The fall of the Empire begins with "Rogue One."

Rating: 8/10 (18 February 2017)

Having lived through the initial pandemonium that was the original Star Wars film, I have been a loyal follower of the evolution of Star Wars over the years. Now we have a stand alone film set within the Star Wars universe, which is certainly a curiosity. So for "Rogue One" I was very open minded, not knowing what to expect and willing to form an opinion based on the presentation. In other words, I tried not to have either any expectations or preconceptions when I went into the theater to see the film.
I have to admit I had to overcome an initial feeling of "this is boring" before I became immersed in the story. Once I did so, I found a movie that was expertly crafted. From the dialogue to the action sequences, the various details were handled in such a way as to create an experience that ended up being very effectively bittersweet, much like "The Empire Strikes Back."
*Spoilers Ahead*
Star Wars fans know that the Death Star plans were stolen and used to help destroy that planet-killer in "A New Hope." "Rogue One" is the story of how those plans were actually acquired, and the sacrifices made by many people in order to get those plans. "Rogue One" is the most adult Star Wars film, and the characters are not one-dimensional. The film shows a side of the rebels fighting the Empire we haven't seen before. These people are gritty, not necessarily nice, and possess personal baggage appropriate for those involved with an underground war against an established government.
The direction, by Gareth Edwards, is quite probably the best of the entire Star Wars series. The story moves along crisply, and the actors are put through their paces with aplomb. There aren't any wasted moments, and there is an underlying seriousness that is absent in all the other Star Wars movies. There is no over-the-top acting in "Rogue One," and the screenplay doesn't possess that element of corniness we've come to expect from Star Wars films. I wish Edwards was directing Episode VIII, but that film is being directed by Rian Johnson. I just hope Johnson does as good a job with "The Last Jedi" as Edwards did with "Rogue One."
Of special note are the set designs in "Rogue One." The locations and sets are unique to the Star Wars series for the most part, and the look and feel of the props, costumes and sets capture something that seems missing from the other Star Wars films. I guess the best way to put it is that there was an element of realism in "Rogue One" that seems missing from the other movies.
I suppose that with the success of "Rogue One" we will be treated to other stand alone films that will fill in gaps in the overall Star Wars saga. I hope that happens, but we'll have to wait and see.