Episode VII (spoilers)

[Drich]

The lightsaber fight was precisely what I wanted to see in the film - brutal, unvarnished, aggressive. Two people who are actively trying to slice each other up with energy swords rather than engaging in a twirly dance-off.

Check out the progression of light saber fights:

Darth Vader v Obi Wan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kpHK4YIwY4
Impression: Slow old men poking at each other; exciting as a kid but super boring to watch in terms of excitement.

Darth Vader v Luke Skywalker
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RFYoZ7H67A
Impression: Faster, but overly laced with exposition, sometime kind of brutal but starts to get twirly; definitely more exciting than Vader v Obi Wan

Darth Maul v Obi Wan and Qui-Gon
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHqdESArkqU
Impression: Some super twirliness going on here!  Over choreographed and weirdly silent - no one talks or makes a noise except Obi Wan's "No0o0o0o0o!" at Qui-Gon's death.

I think the progression of light saber fights in TFA is a definitely step in the right direction - fast-paced action, brutal, not especially twirly or over choreographed.

So, "the force awakens"... what does it mean?

- The awakening of the force in the whole Galaxy? Seems like that was stopped a few years before the movie's time...
- The awakening of the force in Rey? Consistent with the flashback and realization during the final fight... it's like she awoke to the Force...

Seeing as how the Force never really went away, I think it's referring to the force awakening in Rey but we'll have to wait and see...

that's kinda my point.. The twirliness from the prequels are a result of discipline practice and hard sparing.

verse ANH (two old men poking at each other) is a result of obi and vader not in practice.

ESB luke is like rey attacking/hacking Vader going for the crippling kill shot..

RotJ more practiced better control.

TFA hack and slash all over again.