For nearly 40 years, fans have been wondering how the famous Death Star got away with having such a fundamental flaw in its architecture. Rogue One seeks to answer that question, as well as give long-time fans of the galaxy far, far away another fantastic adventure into the galaxy they love so much. Rogue One doesn't necessarily take the crown as the best Star Wars film made, but it does add another facet of dynamic adventure, action, and storytelling to the great galaxy born such a long time ago.
Audiences are greeted with a galaxy that has just been relieved of war. The Clone Wars are done, the treacherous Jedi have been all but wiped out, and the new Galactic Empire is tightening its control on the various planets and peoples across the galaxy. In the midst of trying to secure their authority, the Emperor's ultimate battle station, the Death Star project, has been sidelined by technical malfunctions. In an attempt to win back the Emperor's favor, Director Orson Krennic reaches out to his old friend and engineer, Galen Erso, to help solve the problems of the Death Star. Fearing for his family and the power of the Death Star, Galen sends his daughter, Jyn, to seek refuge with freedom fighter Saw Gurerra in the hopes that she will never have to deal with the Empire. 15 years later, Jyn is recruited by the Rebel Alliance after her father sends word of the critical flaw he built into the battle station. The Rebels hope that, by bringing in Jyn, they can reach her father and find the flaw to destroy the Death Star.
This plot sounds like a lot, but what we get as an audience is really a tale that's no longer than a 42-hour time span. It's clear, it's easy to follow, and it's brimming with action, special effects, and fun characters for us to follow along. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story literally takes place directly before the events of Star Wars: Episode IV: A New Hope, so there's fan service and high stakes abound. It's one of the most concise Star Wars films ever produced.
Touching on the characters, of which there are only nine of any true consequence, film goers may find themselves attaching to only a few, rather than the crew as a whole. Leads Felicity Jones and Diego Luna as Jyn Erso and Captain Cassian Andor, respectively, are thrown into the midst of a revolution. Their characters are beaten, down-trodden by war and desperation. It leaves very little charisma for them, unlike a Han Solo or a Princess Leia, for example. Nevertheless, they are confident, strong, and likable enough that you can get over their staleness rather quickly.
Donnie Yen and Jiang Wen as Chirrut Îmwe and Baze Malbus, respectively, play a duo of former Jedi acolytes, so they bring a different perspective of war-weariness: while Yen is much more of a devout than his partner Wen, they both have adapted to their new, dominated lifestyle and bring a fun different combat style to the film. Donnie Yen, being the fantastic martial arts master that he is, is utilized fantastically during his combat sequences. But they're also joined by Alan Tudyk and Riz Ahmed as the reprogrammed droid K-2SO and Imperial pilot Bodhi Rook. K-2SO is an absolute scene-stealer, the only character to bring purposeful, dry humor to the film, whereas Bodhi is little more than a refugee with no other options for survival. His involvement is mere circumstance. And finally, with Ben Mendelsohn, Mads Mikkelsen, and returning James Earl Jones as Director Krennic, Galen Erso, and Darth Vader. All have relatively minor roles: Krennic is seen as little more than a pawn for the Empire's ultimate plans (though he tries to break free of that role), Galen is pure set-up for the plot of the film, as well as the main character Jyn, and Darth Vader is purely there for the fandom to eat up; granted, his presence is exhilirating, albeit brief.There's a lot of action to eat up in this film: storming beaches mirroring D-Day, X-Wing dogfights in space, and some pretty sweet melee combat in the cities. As far as action goes, it's pretty hard to beat Rogue One. It's some of the most spectacular sci-fi action I've ever seen. It's so great, I'm finding it hard to describe. It's just amazing choreography and cinematography that you need to see with your own eyes.
And speaking of the cinematography, the shots in this film are absolutely gorgeous. The landscapes of the planets, the vibrant colors that pop in each sequence, it's all a feast for the eyes. And the sounds that compliment it are just as good: the sirens of the Death Star, the wooshing of the X-Wings and TIE Fighters, the grinding of the gears in the droids: it's all up to ILM and Lucasfilm perfection. It perfectly engrosses a viewer in the world.
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is the perfect gift for any fan of the Star Wars universe. And while there are some deep cuts in lore for hardcore fans, anyone who saw the original film from 1977 will feel right at home here. There's a lot of fun to be had with the characters, even though two of them are more memorable than the rest. The film is concise, focused, and engaging enough to give anyone who's enjoyed the galaxy far, far away an amazing time at the theater.
Rating: 9.5/10
