“The Force Awakens,” the first in the new Star Wars sequel trilogy, is an experience you must see on the big screen. And it is a colossal, spectacular return of the Star Wars franchise.

All the classic elements are here: exceptional, you-are-along-for-the-ride cinematography, dynamic special effects; coupled with a new generation of characters fighting side by side with those we all know and love … Han Solo, Chewbacca, Princess Leia (now the General of the Resistance) Organa, C3PO and, eventually, R2D2.

The time frame: this film picks up where “Return of the Jedi” ended. It’s approximately 30 years after the Rebel Alliance fought against the Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader to save the Galactic Empire. The rebels killed both dark leaders.

In “The Force Awakens,” The Rebel Alliance is now the Resistance, and the dark side's Supreme Leader Snoke (Andy Serkis), his protege and storm troopers leader Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) and his forces comprise the First Order – and the latest threat to galaxy security.

The First Order has spent the last 30 years recruiting new warriors by taking young children from their families and immediately begin training them to serve the Order. That's how it happened for one of the new characters in this seventh installment, Finn (John Boyega), who was trained to be a storm trooper.

Rey (Daisy Ridley) has lived a vagrant's life since she was left on Jakku by her family as a girl of 6 or 7. She spends her days much like a bag lady, but instead of bottles and cans, she picks up bits and pieces of crashed spacecrafts. She cleans up and trades the items for food that comes in packages, is blue, and .. just add water and poof! Its a meal! She becomes involved with the Resistance by accident.

Resistance pilot Poe Demeron (Oscar Isaac), with his faithful (and adorable) droid BB-8 is sent on a mission by General Organa to find Jedi Luke Skywalker, who has gone into hiding somewhere. He has one lead: a man called Lor San Tekka (Max Von Sydow), on the planet Jakku. Tekka no sooner gives Poe a microchip bearing the info when spaceships from the Order are descending and storm troopers are storming out, weapons blazing.

Fearing he will be taken prisoner, Poe hides the microchip in BB-8, then tells him to run and hide. Poe also promises to come back for the droid if he should be taken hostage. And he is.

Kylo Ren tortures Poe to find out what the First Order needs to know. The force is strong in Ren – he can force information out of prisoners by “hand-wielding.” Ren has vowed to complete what Darth Vader began – and put an end to the Jedi and there's just one left – Skywalker.

Or, are there indeed more?

The Supreme Snoke wants the Jedi, the Resistance wants the Jedi back. And, as the movie progresses, the need to find Skywalker heightens as even Snoke feels “something awakening,” adding credence to the possibility of there being more Jedi about.

Great scenes: the first chase scene is through the inside of a crashed aircraft; the newest and absolutely adorable droid, BB-8, steals a few scenes – one in particular involves his participating in a “thumb's up” with Finn by lighting up his little electric shock device like a, well, lighter; the scene in which Han Solo and Chewie appear on the Millenium 5 Falcon, no less ... who am I kidding? The entire film is nothing but great scenes!

Rey and Finn are both quite blown away by the fact that Han Solo and Luke Skywalker actually exist. Growing up, they both heard about them, but thought the tales were a myth. Han tells them that Luke went into hiding when the Dark Lord took a boy and girl Luke had been training to be Jedi.

Our heroes – Han, Chewey, Finn and Rey travel to a planet run by Maz, an alien pirateer where all manner of creature is hanging out drinking, playing games and what not. Rey finds herself drawn to a room on a lower level of Maz's (Lupita N'yongo) bar, and in particular, a chest inside it. Turns out to be a Pandora's Box of sorts, for her.

All of the actors are perfection. Ms Ridley as Rey is the perfect 21st century female character - strong, smart, resilient, capable; Driver as Kylo Ren is both menacing and weak as the forces of light and dark fight within him; Boyega is convincing and charming as the storm trooper-turned-resistance member. And, Harrison Ford ... from his first scene to his last he is Han Solo - funny, conniving, spontaneous and brave ... and Chewey, Chewey doesn’t have a lot of, um, ‘lines,’ but his communication skills are still effective!

The extremely satisfying screenplay was written by Lawrence Kasdan, JJ Abrams (both of whom have written other Star Wars scripts) and Michael Arndt; John Williams has composed another sensational the soundtrack; and the cinematography by Daniel Mindel is sensational.

As Leia says to Han, “The force - it's calling to you. Just let it in.”

And the force is calling to you, too.

Let it in by being in the audience at The Harbor Theatre in Boothbay Harbor during this film's month-long run, beginning Thursday, Dec. 17 at 7 p.m. No advance tickets will be sold. There will be additional 2 p.m. matinees on Sunday, Dec. 20 and 27, Jan. 3 and 10; all other screenings are at 7.

The Harbor Theatre is located at 185 Townsend Avenue in Boothbay Harbor. Call 207-633-0438 or visit www.harbortheatre.net for more information.