Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Released: December 2016

Director: Gareth Edwards

Rated PG-13

Run Time: 134 Minutes

Distributor: Disney/Lucasfilm

Genre: Action/Science Fiction

Cast:
Felicity Jones: Jyn Erso
Diego Luna: Cassian Andor
Alan Tudyk: K-2SO
Donnie Yen: Chirrut Imwe
Wen Jiang: Baze Malbus
Ben Mendelsohn: Orson Krennic
Forrest Whitaker: Saw Gerrera
Mads Mikkelson: Galen Erso

When Episode III: Revenge of the Sith was released, George Lucas said he would not do any more Star Wars movies.  While a great many people were relieved, because he botched the first two Prequel movie, others were concerned because Star Wars is an event that has to be seen on the big screen.  In 2012, Lucas sold his company and Star Wars to Disney for about 4 billion bucks.  Immediately after, Disney announced that they were going ahead with a new Star Wars trilogy, the first of which was released last year: The Force Awakens.  But, in addition to a new trilogy, Disney also announced a multitude of spin-off movies.  We are going to see a new Han Solo movie in the next two years, followed possibly by Boba Fett and Yoda.  But the first true non-episodical film is Rogue One.  So…how does Rogue One stack up against the other films in the franchise?  Let’s took a look, shall we?

The film opens as an Imperial scientist, Galen Erso tells his wife and daughter, Jyn to run, because the Galactic Empire is coming for him.  The Empire seeks his help in creating the ultimate weapon that will solidify the Empire’s control of the galaxy.  13 years later, we find Jyn arrested by the Empire, only to be rescued by the Rebel Alliance.  They were looking for her, because of her father’s work.  They want her to help them find Galen so they can stop this weapon from being used.  Reluctantly accepting the mission, Jyn sets out to find her father.  The story is not overly complex because it ties in directly with the original 1977 film.  That doesn’t make the story bad, though.  Far from it.  It’s a very compelling story that spans the entire galaxy.  While Rogue One IS a spin-off, it is a direct prequel to the original Star Wars.  As such, certain events in the film are predictable.  Again, that’s not a bad thing, as long as the rest of the film is up to the task of telling this particular story.  I can tell you now, Rogue One is quite possibly the best Star Wars movie since The Empire Strikes Back.  I don’t say that lightly, because Episodes VI and VII are really good movies, but Rogue One truly feels like a Star Wars film, in tone and look.

What makes Star Wars so special, is not just the story and the way it is told, but also the characters that drive it, and Rogue One is no exception.  We’ve got some really amazing characters here.  Jyn, the daughter of an Imperial scientist, has more reason to hate the Empire than anyone, but she has to put that aside for the greater good.  Captain Cassian Andor is the head of the Rebel intelligence division and is willing to do whatever it takes to fight the Empire.  On the way, we meet an eclectic cast of characters, including Chirrut Imwe, a blind warrior who has adopted the teachings of the Jedi, even though he isn’t one himself.  His best friend, Baze, is a bruiser of a warrior with a massive gun.  They are joined by K-2SO, an Imperial droid that’s been reprogrammed to fight for the Rebels.  On the Imperial side, we have Director Orson Krennic, who leads the Empire’s secret project.  We also have Moff Tarkin, who is Darth Vader’s second-in-command who oversees Krennic’s projects.  All these characters are mostly well-written.  K-2SO is definitely a high-light because he’s sarcastic and funny.  That brings me to the acting.  It’s phenomenal.  Everybody here is on top of their game, because they want to make the best movie possible.  Felicity Jones is adequately feisty and determined as Jyn Erso.  Mads Mikkelson is sympathetic and noble, despite some of the choices the character is forced to make.  Donnie Yen shines as Chirrut Imwe, a blind warrior that manages to be funny and bad-ass at the same time.  He gets a good deal of screen-time.  I’ve always wanted to see Donnie Yen as a Jedi at some point, but this is close enough.  Ben Mendelsohn plays the film’s main villain of Orson Krennic.  He’s suitably scummy and not particularly likable.

From a visual standpoint, Rogue One excels.  I’ll tell you why.  The look and design of the film was based on both Episode IV and V.  The star destroyers actually look like models, even though they aren’t.  I’ll be honest with you, I’ve never seen the Death Star on the big-screen before.  The scale of the space station is extraordinary.  The design of the weapon and the way it fires is straight out of the Original Trilogy.  Like The Force Awakens, the film makers opted to use practical effects and puppets for certain scenarios, and it works wonderfully.  The set designs are incredible.  They have a size and scope that hasn’t been seen in years.  The costume designs are pulled directly from Episode IV.  The Imperial officers and stormtroopers are like something out of a time machine.  They use actual costumes.  The X-Wings and the Rebel Fleet are sublimely designed.  It’s visually astonishing.

What would a Star Wars movie be without action?  Rogue One puts the emphasis on Wars in Star Wars.  The perspective of this film is from the ground.  It’s gritty, brutal and intense.  The gun fights are exceptionally exciting, and some of the hand-to-hand scenes are unlike anything that I’ve seen in the entire series.  Donnie Yen’s character is a phenomenal fighter, despite the fact that he is blind.  He has a huge stick that he uses to take out stormtroopers in a fairly spectacular fashion.  He stick is also a giant crossbow that he can use to shoot things.  The scale of the battles is unbelievable.  When the Rebels take on the Empire towards the end of the film, they go up against a variant of the AT-AT walkers that you seen in Empire Strikes Back.  If there’s one thing that Gareth Edwards does well, is give a film a sense of size and scale.  The space battle is equally amazing with the Rebel Fleet taking on several star destroyers.  It has to be seen to be believed.  I went in to Rogue One expecting a decent film, but I was not expecting a great Star Wars movie, and that’s what it is.  It’s a great film.  It’s still not perfect, though.  Forrest Whitaker’s character has a really strange voice and doesn’t really do a whole lot.  Darth Vader is another issue.  Don’t get me wrong, when he’s on screen, he’s a major presence.  But that’s the also the problem, he’s not in the film a whole lot.  That being said, his presence is still felt.  You know he has to show up at some point, and his final scene in the film is nothing short of crazy.

Despite a few nitpicks here and there, Rogue One fires on all cylinders and doesn’t let up at all.  The story and the characters actually manage to give the original 1977 film more weight, because of what happens.  I didn’t think that was possible.  While the film isn’t particularly necessary, it does fill in a lot of gaps and addresses certain issues from A New Hope.  I’m just going to say it, Rogue One is easily the best Star Wars movie since The Empire Strikes Back.  It’s emotionally engaging and visually exciting.  If you’re a Star Wars fan, this is a must-see.  If this film is any indication, I’m not particularly worried about the future of Star Wars.  At all.  This must be seen on the big screen.

My final score for Rogue One: 9.5/10.  HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

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One Comment

  1. Thanks for taking me,Tom.I felt just like I did after seeing the very first Star Wars on the big screen. Yes it was exciting and wonderful…and yes I am that old!

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