But worst of all is the complete lack of backstory combined with the fact that TFA really has no driving motivation for any character other than plot advancement.
I have to agree. I really didn’t care about any of the characters, they only served to forward the plot. I’m definitely gonna be crucified for this; but I think that Anakin was a more compelling character than any of the protagonists in TFA (for various reasons, but that’s another discussion entirely). The only character I’m invested in is Kylo Ren. I guess the villains are just more interesting.