I have to say overall the film was a mixed bag.
Kylo Ren was somewhat interesting, even if he was basically just a knock off of Vader. It was a good idea to write a disgruntled Jedi trainee into the plot and make him Han and Leia’s son.
Rey was a refreshingly strong and believable female character, and I thought Daisy Ridley’s performance was quite good. I did find it dubious though that she (and Finn), with no previous Jedi training, would be able to engage in a lightsabre fight with a Sith apprentice and last more than a few seconds.
I really did not like Finn. First, I still find it improbable that there would be a black stormtrooper. In the original trilogy, all of the Imperials were white human males. If the First Order is modeling themselves on the fascist Empire, I wouldn’t expect any females, blacks, or alien races in its military.
Aside from that, Finn was just an annoying character, almost like a C-3P0 or Jar Jar. Han was visibly annoyed by his presence throughout most of film. Also, John Boyega’s American accent was rather awkward. He should have spoken with his native British accent.
I think Han’s death was gratuitous. Because he died, we didn’t get to see Luke, Han, and Leia reunited. I think Ford must of put a lot of pressure on Abrams to kill off Han for him agreeing to play the character again, because it’s what he always wanted. Ford never liked Han, even though the role is what made him rich and famous.
I agree with those who say that Abrams went to the other extreme by not including much politics in the film. The origins of the First Order are vague, as are the events of the entire 30 years between ROTJ and TFA. This is where the film failed most. Many of us wanted to know more of the history of the new republic and the fate of the heroes of the original trilogy after the defeat of the Empire.
I went to the theater not expecting much when I saw the film, therefore really I wasn’t disappointed. I still don’t think much of JJ Abrams or his directing or script writing skills. There really is great room for improvement in subsequent films.