Kevin McCarthy's spoiler-free review of ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens'

WASHINGTON - After months of secrecy and anticipation, "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" is thrilling fans and theater owners alike.

The most anticipated film in the galaxy opened globally Thursday, setting international and pre-sale box-office records and delighting moviegoers who've had opening-night tickets in hand for months.

FOX 5 movie reviewer Kevin McCarthy said it hit all of his expectations for comedy, drama and action.

Describing it as a movie for "Star Wars" fans and non-fans alike, Kevin said director J.J. Abrams did a good job of making a new film while paying homage to the classics.

Even though it runs more than 2 hours long, Kevin said the pacing was very fast.

But FOX 5 News Morning anchor Steve Chenevey, who also saw the movie, recommended watching previous "Star Wars" films before seeing this one to avoid getting lost.

Kevin gave the film a perfect 5 out of 5 stars. He said it is the best in the franchise since "The Empire Strikes Back."

More than $100 million in tickets have been presold in North America. The movie ticket service Fandango said it has already sold more tickets for "The Force Awakens" than any movie over its entire theatrical run.

Read more of Kevin's reviews: https://www.facebook.com/KevinMcCarthyFOX

Ok. I need to use this forum to talk about what I experienced yesterday with "Star Wars: The Force Awakens." (100%...

The Associated Press contributed to this report.