Star Wars fans arrive for NZ premiere

Art Green at the Premiere of Star Wars: The Force Awakens at Sylvia Park. Photo / Jason Oxenham

Hordes of excited Star Wars fans, media and celebrities turned out for the New Zealand premiere of Star Wars: The Force Awakens last night.

The event at Hoyts Sylvia Park in Auckland was hosted by a variety of costumed characters, including Princess Leia, R2D2, Chewbacca and a legion of stormtroopers.

Making up for a disappointing lack of costumes on the grown-up guests, children thankfully brought the force with them on the big night.

Playing with a little Luke Skywalker in blue Chuck Taylors was 9-year-old Abby Scott, a miniature Princess Leia. She had received the tickets as part of her job as a toy tester for The Warehouse.

"I'm very excited, she's been working hard to get me a ticket," said her dad, Andy Scott, who admitted he might've been a bit more excited about the movie than his daughter.

"She can't believe the first movie came out the year I was born," he said.

Abby admitted she was "quite new" as a fan, but you wouldn't have guessed it from her perfect Princess Leia braids - which dad attempted to take credit for.

"No, he took me to the hairdressers!" she interrupted.

Several notable names were also spotted at the premiere, including Monty Betham, Art Green, Jeremy Corbett, Che Fu and Max Key.

A live band provided entertaining renditions of Star Wars classics, switching to the Imperial March as the crowds slowly shuffled towards the cinema.

And as they returned, two hours and 20 minutes later, the reaction was entirely positive - with many lauding the film as a return to "the old Star Wars".

"They kept it pretty true to the story," Anthony Clark-Powell said. "The special effects are great and they leave it open to maybe another episode later, which is promising."

It certainly went down well with dad and daughter combo Abby and Andy Scott as well.

"It was very cool. I like Leia and Rey the most," Abby said. "And [droid] BB8 as well. He was just funny most of the time and he did the thumbs up."

For Andy, the film lived up to his childhood expectations.

"That might almost be the best one yet, that was awesome. I loved it. It was fantastic."

FANS' REACTION

"[I liked] the references to the old ones, the original trilogy. Bit of comedy, bit of retro, yet modern at the same time. A great all-rounder."

- Dan Darvell

"It was really good. They kept it pretty true to the story. The special effects are great. And they leave it open to maybe another episode later, which is promising."

- Anthony Clark-Powell

"It was amazing. Original Star Wars is back."

- Adam Blackwell

"It was amazing. You know it's hard because there was so much from the old Star Wars and looking forward, it was really cool. I'm looking forward to the next one."

- Jo Haunui

"It was really cool. I liked all the new characters and the new storylines."

- Tristan Wheeler

"It was very cool. I like Leia and Rey the most. And BB8 as well. He was just funny most of the time and he did the thumbs up."

- Abby Scott

"That might almost be the best one yet, that was awesome. I loved it. It was fantastic."

- Andy Scott