It was a great movie in 1977

Rating: 5/10 (30 December 2016)

The reason I rated Rogue One at only a five is that I saw (and loved) the movie in 1977. And that's the spoiler: the plot is basically a repeat of the original--with a CGI Peter Cushing thrown in (because we can?) providing way more distraction than intimidation. There's a single-child family living an isolated existence on a lonely planet whose lives are bulldozed by evil empire troops. Comic-relief android. Assorted species quirky characters interacting over drinks in a bar. Crucial holographic message to launch the ACTION. Idealistic rebellion pilots volunteering to go to their deaths to save the galaxy... I felt like I should have attended the film with a clip board handy in order to check off the greatest hits of the first movie.
Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Riz Ahmed, Donnie Yen, Wen Jiang and Alan Tudyk's K-2SO made a great team--thank The Force the writers didn't copy Luke, Leia and Han along with the plot--but they deserved a completely original story, and so did I. Still, the kids loved it--as did I. In 1977.