With great hype comes great responsibility, and it looks like "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" is living up to its end of the bargain.

Early reviews are in for "Episode VII" -- which comes out in two days -- and they are very, very positive. At the moment, "Rotten Tomatoes" is trending on Twitter because fans are rocking back and forth in excitement about the movie's current 97 percent certified fresh rating, based on 110 "fresh" reviews and three "rotten." (Question: Do we just assume the three are trolls fishing for attention or give them the benefit of the doubt?") That rating could and probably will change very quickly, but for now it is thrilling fanboys and fangirls to tears.


Yes. These are the scores we're looking for. Not only do the critics (so far) seem to think "The Force Awakens" is better than the prequels -- an admittedly low bar -- they seem sweet on the movie on its own.

Here are just a few of the fresh reviews:

• "Thrilling, exciting and dazzling with a heartbeat underneath. Star Wars: The Force Awakens delivers everything you want in a Star Wars movie. It's worth waiting in line for, and lives up to the hype."
Avi Offer
NYC Movie Guru

• "A Star Wars film by fans and for fans."
Chris Bumbray
JoBlo's Movie Emporium

• "Star Wars has come roaring and soaring back with a fabulous, bountiful, richly rewarding payoff for anyone who's been waiting, patiently or otherwise."
Neil Pond
Parade Magazine

• "Harrison Ford and Peter Mayhew, playing Han Solo and Chewbacca, are flat out terrific delivering one-liners, slap-stick, and heart, which transcends mere nostalgia."
Jonathan W. Hickman
Daily Film Fix

• "What Abrams has done is find and return the ingredient crucial to the original three films in the franchise that was sorely lacking in the second round: fun."
Bill Goodykoontz
Arizona Republic

• "A triumphant return to form for the franchise - the best of the films since The Empire Strikes Back...It's also a rousing introduction to new characters who will likely carry this world forward through two more planned episodes and assorted spinoffs."
Cary Darling
Fort Worth Star-Telegram/DFW.com

And here's one of the rotten reviews:

• "[Abrams ] has made an adoring copy of Star Wars, seeking to correct its perceived flaws, without understanding that nothing about that movie's context or meaning or enormous cultural impact can be duplicated."
Andrew O'Hehir
Salon.com

That guy's lack of faith is disturbing, and he's probably going to take some heat, but it is good to hear both sides. And, for all we know, many fans may agree with that perspective. With so much hype, there's a lot of room for disappointment. Time will tell.

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