for the real fans, because that is too small a niche to really target; in the same way as Star Trek 2009 made True Fans feel betrayed, I think the prequel trilogy disappointed them.