A great newcomer for the Star Wars franchise.

Rating: 9/10 (16 January 2017)

The movie was exciting from start to end. I was always on the edge of my seat. It's dark, intense and very well made. First time watching I didn't notice that Tarkin was CGI, and that should give an insight in just how good the visual effects were.
One of the things I appreciate most about this movie is that it avoids the typical cliché many Hollywood movies have, especially the ending. It is everything I wanted it to be without any unnecessary nonsense.
The screenplay is very well written, the characters are interesting and dynamic, the story is intriguing, and it is not only loyal to the previous movies, it also ties-in them in a beautiful way.
With that being said, this is now on the top of my favorite Star Wars movies list. Yes, even above The Empire Strikes Back.