Felicity Jones is The Force

Rating: 8/10 (28 December 2016)

"Rogue One" is exciting fun. Felicity Jones as hero Jyn Erso is a star. Director Gareth Edwards's movie is visually spectacular and action driven. Screenwriters Chris Weitz and Tony Gilroy tell the timeless story of courage and family. Edwards's "Rogue One" is a standalone movie occurring in the timeline before "Star Wars: Episode IV". As engaging as the movie is, what is the purpose of "Rogue One"? In the story Jyn along with renegade Rebellion members seek the plans of the Death Star weapon in "Star Wars". Jyn is drawn to the mission to rescue her beloved father Galen (Mads Mikkelsen). Galen was the scientist, who created the Death Star. Darth Vader voiced by James Earl Jones makes an ominous kick ass presence. Jones and Donnie Yen as blind warrior monk Chirrut Imwe are charismatic and bold.
"Rogue One" enlightens the coming events of "Star Wars". After watching the movie, I thought it missed the possible character evolution in terms of the Star Wars mythos. Jones, Yen, and Mikkelsen are captivating. I saw the movie in a Dolby Theater, and the battle with X-Wing and Tie-Wing fighters was amazing. In the end "Rogue One" leaves us wanting more to the story. It does not seem as consequential in the bigger picture.
"Rogue One" opens as Imperial Director Krennic (cold Ben Mendelson) apprehends Galen (Mikkelsen) to complete his work on the Death Star. Galen schemed for this inevitability. However, tragedy consumes. Krennic murders his wife. His daughter Jyn escapes and is raised by friend, Saw Gerrera (solid Forest Whitaker). Saw is an Imperial soldier turned Rebel. Jyn (Jones) grows into a powerful warrior.
The Resistance Rebels and Cassian (Diego Luna) recruit Jyn as part of a larger conspiracy. Galen sent a message to Jyn about the designed flaw in the Death Star. Jyn heads to planet Jeda in hopes of discovering the whereabouts of her Father. There she meets Chirrut (Yen), and others. Is Jyn is a savior or pawn in the conspiracy?
Felicity Jones is the force in "Rogue One". She is spunky and beautiful. She humanely embodies bravery and sadness as the hero in search of her father. Her relationship with Mikkelson's Galen is the touching core of the movie. World class martial artist Donnie Yen lends gravitas as Chirrut, who is a believer of The Force, but not a Jedi. Mendelson is good, but his Krennic is relatively evil light. That is punctuated with the appearance of Darth Vader himself.
Director Edwards seamlessly ties his story forward to the Star Wars saga. He does so with perhaps a few too many characters. Jones makes this the great hero story. "Rogue One" is amazing entertainment. Yet with the encompassing conclusion, you may be left wanting more.