A fanboys Favorite!

Rating: 10/10 (14 December 2016)

I was a 90's teenager and a Star Wars Fanboy; I saw Star Wars the first time ever in South Africa watching it on a crappy TV possibly around about 1992, and it never left me after that, it was all about hope and adventure every Kid's dream. The next 8 years of my life consisted of scraping together meager scraps of information, books, and action figures that revolved around these life changing movies. The reader should note Star Wars memorabilia was as rare as chicken teeth in the early 90's South Africa and the other kids thought I was nuts for loving a movie made in the years they were born.
My entire childhood imagination was based on Star Wars and the wonderful characters it so beautifully portrayed. I daydreamed about the adventures of Boba Fett, Wedge Antilles, and Han Solo; I read intensely into the expanded universe.
I did not mind the prequels as much and actually remember enjoying Phantom Menace for some time. Then I grew up, and Jar Jar Binks became that odd friend from primary school that you did not really want to hang out with in High School anymore. This you felt bad about because you actually had good times as kiddies but social norms dictated you had to move on to fit in and leave Jar Jar to become the outcast in the schoolyard. In the eyes of a child, George Lucas created a masterpiece but then we grew up.
Lucas announced his never again rant, and Star Wars came to an abrupt end with no hope in sight for more Star Wars delights. The Star Wars fanfare was left wanting for what appeared an eternity. Then came Disney and our hope was sprung again, we had hope for new adventures, hope for a new beginning after Jar Jar, hope to learn more about this universe that made our childhoods so delightfully colorful. We were happy for Lucas and his billions; it made us feel better for handing over his sacred reigns to someone else, a different leader, we entrusted our hopes in someone else now.
Throughout 2015 we were teased by amazing trailers of the Force Awakens, we were lured by images of Han, Chewie, and the millennium falcon, it was all so marvelously exciting, even for a 32-year-old "so-called grownup."
I remember watching Force Awakens (in Argentina of all places) and loving the first two Acts; I loved Rey, Loved Kylo and loved the promise of the movie, but then by Act 3 I felt like I have been kicked in the Gut, and some schoolyard bully just confiscated my lunch money. I realized Disney pulled a fast one on us, it was such a blatant rehash of A new hope that I felt terribly cheated, and also many other faithful fans. I still have hope, hope that the story of Rey and Kylo will evolve into something memorable, but I was sad, I truly started believing I have become too Old for Star Wars, a sad realization of age and having to grow up. Did the time come for me and others to hand down our light-sabers to the next bright-eyed youngsters, it seemed my generation was left cold in the shadow's? We were being labeled the fanboy haters etc. Maybe we loved Star Wars too much?
As soon as Force Awakens ended, we got hints of Rogue One, and to be honest, I wasn't too enthusiastic about the movie, as I'm not a fan of Gareth Edward's Godzilla, but as the trailers came in and I developed a new hope. Rogue One seemed as if it could actually be good! Last night I watched the Premier of Rogue One in Dubai. I was so careful going into this movie keeping my expectations to a minimum, to the point that I was refusing to let go and enjoy, I was determined not to become too vested into the film. I think I was waiting for a Jar Jar moment, or some terrible dialogue as in the prequels or an overbearing focus on CGI, or a rip off of an older movie. After about 15 minutes I started sitting up in my seat, I started listening, feeling and loving this movie, an hour in I was hoping it would never end! I realized the characters were interesting, the plot something to enjoy and I knew we had a winner on our hands. I started having real hope again; maybe I wasn't too old for Star Wars! I absolutely loved every aspect of this movie, the grittiness, the aliens, the X-wings, Y-wings, the battles the cameo's the CGI characters, everything. I loved the rebel soldiers, the Pilots, the smallest characters, I felt them again they weren't some meaningless CGI character with no soul! .
I had doubts about Donnie Yen or more so Kung Fu in star wars; yet he was fantastic, Diego Luna was my favorite character with his conflicting inner struggles. Felicity Jones is amazing, everyone was wonderful. And Oh Glory Glory then there is the last 5 minutes! Every Star Wars fan will absolute crumble at the end!
Gareth Edwards you sir are a genius and a true fan of this Genre, thank you so much for paying tribute to a generation that so loved and nurtured this franchise long after many have forgotten or could care less. This is the Star Wars we where waiting for, now we have a New Hope. Thank you.