A fantastic addition to the Star Wars saga

Rating: 9/10 (23 December 2017)

I fundamentally disagree that this movie is a quick cash-grab with overloaded fan service.
Right from the start, it is abundantly clear that this movie is extremely well directed and written, with an introduction of rich, genuine characters who all have strong plot arches. It feels like a 'star wars' movie right from the get go, with it's 'earthy' feel and focus on the everyday life of the universe's inhabitants.
Obviously if you watch Rogue One, expecting a dramatic hero-centric Space Opera with 2.5 hours of lightsaber duels and X-Wing v TIE Fighter action you will be a little underwhelmed. This is not a Star Wars blockbuster, it is a Star Wars story - and a very good story at that. However, the battle scenes in this movie are actually really impressive and thrilling, far better than expected given that this movie draws its true strength from expertly capturing the raw essence of the Star Wars universe. To me, it does this so well that it goes above and beyond and you get a rich and exciting story that is genuinely really, really good. The characters are fantastic, all played by actors giving 10/10 performances - with exceptional credit going to Felicity Jones, Diego Luna and Ben Mendelsohn.
Finally, it is REALLY awesome to see Darth Vader back on the big screen and this movie did it justice and a half. It could have been so easy to overdo this and ruin the character forever. Instead, this movie strikes the perfect balance of really honoring the character - giving fans an amazing scene at seeing him in his role of 'the enforcer' whilst also making this relevant to the story and not going off theme.