"Star Wars: The Force Awakens" is likely the most anticipated movie of the year and will bring forth longtime fans and casual viewers alike, but will it do the coveted franchise any justice?

The long-awaited film has finally hit theaters and the verdict is out on what moviegoers can expect to experience. With the ups and downs the series has experienced due to its previous directorial management, fans are hoping for a huge turnaround with this next entry.

Here's what some popular news outlets have to say.

Rolling Stone

Rolling Stone praised the direction Abrams took the franchise and applauded his casting decisions.

"Abrams knows how to build a laugh and fill the emotional spaces between words. He's a fanboy who knows what fanboys want, but he also delivers the goods for the rest of us. Giving starring roles to a black man, a white woman and a Latino is the right idea that could have gone seriously wrong; instead, it's quietly history making."

The Guardian

The Guardian was taken aback by the film's range of emotions and feels that it now belongs in a genre all its own.

"'The Force Awakens' is ridiculous and melodramatic and sentimental of course, but exciting and brimming with energy and its own kind of generosity. What a Christmas present."

Forbes

Forbes expressed being dissatisfied with the franchise's lack of innovation and felt it simply rehashed the same formula fans have all been indoctrinated with.

"You can make the case that I was hoping to get 'the Star Wars movie,' promised in the grandly mythic trailers but instead got merely 'a Star Wars movie.' This is not dissimilar to J.J. Abrams's first 'Star Trek' not living up to the majestic second trailer back in 2009. In this case, the 'Star Wars' movie we got is one we've already seen more times than we can count. Nonetheless, with box office glory assured and a relatively receptive fan base waiting with open arms, it is inevitable that this franchise will continue to live long and prosper."

IGN

IGN was impressed with the overall package "The Force Awakens" brought, but thought it could have done away with the much of the unnecessary fan service.

"'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' is the movie it was promised to be, with great new characters, a respect for the original trilogy and a strong understanding of what makes this franchise click with fans. The new additions to the 'Star Wars' universe work best, though there is some over-reliance on tying things to and making nods to the classic 'Star Wars' films. Overall, this is a great way to reboot the franchise and open the world up for a new generation of fans."

The New York Times

New York Times appreciated J.J. Abram's ability to escape from some of the mediocrity present in some of the previous Star Wars films.

"Mr. Abrams may be as worshipful as any 'Star Wars' obsessive, but in 'The Force Awakens' he's made a movie that goes for old-fashioned escapism even as it presents a futuristic vision of a pluralistic world that his audience already lives in. He hasn't made a film only for true believers; he has made a film for everyone (well, almost). So, will Rey, Finn and Poe save the day? Will they battle Kylo Ren and Oedipus, too? Stay tuned for the next potentially thrilling, or at least pretty good, adventure."