With only one more day to wait until Star Wars: The Force Awakens is released in the UK, movie moguls are rushing to publish their reviews of the most anticipated film of the year. 

Here, we give you their reaction in bite-sized chunks. No spoilers, we promise. 

Manohla Dargis at The New York Times:

For this critic, the 'big news about Star Wars: The Force Awakens is - spoiler alert - that it's good', adding 'It won't save the world, not even Hollywood, but it seamlessly balances cosy favourites - Harrison Ford, ladies and gentlemen - and new kinetic wows along with some of the niceties that went missing as the series grew into a phenomenon, most crucially a scale and a sensibility that is rooted in the human.'

Helen O'Hara at Empire:

The respected move magazine gave the film four stars and named Kylo Ren as 'the best villain that the franchise has ever produced. He's not just a worthy heir to Vader; he may be more interesting'.

Brian Viner at The Daily Mail: 

''Boy, has the force awoken... [The film is] a triumph of escapism and the most exhilarating film yet in this mighty franchise.' Viner was blown away by 'almost balletic airborne battle scenes, evocative of all the best Second World War films' and praised British actress Daisy Ridley, who plays scavenger Rey, for being 'the real star of the show.'

Kate Muir at The Times: 

Muir wrote: 'Adults will be floored by tearful nostalgia because this is a classic', asserting the seventh movie in the Star Wars franchise is 'a humongous piece of cinema'.

Robbie Collin at The Telegraph: 

This critic admitted to crying three times during the film and praised director JJ Abrams and his team for their work. She said they 'transformed a slightly tattered franchise and restored its sense of magic and myth.' Collin enthused about Harrison Ford's performance, calling it 'a sardonic, rough-chinned world-weariness that's perhaps not entirely acting.'

Christopher Wooton at the Independent:

This level-headed review gave the film four stars and said: 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens is actually probably objectively the best Star Wars yet.'

Jamie Graham at Total Film:

Graham gave a heart-warming review and managed to zoom in on what we have all be wondering about Star Wars: 'This, undoubtedly, is the movie that fans wanted, the movie that fans deserve. And it's only fitting that it is, beneath the scintillating action and striking world-building, a film about parents and children, about the effects of one generation on the next, about legacy. Star Wars: The Force Awakens will be viewed and passed down for many years to come.'

Until we get to see the film ourselves, though, we're happy watching this video of Jimmy Fallon and the entire cast of Star Wars: The Force Awakens (featuring our January cover star Lupita Nyong'o and Daisy Ridley) singing the Star Wars theme tune acapella. It's out of this world.

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Star Wars: The Force Awakens premieres in the UK tonight, marking the beginning of its global release roll-out, followed by France, South Africa and several other countries. It had its world premiere in Los Angeles on Monday evening.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens is released in the UK and Ireland on 17 December.

Words by Francesca Donovan