Review of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016) by Dave A — 25 May 2018

I have come back to Rogue One to review the full set of Disney Star Wars movies. Having now seen Solo, I can easily rank them in order of how good they are. The worst is Last Jedi, that movie is an utter abombination.

Force Awakens is slightly more Star Wars-y and better but still a poor & missed opportunity to relaunch Star Wars. Solo is next, fanservicey but headscratchingly average at best. Rogue One is by far the best of the bunch.

It is a flawed masterpiece based on a story that no one thought that they wanted to see. How the Rebels got the Death Star plans. It's a gritty war story about the spoils of war. It starts slow and take time to build up and the story is a little muddled.

But the last hour is up there with the original trilogy. It's helped by the rebels versus empire classic setting. A decent turn by Darth Vader and a bold suicide mission by the group of rebels who admittedly aren't well fleshed out.

What makes Rogue One tick is that you can feel the stakes, they are palpable. Especially when the rebels see the new Death Star destroy a whole world. Unlike Solo, we have a decent robot character (K-2SO) who doesn't grate.

The ending is dark and bold for a Disney movie. Although the production, like Solo was troubled and went through different director visions. Based on so-so dialogue from the trailer which didnt make the movie the end result is better for it.

The fan service for the most part and unlike Solo, is generally better. The end scene with Vader facing down a tunnel of Rebel troopers is worth it alone. The CGI Tarkin is jarring but forgivable, the CGI Leia is fleeting enough to pass by.

This is the closest Disney have gotten so far to capturing the Star Wars magic and feel. The SJW is mercifully limited here save for Jynn Erso being a Stormtrooper ass-kicker, despite her diminutive stature.

If Disney Star Wars is destined to go down in history as a cynical cash grab and death of the franchise. Then Gareth Edwards should be congratulated for delivering on this. Ruin Johnson should have taken more notes.