So Good, You'll Almost Forget There Were Other Prequels

Rating: 9/10 (9 April 2017)

Visual story-telling takes over for clunky dialogue in what is surely the most mature "Star Wars" entry since "The Empire Strikes Back." "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" -- the first of many planned off- shoots for the rejuvenated franchise -- goes back in time to tell the story of Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones) and a crew of rebels who are tasked with finding the plans to the original Death Star, all leading up to the franchise's "proper" beginning, "A New Hope." Not your kid's "Star Wars," this story is a little deeper and a lot darker than the fare we've grown accustomed to since "Return of the Jedi" and the cartoon-ish prequels.
Stepping into the director's chair is Gareth Edwards, who brought us the revamped "Godzilla" just a few years back. His strong visual sense serves "Star Wars" well. While the script doesn't always deliver much for surprises, the lush landscapes and mind-bending special effects more than make up the difference. Unlike, say, "The Force Awakens," this is the sort of movie you could put on mute (or, better yet, isolate the soundtrack) and still get sucked into. Showing a restraint with CGI that few filmmakers in this day and age understand, Edwards even somehow manages to make CGI renderings of two iconic but absent actors -- a dicey proposition -- without slipping into some Playstation 3-grade graphics (think Arnold Schwarzenegger's "cameo" in "Terminator: Salvation") or offending the viewer's intelligence. As always, your mileage may vary, but to the unbiased eye, this is as good as it gets. It helps that these elements are used sparingly and only out of necessity.
The merry band of rebels here are a varied bunch. We get Forest Whitaker playing a kook and loving it, while Mads Mikkelsen works towards shedding his typecast role as a creepy villain. Fittingly, the best of the bunch would be Alan Tudyk's turn as the droid K-2SO, who steals virtually every scene he appears in. We also get a taste of Darth Vader (James Earl Jones) and cameos from C-3PO (Anthony Daniels) and R2-D2 (Jimmy Vee stepping in for the late Kenny Baker). Heck, we even get Bail Organa, as played by Jimmy Smits in the much maligned prequels. There's just enough fan service to whet our appetites but not so much as not to distract from the main story. Likewise, keep your finger on the pause button for all of the visual callbacks and sight-gags sprinkled throughout.
While it's true that the film has a built-in audience, it is definitely not for everyone. It has humor, but goes darker than ever before, which may be off-putting to some. However, if your love for the series begins and ends with the original core trilogy, this one's for you. Lean, mean and a feast for the senses, "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" is more than just a distraction or a place-holder until "Episode VIII: The Last Jedi" comes out later this year. It's so good, you'll almost forget there were other prequels.