Review of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016) by Daniel O — 17 Jul 2018

Why is this movie a powerhouse blockbuster classic from the first moment it hit the big screen?

The answer is not very clear, but without a doubt, this is one of the best Star Wars (SW) films ever made. It certainly beats the prequel trilogy and new trilogy (the two we've seen so far) both combined. The Jedi were missing, but were they really? The existence of the incomparable Donny Yen as Chirrut restored my faith in the Force to near religious proportions, even bringing tears of admiration and respect and honor to my eyes... brought them, but never let them fall, of course. Felicity Jones and Diego Luna were disappointing, but their characters were so necessary that it is difficult to say they failed. But, Alan Tudyk should get special recognition, for despite the fact that we never got to see the man himself throughout the entire film, his performance as K-2SO left me teary-eyed again when he met his demise... such sacrifice and honor for a droid mistreated by almost everyone, K-2SO gave its life to protect the mission. These are the attributes of characters that do not focus on them as people with shady pasts, or disturbed childhoods, or anything remotely similar to the failed script that Solo became. Even though he film starts with Jyn's childhood, he focused less on her psychological condition of her troubled past, and more on showing us the motivation of her father to fight the Empire in his own way that ultimately led to the victory by the Rebellion. These were characters, as even seen when the few Rebels volunteered to fight, whom ignored their pasts and their sins to sacrifice themselves to protect the innocent and fight the Darkness. How can we not love these characters?

And, then of course there was the total badassery of Darth Vader in his prime. The few scenes of him were impressive, but it was those 13-seconds at the end of the movie where he decimated the Rebels trying to secure the Death Star plans that reminded the audience just how totally awesome the Force truly is, and how the Jedi an Sith are the greatest warriors in cinematic history. Why can't Rian Johnson and J.J. Abrams see how important it is to the future of the franchise to hold on to these fundamental components?!? Do NOT destroy the Force as they have been doing, making it seem like a failed social experiment more than anything else, with equally flawed characters like Kylo Ren and Rey; horrible. What Rogue One shows us is that concepts of heroism and the Force are the strongest components to the SW universe. Never mess with a good thing just because you want to hype your own reputation and career.

Rogue One should never be imitated, but it should be a perfect example of the inspiration needed to move the franchise forward in a profitable long-term future.