"Rogue One"- Though rough around the edges, the first "Star Wars Story" wows thanks to its wonderful direction, strong atmosphere and sharp writing.

Rating: 8/10 (21 December 2016)

After plenty of worry and stress regarding whether or not Disney had what it takes to continue George Lucas' iconic creation, it can now be safely said... with the one-two punch of last year's wonderful revival "The Force Awakens" and this year's very strong spin- off release "Rogue One", "Star Wars" is clearly in the right hands. Though no doubt the fanbase will still have those odd members who think anything made after "Return of the Jedi" is sacrilege and will endlessly nit-pick every new film that comes out until the end of time, I do believe most long-time followers of the saga will definitely appreciate and enjoy this film. While it can be rough around the edges and has some issues holding it back from perfection, "Rogue One" still stands tall as a more than worthy addition to that ever-growing galaxy far, far away.
The film follows Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones), a young woman haunted by the kidnapping of her father Galen (Mads Mikkelsen) by the Empire when she was only a child. Having been raised by Rebel extremist Saw Gerrera (Forest Whitaker), Jyn grew up strong but cold. Now, after being freed from Imperial captivity by the Rebels, Jyn is sent on a mission to track down her long-lost father, as he has working on the Empire's dreaded "Death Star" project and may hold key information on the dreaded vessel that could help the rebels to destroy it. She is joined by a diverse cast of outcasts and heroes, including rebel officer Cassian Andor (Diego Luna), blind spiritual warrior Chirrut ÃŽmwe (Donnie Yen) and his friend Baze Malbus (Jiang Wen), Empirial defector Bodhi Rook (Riz Ahmed) and smart-alec droid K-2SO. (Voiced by the wonderful Alan Tudyk of "Firefly" fame.)
Directed by Gareth Edwards of "Monsters" and "Godzilla" fame from a script by Chris Weitz and Tony Gilroy, the film is a very different beast when compared to other entries in the overall saga. Taking its cues more from war movies with an occasional hint of espionage peppered in here and there, it's definitely one of the darkest chapters yet in "Star Wars." It has an interesting sense of gritty, grimy realism that I wasn't sure would work for this particular franchise... but I actually think it comes together very well and for the most part feels quite organic. Especially when placed into the proper timeframe, as it is most definitely a prequel film taking place before the original 1977 classic. It's got a great sense of visual direction thanks to Edwards' keen sense of storytelling, and I especially admired the atmosphere of desperation he builds. It's never anything less than thoroughly intense, though he peppers in just enough levity so that it never overwhelms as many other modern films tend to do. I also really think the script is fascinating and consistently clever. My favorite aspect of the writing is that it shows us perhaps for the first time that even our heroic rebels can't always be entirely without flaw and fault, and that some dark choices must be made for the greater good. Really makes you think about the heroes and villains alike, as this shows us that it isn't always quite a black-and-white matter.
I also quite admired the cast, which are all perfect in their roles. Jones makes for a compelling and fascinating lead, and her relationship with her two father figures in Saw and Galen supplies much of the heart of the film. Diego Luna makes for a good supporting lead as a troubled but dashing rebel officer. Supporting roles by the likes of Whitaker and Mikkelsen are very well cast. Ben Mendelsohn is exceptionally good as our slimy lead antagonist, Imperial Director Krennic. But the real standouts are Donnie Yen and Alan Tudyk, who routinely steal the show in every scene they're in. They are just wonderful additions to the series and I hope we see a little more of them in the future. It was also a lot of fun hearing James Earle Jones back as the villainous Darth Vader, though his role is quite small in the film. Add to that a very good score courtesy Michael Giacchino, the grand cinematography of Greig Fraser and seamless, top-notch visual effects from Industrial Light & Magic and you just have a wonderful team to bring this story to life both in front of and behind the camera.
That praise being said, the film does have its issues, some of them pretty significant, which is why I have to unfortunately dock a few points. To start, despite the effects being almost entirely true-to-life, there are several characters who are created with digital trickery (including some very fun cameos) that stick out so badly, it takes you out of the film. Also, the film is very much a plot-driven piece, and it sometimes comes at the expense of compelling character development. Jyn really is the only character who goes through any sort-of proper arc, and many of our supporting roles feel flat at times. And finally, I do think the first act is sloppy at times. It can be hard to figure out what's happening, how it all comes together, who each character is and their relations to the others... etc.
Those flaws aside, though, this is still a great bit of dark entertainment and a darned good chapter in the "Star Wars" saga. Not only is it a compelling and entertaining watch on its own, but it actually does add a lot of weight to the other chapters in the series, and it makes for a near-ideal prequel to the original "New Hope." It's shocking how good this side-story is... and how much better it is than the previously released prequel trilogy. Bravo, Disney. Bravo. You've proved that you were the perfect fit for what is perhaps cinema's most cherished franchise.
I give "Rogue One" a strong 8 out of 10.