Great start to the anthology series

Rating: 8/10 (25 December 2016)

'Rogue One: A Star Wars Story' is one of the most entertaining movies that I have seen this year, but that's not to say it is one of the best. However, I was still on the edge of my seat, especially towards the end. First off, the film looks gorgeous. The budget of the movie inflated over $200 million, but it's worth it. The battle scenes are particularly stunning, as the visuals virtually pop off the screen. The visual effects aren't the only reason the film dazzles, though, as director Gareth Edwards and cinematographer Greig Fraser capture nearly perfect angles of the ongoing combat. The scenes involving Darth Vader (not a spoiler, as he is in the trailer) are breathtaking, and anything we could have asked for. But most of all, it is the third act of this movie that carries the load, as its action sequences are exhilarating to watch. However, this leads me into one of my problems with the movie, the pacing. While the first and second acts are good, they do not live up to the usual awe that the previous films in the franchise have brought us. There is hardly any depth for the main characters, aside from Jyn Erso. The performances are convincing enough, but the actual characters do not have enough background given for us to feel sympathetic. Even when they are in battle, we do not feel the emotional punch that Edwards and Co. likely expected us to, since we are not attached to them, Still, "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" does live up to the hype...mostly. Depite its flaws, it is astonishing on a technical level, and the third act is some of the best we've ever gotten in this historic franchise.