It isn't perfect but it looks and feels the part

Rating: 8/10 (25 December 2016)

'Star Wars Rogue One' is an interesting companion piece to the saga. There are definitely a lot of thematic nuances to discuss about it. For a 'Star Wars' fan I think it'll be a film to dissect and appreciate for a long time to come. The problem is that as a whole it is kind of odd piecing everything together. The long and short of it is that I liked it a great deal but it does have faults; some that hinder the movie from reaching the great heights of the franchise. It's a movie with moments; some that rank as the highest highs and the lowest lows of the saga.
The thing that has to be gotten out of the way is that Ben Mendelsohn's Director Krennic is the worst villain that has ever appeared in a 'Star Wars' movie. His motivation is so flimsy and half hearted that you almost find yourself kind of chuckling at some of his stuff. His entire character arc is whining about getting his due credit in the empire. That isn't good enough especially when Vader and Tarkin are in the film. Having a villain this weak is a crippling flaw in a 'Star Wars' film. 'Star Wars' is always at it's best when it's villains are loud and theatrical. Krennic just is there. That isn't to say you won't appreciate the small brilliant concentrated doses of Vader and Tarkin.
Peter Cushing is brought back from the dead and the effect is uncanny. A problem with the later 'Star Wars' films is that the computer effects have never had a tactile sensation to them. It looks and feels like Cushing is in the film. I hope this effect isn't over used but when I heard about this I didn't think they could pull it off. They did. This effect is a game changer in film and will be fascinating to see how it is used in the years to come. I wholeheartedly hope 'Rogue One' steals that Best Visual Effects award for this because it would be much deserved. I am a Cushing fan and have seen many of his films. They capture some of the sly dark humorous facial expressions even. It's other worldly.
Director Gareth Edwards has his flaws but his unquestionable strength is creating epic scope. One thing I loved about his 'Godzilla' and this film is how small he makes the audience feel. You feel in awe of the space battle and the destruction going on around you.
The movie expertly corrects one of the glaring complaints thrown at 'The Force Awakens'. There are a lot of homages to the original trilogy but they aren't throw away moments meant to just tug at the hearts of fans. They very consciously serve the plot. The best comes from my favorite Mads Mikkelsen as his character explains that one nitpick thrown at the Death Star in a way that is clever and totally adds to the universe.
I missed the Force and the Jedi though. The comparisons to this and a war film are highly accurate. I don't want a straight forward 'war' film though. 'Star Wars' needs the force to give it mystery and wonder. 'Rogue One' just doesn't have it. The only character to really care about the force is Donnie Yen's character, Chirrut Imwe, who flirts closely to being a generic martial arts stereotype.
The musical score by Michael Giacchino leaves a lot to be desired. He is trying to be John Williams and it just is an impossible task. His score hardly borrows from the classic themes. I might be a Pavlovian Dog but I want loud and rousing renditions of the original themes. His faux John Williams is uninspired and just generic.
To fully dissect 'Rogue One' I have to delve into it's tragic and yet optimistic ending. What is done to our characters is brave and unprecedented for a 'Star Wars' or any comic/pulp movie really. 'Rogue One' is all about creating a fleshed out world and this fleshed out world has no room for a forced sequel. I loved the ending. I loved how grim it ended up being because it totally plays into 'ANH' and how Luke represents that very slim chance of bad things being righted. I get some of the complaints about the film not being safe for children or what not but I think they are baseless. 'Rogue One' is not a good introduction to 'Star Wars' it is for the seasoned pros who grew up with it and want an adult story. Honestly going in I was expecting a new series trying to be started up. I was not expecting the sad ending at all. It gives the story and the universe at large a lot more weight. It would have been easy for Disney to make a 'Rogue Two' and so forth and have the gang meet up with a CG young Mark Hamill but they didn't. This is a story with a beginning, middle, and end with high stakes. It's so much more refreshing than something going on forever like Robert Downey Jr and Chris Evan's Marvel friendship which plays like a goofy commercial.
I realize this sounds like a kind of grocery list and less like a review but I feel that kind of what 'Star Wars' is at this point. It's a formula and assessing it is all about how the formula sizzles relative to making a coherent and gripping story. The mixture isn't always there in 'Rogue One'. I think at this point 'The Force Awakens' is a better film but this film felt more like an authentic 'Star Wars' picture if that makes any sort of sense. The big fans are going to find something to love even though 'Rogue One' has it's imperfections.