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Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens

Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens

Every generation has a story.

2015138 minPG-13Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films
Director
J.J. Abrams
Starring
Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Adam Driver

Thirty years after defeating the Galactic Empire, Han Solo and his allies face a new threat from the evil Kylo Ren and his army of Stormtroopers.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens streaming on Disney+ and STARZ and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

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Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens?

Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens earns 8 badges, led by Universally Loved and Top 10% in Action.

  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Cast

Reception

Is Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens worth watching?

Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens' Midcredits score is the 89th percentile of all films, from 3.1M ratings across 6 sources. 80% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

89th percentile

Better received than 89% of films

94th percentile among Action89th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)84th
Approval (how many liked it)90th

72 /100

84th percentile of all films

93rd percentile among Action83rd percentile among 2010s

Critics 80 · Audience 71

Critics liked it more than audiences did.

Rating distribution

Most people land high, with a thin tail of low scores from those it didn't reach.

80% liked it

90th percentile of all films

93rd percentile among Action91st percentile among 2010s
80% rated it 7–1020% rated it 1–6

Critics 93% · Audience 84%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of critics approved than audiences.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 5 Oscar noms · 27 wins / 70 noms overall

  • NominatedAcademy Awards· Best Achievement in Film Editing
  • NominatedAcademy Awards· Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score

82nd percentile

3.1M ratings across platforms

71st percentile among Action83rd percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 5% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$245M
Opening weekend$248M
Domestic gross$937M
Worldwide gross$2.1B

Returned 8.5× its budget — 99th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps agree the film is a deliberate homage to the original trilogy that prioritizes nostalgia and familiar story beats over bold originality.

Fans praised

  • engaging new leads Rey and Finn with strong chemistry
  • practical effects and tactile production design restore the original trilogy's gritty feel
  • Kylo Ren as a complex, emotionally raw villain with a compelling internal conflict

Detractors panned

  • slavish plot rehash of A New Hope with recycled Death Star climax
  • Rey's instant Jedi mastery with no training breaks established lore
  • thin character development and reliance on nostalgia over fresh ideas

What stands out

Effects and spectacle85

superb blend of practical and CGI effects; dogfights and set pieces are thrilling

ActingDivisive78

Daisy Ridley and John Boyega are praised as charismatic discoveries; some detractors find performances wooden or overacted

AtmosphereDivisive78

immersive world-building with a tactile, lived-in feel; detractors sense a hollow, theme-park veneer

PacingDivisive65

fast-paced and never boring; some detractors find it breathless and frenetic

Emotional impactDivisive60

nostalgia-driven catharsis for fans; detractors feel emotionally manipulated by hollow spectacle

CharactersDivisive55

Rey and Finn are instantly likable but lack depth; Kylo Ren is complex, yet detractors call him a whiny, underdeveloped tantrum-thrower

Plot and storyDivisive30

mirrors A New Hope beat-for-beat with Starkiller Base as a third Death Star; praised as a safe restart, panned as creatively bankrupt

OriginalityDivisive15

derivative retread of original trilogy; fans call it a respectful homage, detractors call it a shameless copy

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 2 points apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 5 points apart
  • Critics vs users 9 points apart
  • US vs non-US 1 point apart

Watch experience

What is Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Fun ride: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want a fun ride.

It is intense, never lets up and leaves you hopeful.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Nothing out of the ordinary.

What it feels like

Fun ride.

The answer rests on this: Moods
ThrillingHopefulMelancholic
Heaviest: late
Warm humor
Register
Adventurous · 11% of filmsEpic · 2% of films: Vast in scale: big landscapes, big stakes, a long span.Playful
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its adventure and dramatic moments sincerely, balancing earnest heroism with light-hearted humor and a sense of wonder.
The rideThe film balances fast-paced action with moments of loss and discovery; the emotional weight peaks at Han Solo's death and the final revelation of Luke.
StructureEvents unfold in a straightforward chronological order with a clear beginning, middle, and end.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Hopeful.

The answer rests on this: HopefulBittersweet
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves you with hope for the future despite the loss of Han Solo, as the new heroes take up the fight.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).QuestMission
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10% (this title): Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% (this title) · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Quest: A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles. · Mission: Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).

10% of films fit this archetype

with Overcoming the monster underneath

Why this archetypeThe story follows a diverse group searching for the missing Jedi Luke Skywalker while opposing the First Order's superweapon, combining a quest with an infiltration mission.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfIdentitySelf
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% (this title) · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22% (this title): Identity 14% (this title) · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% (this title) · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Self

Identity · 14% of filmsFamily bondsRedemption · 6% of films: Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having. stakesEnsemble lead
How it treats its themeRey and Kylo Ren both struggle with who they are—Rey with her hidden past and latent power, Ren with the pull between the light and dark sides of his family legacy.
StanceThe film affirms the hero's journey and the power of legacy, presenting the struggle between light and dark as a grand, hopeful adventure.

The world

TimelessOuter spaceWildernessInstitutionalScience fiction
Orchestral classicalOrchestral modernForeground music · original score · John Williams
SettingThe galaxy far, far away, decades after the fall of the Empire, with desert planets, forest moons, and a planet-sized superweapon.
MusicWilliams returns with a sweeping score that reuses classic themes and introduces new motifs for Rey and Kylo Ren.

Content guide

Is Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens okay for kids?

PG-13

Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens is rated PG-13: “Rated PG-13 for sci-fi action violence” (MPAA). As of August 19, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (59/100), sexual content at minimal (6/100), language at mild (24/100), drug and alcohol content at minimal (14/100) and frightening material at moderate (53/100). Overall it is heavier than 46% of PG-13-rated films.

Ratings in 46 other countries
  • UK12A
  • CanadaPG
  • AustraliaM
  • Germany12
  • FranceTP
  • Ireland12A
  • New ZealandM
  • JapanG
  • South Korea12
  • Brazil12
  • Argentina+13
  • Austria12
  • Belgium12
  • BGC
  • CLTE+7
  • Czechia12+
  • Denmark11
  • FinlandK-12
  • GreeceK12
  • Hong KongIIA
  • Hungary12
  • IDSU
  • IndiaU
  • IS9
  • IsraelAll
  • ItalyT
  • LTN-13
  • MexicoB
  • MOB
  • Netherlands12
  • Norway12
  • PhilippinesPG
  • Poland12
  • PortugalM/12
  • RO12
  • Russia12+
  • SingaporePG
  • SK12
  • South Africa13
  • Spain7
  • Sweden11
  • Switzerland12
  • Taiwan0+
  • TH13
  • Türkiye13A
  • UA12+
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 30% of all filmsHeavier than 46% of PG-13-rated films
Violence & Gore
Moderate
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 69%
Sex & Nudity
None / Minimal
light for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 4%
Profanity
Mild
light for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 10%
Alcohol & Drugs
None / Minimal
light for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 14%
Frightening / Intense
Moderate
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 60%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Nothing here is extreme. The strongest element is violence, heavier than 69% of PG-13-rated films.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens have?

MovieCove's classifier found 6 depicted content warnings in Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens: Gun violence (moderate), Kidnapping or confinement (moderate), Torture (moderate), plus 3 withheld here because they would spoil the plot. Each is backed by a verbatim quote from the parents' guide notes; a missing warning is not a guarantee of absence.

ModerateGun violenceKidnapping or confinementTorture

Cast and crew

Who is in Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens?

Cast

3 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Daisy Ridley
as Rey
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
newcomer then · star now
John Boyega
as Finn
Oscar Isaac
as Poe Dameron
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Adam Driver
as Kylo Ren
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.
Carrie Fisher
as Princess Leia
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Harrison Ford
as Han Solo
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Mark Hamill
as Luke Skywalker
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
Lupita Nyong'o
as Maz Kanata
newcomer then · star now
Andy Serkis
as Supreme Leader Snoke
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
Domhnall Gleeson
as General Hux

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens?

Movies like Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens include Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi (2017), Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Star Trek Into Darkness (2013). Of the 12 closest matches, two are films by J.J. Abrams, and most are films set aboard a spacecraft.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

11 of these 12 share its world: space opera. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens?

263 other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: space opera. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.