The first reactions to 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' are here, and people are thrilled ... Even Wired liked it.
Ah, the Hero's Quest ... a formula that has worked for centuries.
Check out this document showing the differences between the plots of Harry Potter and Star Wars.
J.K. Rowling has said, "I haven't the faintest idea where my ideas come from." Well, Wikipedia lists over two dozen influences and analogues (and is interesting, if you like that sort of thing.)
Or, you could just glance at the following infographic. It highlights the similarities between Harry Potter and Star Wars pretty clearly.
Sometimes it is better not to analyze the trick and just enjoy the magic.
Other times, just let Saturday Night Live do a parody of it.