A good Star Wars prequel

Rating: 9/10 (21 April 2017)

That almost sounds like a contradiction in terms, after the last three efforts. For the first time in decades, we have a Star Wars film with a good, solid story that hangs together. It also ties in nicely with Episode IV.
There is a great multinational cast. The acting is good, and the characters are unusually believable and vivid for a Star Wars film.
It is still your classic space opera, with space battles, laser gunfights, and the usual smorgasbord of visuals. However, there are darker, more gritty elements in the story. Some Star Wars devotees might find that a bit of a con, preferring their entertainment more lighthearted. There are others, though, for whom it makes the film more absorbing.