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Rogue One: A Star Wars Story



Starring: Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Ben Mendelsohn, Donnie Yen, Mads Mikkelsen, Alan Tudyk, Riz Ahmed, and Forest Whitaker
Directed by: Gareth Edwards
Screenplay by: Chris Weitz and Tony Gilroy

     Like so many Hollywood sagas these days, it seems that Star Wars as of last year has become an annual event.  Each year around the holidays for the foreseeable future, people will flock to the movie theaters to see the newest installment in the ever so popular series.  Last year it was The Force Awakens, and this year, it's not one of the "episodes", but a spinoff, Rogue One.  
     Taking place before the first Star Wars movie, A New Hope, the Rebel Alliance has received word that the Empire has a new weapon.  This weapon has incredible power and is feared throughout the galaxy so the Empire can maintain control.  This weapon has the power to destroy an entire planet.  Wait, could it be...the Death Star?
     Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones) is the daughter of Galen Erso (Mads Mikkelsen), an engineer who appears to be one of the masterminds behind the Death Star.  Taken when Jyn is a child, Galen is under the command of Orson Krennic (Ben Mendelssohn), the commander of the new battle station while it's being constructed.  The Rebel Alliance, nearly accepting total defeat by the Empire, believes that because of her relationship with her father, Jyn may be able to help them steal the plans for the Death Star so they can ultimately destroy it (see A New Hope for that part).
     Rogue One is an interesting film.  It's interesting because it takes place between episodes III and IV.  The audience (who has seen all the Star Wars movies) knows what happens on both sides of the film.  The story is a departure from the main Star Wars storyline and is on a parallel storyline.  The problem is that the storyline that the film deals with is too short for a nearly two and a half hour movie.  It dwells on certain parts of the story for too long without going much into background.  For example, Jyn Erso is a particularly interesting character to me.  She is a rebellious young woman, and thus one might think she is a perfect fit for the Rebel Alliance.  Yet she is perfectly willing to except the rule of the Empire because she likes to keep her head in the sand.  She doesn't care and it doesn't matter to her who is in control of the galaxy.  I find this aspect to be particularly important in her character's development, but it is not talked about as much as I would like it to be.
      On another note, the effects are quite good.  We have gotten to a point where big action films such as this require good special effects that look good and blend in well with the rest of the film.  Rogue One does this excellently, just like Gareth Edwards's 2014 film, Godzilla.  
      I was honestly somewhat let down by Rogue One.  It doesn't seem to have a "wow" factor that draws me in like some of the other Star Wars films do.  I found myself significantly less interested in this film than even The Force Awakens.  My favorite overall aspect of this film is its departure from the main storyline.  It's nice to see a parallel storyline that comes from the expanded universe.  I also like that it's a stand alone film.  It won't have a sequel because that would defeat the purpose of A New Hope.  
     I give Rogue One a B+.

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