I really enjoyed Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. I have seen it twice and I just may see it again before the year is over.
Many of you may have not seen the movie yet, so I will keep my recap short and sweet.
Five Spoiler-Free Observations
- Rogue One is its own movie. Unlike Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Rogue One is very original. Both films pay homage to previous films in the franchise but Rogue One does so without feeling like a rehash in any way. And for the record, I did enjoy Force Awakens. 🙂
- The acting is very good. Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Ben Mendelsohn and Alan Tudyk carry the film. Mads Mikkelsen and Forest Whitaker provide gravitas. Donnie Yen, Jiang Wen and Riz Ahmed are scene-stealers.
- It isn’t very “Disney.” Rogue One is darker in tone and themes than your typical Disney movie in general, and Star Wars film in particular. But that is a quality which I find refreshing for this franchise, which tends to cater to general audiences, the Empire Strikes Back notwithstanding.
- The director is a Star Wars fanboy. Gareth Edwards (V) (age 41) is a child of the 1980’s. Many folks, like myself-born in this decade, are Star Wars fans. His respect and knowledge of the various source materials (e.g. The Clone Wars, A New Hope) are apparent when you watch Rogue One.
- It delivers! It is Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes (84%). But more importantly, it is just a damn good film. It has action. It has heart. And it has a few surprises. If you blink, you will miss the easter eggs that are laid. And there are more than a few!
