The characters made the difference. I actually cared about the characters in TFA whereas TPM lacked any thing that made me feel for the characters.
By the way, ANH's final battle is almost frame for frame "Dambusters" final assault. So, not original.
Oh noosss....! Alderaan was destroyed! Did that have more gravitas? The matte painting?
George had help in ANH, including in the editing and directing. Star Wars also presented as a different vibe than THX 1138 and American Grafitti, so comments, of course, would be different about delivery.
I at least believe Leia's we did it, and Rey and Finn's celebration after escaping the TIEs than the reaction to than similar reactions in TPM. So, it goes to belivability of the characters, which does come back to the direction given to the actors.