It's here. The wait is over. All the anticipation, all the hype, all the often baffling tie-ins and increasing anxiety have led up to this moment. Star Wars: The Force Awakens has been released. Fans have been camped out at theaters, worrying about it online, and mentally preparing themselves for what is easily one of the most highly-anticipated films of the decade. So what's the verdict? We turned to some of the most famous fans to see the first reviews (and don't worry, we've made sure they're all spoiler free).

Darren Criss

The actor and singer has a hard time containing his enthusiasm. His excitement over how much he loved The Force Awakens is barely tempered by his desire to keep from spoiling it for everyone else. But he's not alone in his love; critics are raving about the film, saying it's everything fans hoped for and more.

Shonda Rhimes

Rhimes took a break from crafting brilliantly twisty television tales to take in the latest Star Wars movie. And she was definitely not disappointed; her review compared it to the old school classics that started the phenomenon. Considering her own flair for well-crafted storylines, that's some serious praise.

Rainn Wilson


Talk about the perks of fame: The Office star brought his son Walter to the premiere of The Force Awakens, which is some seriously awesome family bonding. Dwight Schrute might have been a tough man to please (as well as a hardcore Star Wars fan), but Wilson had nothing but praise for the film and its actors.

Mary Elizabeth Winstead

Actress Mary Winstead confessed that she didn't enter the theater as a fan of Star Wars, but she definitely left as one. The star of Scott Pilgrm Vs. The World and Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter was blown away by the new movie. Just goes to show, it's never too late to become a fan.

Elizabeth Banks

No strangers to blockbusters herself, the Hunger Games star respects how seriously people take their spoilers. Banks was thrilled by the newest Star Wars film, and gave it a glowing review--while making sure fellow fans had no doubt about her spoiler policy. (And if you're really concerned about spoilers ruining The Force Awakens, there's even a Chrome extension to keep you in the dark until you get a chance to hit theaters.)

Mindy Kaling

The actress and comedian has been on pins and needles since the trailer came out, and even offered to make a guest appearance in the reboot. Her Star Wars message to director J.J. Abrams was a sweet celebration of all his hard work (and the intense pressure he must have faced when taking on this task).


Patton Oswalt

The actor is a serious fan of all things nerdy (he's appeared on Agents of S.H.I.EL.D. and written numerous comic books), so his opinion of the newest Star Wars film is not to be taken lightly. Usually verbose (particularly on his popular Twitter account), Oswalt summed up his opinions on The Force Awakens with a shout-out to director J.J. Abrams.

Stephen Colbert

The talk show host is best known for his frighteningly encyclopedic knowledge of Tolkien lore, but make no mistake: he's also a huge Star Wars fan. In fact, he's been picketing to be a part of the cast for some time now. J.J. Abrams and Harrison Ford don't look too impressed, but we think Colbert's enthusiasm should at least earn him a cameo in the next film.

Tags: Star Wars Episode VII star wars The Force Awakens