Let's be honest folks. The criticism that TFA is too much like ANH is only the beginning...
The film was ripe with coincidences, one event leading to another. It diminished the ending to ROTJ. It's as though that film was unnecessary. Rebels is rebranded as the Resistance, and the Empire is rebranded as the First Order. The scenes on Yavin and the plan to destroy the superweapon were very dull. The dialogue between Han and Leia was like something they tell you NOT to do at your first screenwriters class. Are they really going to sum up why they've been separated from each other after so many years, just so the audience can hear it? Also, how does one go from saving the galaxy to being a petty criminal again? Han Solo was written as an old sentimental goof that others had to take up slack for, rather than being the quirky but great gunslinger/pilot from the OT. The TFA writers could have taken a lesson from Timothy Zahn. Wasn't buying the sudden obsession that Finn had to save Rey five minutes after he was ready to depart. Snoke was basically a giant Gollum or something out of Harry Potter. Captain Phasma was hollow eye candy. Rey and certainly Finn appeared to have acquired dueling techniques very quickly, especially when matched against Kylo Ren, who obviously was dedicated to the task and a confirmed blood decendant of Anakin/Leia. Not much fuss was kicked up around Han Solo's death after it happened. Nobody consoled Chewie and he seemed to bounce back rather quickly. At least Padme got a funeral. R2-D2 on the other hand was completely distraught and shuts down for years after a bunch of padawans were killed and Luke went into exile.
There was some good dialogue and humorous moments, however, BB8 flicking a lighter and Chewbacca reacting to Han's BSing isn't going to make the movie timeless. Where are the mythological themes? What new ideas did it present other than having a diverse cast?