What an Explosive Ride

Rating: 9/10 (28 December 2016)

Rogue One: a Star Wars story brings hope to the expanding Star Wars franchise, which I'm sure many hardcore fans have been waiting for in skeptical anticipation. The explosive introduction of the Death Star in this film just blew me away. It truly brought a newfound respect for the "planet killer."
The acting as good, the writing was great, and the pacing of Rogue One certainly reminds me of A New Hope with its rapidity and intensity. It pays as a tribute to A New Hope but at the same time, certainly stands by itself.
Everything; from the compelling backstory of the protagonist and the antagonist, to the climactic battle sequences and the heavy, heart felt ending, all add up to a Star Wars film that was worth waiting my entire life to see. Thank you, Disney. Perhaps I've been wrong about your takeover of the franchise thus far.
In conclusion, Rogue One is a breath of fresh air to a franchise that was certainly becoming static with no new adventures or characters to explore. Now, perhaps this will come to pass.