Rogue One stands out as the rogue in the family

Rating: 7/10 (16 December 2016)

SPOILERS AT YOUR 12
I give this movie 7.5 out of 10. It wins points for its freshness, introducing new elements to the Star Wars universe like new types of Stormtroopers and new vehicles, whilst teasing your nostalgic sensibilities. Classic characters from the original trilogy and prequels make cameos that build connections to both trilogies and the animated series. Even Aunt Beru's blue milk made an appearance.
I was personally delighted to see both Gold and Red Leaders from Episode IV and even a couple of familiar Cantina's thugs. The action pieces and production design are of high caliber - at once they fit within the Star Wars universe gritty and used looks, and at the same time they help heighten the war zone feel of the movie.
Like all the Star Wars movies, Rogue One takes its inspirations from classics like The Dirty Dozens and Saving Private Ryan. We have heard the story before, things are familiar and yet within the context of Star Wars - they feel bold and brave. Kudos to all the film crew and cast for pushing the envelope and stay close to the director's vision, despite I heard Disney's attempt at making it child-friendly.
And this is where the movie starts to lose points: although the narrative is solid and the story flow doesn't feel 'Forced', it is uneven at places. Especially every time they threw a joke in what should have been a somber or a tensed sequence. There are too many times this happens that I never feel truly immersed in the world. The jokes, admittedly funny, were too frequent and peppered throughout the movie that they diminish the weight of the situation and all the sacrifices that climax with the death of all the main characters.
Additionally, many of the powerful shots and sequences from the second trailer are not in the movie. I would have loved to see that rebel soldier running towards the AT-AT.
At times, it also felt they put in too many references to the original movies that Rogue One never quite spread its wings and be a truly independent vision from all its predecessors.
However, I am sill happy with the overall movie. It is better paced and told compared to Episode VII. It's got my childhood hero Donnie Yen and all the other cast and characters brought gravitas and quality to their performances. Unlike the cast of Episode VII who at times felt like they were so giddy to be in Star Wars and were there simply to stitch the set pieces together. In Rogue One, each character feels they belong with the story line.
Lastly, for a couple of minutes the end sequence made me feel like a boy again: I was five or six watching Episode IV for the first time on TV, terrorized by Darth Vader as he invaded Tantive V and walks through that smoky hallway amongst dead rebel soldiers. For those two glorious minutes I thank Gareth Edwards for finally delivering a Star Wars film worthy of the classic trilogy.
Rogue One never reaches the height of the original trilogy, but it is certainly a bold and fresh take on the Star Wars legacy that more than makes up for last year's recycled sequel from J.J. Abrams.