the movie to tie the movies together

Rating: 9/10 (22 December 2016)

Rogue one:a star wars story is the first of an anthology series for the star wars franchise and is a major expansion of the star wars movies and in universe lore that the movies are able to explore and also please the big star wars fans.
My initial thoughts on the film leading up to its release was that i wasn't really that interested and even though being a massive star wars fan for most my life and holds major nostalgia for me like most people in the star wars community,though the bulk of the trailer releases for the movie i initially avoided them but as it came closer to the release it began to peak my interest again but saying that i am glad i avoided the trailers and promotional material because this movie really surprised me when i did get the chance to see it.
Characters this movie even thought featuring key characters such as vader,tarkin,leia and cameos from c-3po and r2 this movie does a very good job in establishing its own expansive and likable cast of characters,the cast of characters feel organic and each character gets their time to shine no character is forgotten and each one brings a different aspect of the rebel army and their own unique personality which they get to expand a lot on through out the film,although the ending was fast paced and the characters get the ultimate pay off and even though predictable still left me satisfied.
One major problem i have is the pacing at the beginning of the film,the pacing is really jarring at the beginning and introduces a backstory and most of the main cast of characters in a very short space of time,this aspect of the movie put me off the film but once the main plot begins and kicks off with the formation of the team begins to fade away,this one minor problem isn't the biggest and can be overlooked but for me it was jarring and kind of distracting.
With all that said i very much enjoyed this film,this film is a great expansion to the universe of star wars and explores the chapter between the revenge of the sith and a new hope,since i have not delved into the rich lore of the star wars universe outside the films this is a very new experience for me as a star wars fan and ultimately was an incredibly satisfying film. 9 out of 10