J.J. Abrams responds to criticism over TFA being a rip-off of A New Hope

[AZWification]

coolbeans said:

AZWification said:

I'd rather have a New Hope rip-off than a movie as "amazing" as The Phantom Menace. Besides, Episode VIII won't play it as safe as Episode VII.

I'm kind of surprised how easily people jump to this kind of excuse to distance criticism.  

"Step right up and get the regurgitated visual aesthetics and setup that you loved back in '77!  Okay...maybe in the next sequel we'll try to be daring and creative."  

I didn't say that TFA doesn't deserve some of the criticism it has got. I was just saying that I'm happy that we got that instead of another movie as bad as any of the prequels. After all, it's still better than Episodes I-III.