Carrie Fisher had a more difficult task in some ways, since female roles in science fiction usually depend on periods of undress for their cache, but she played the part of an older Princess Leia with the dignity and seriousness the role required. [Full disclosure, I met Ford a few times but found him to be a very private guy, and was close friends with Fisher for many of my Hollywood years and knew her, as many now do, as one of the wittiest humans alive.]
But the big delight for me was the discovery of Daisy Ridley who has the lead role in the film and who I wasn't aware of ever having seen on the big screen before. She brought the kind of star charisma a franchise like this needs and lacked in many of the sequels to the original. Finally a female sic fi action figure who commands your attention and respect and is engaging and entertaining seemingly with ease.
The other delight was John Boyega. I've been waiting to see him in an action starring role ever since I discovered him in one of my favorite movies ATTACK THE BLOCK. Watching him perform the role of Finn with perfect comic timing as well as the emotional depth necessary for the serious moments, I could not figure out what the fuss about his being dark skinned had to do with playing an action hero, let alone a reluctant one.
Yeah, some of the other casting missed, and the story line could have been better, though I liked the echoes from the original STAR WARS, but a lot of the humor worked for me, as well as the drama and action. For my taste, well worth seeing on the big screen.
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