Boom! That's how it's done!

Rating: 9/10 (27 February 2020)

Rogue One may be my favourite Star Wars movie. It's smart, funny, dark, gritty, exciting and tragic all at the same time.
The designs in it are awesome, and Jyn Erso is an instant hit as the film's lead. Cassian and K2 provide the perfect back up for her, Cassian used to inject a little darkness into the light of the Rebellion and K2 bringing the humour. The rest of the team are fun but inevitably less mmorable given there's only one film to get to know them. Where the film really shines though is its villains. Ben Mendehlsson portrays their nemesis Director Krennic, and is one of the best Star Wars villains we've had - the perfect mix of villainy and humanity. The ghost of Peter Cushing stands behind him with the CGI reconstruction of Grand Moff Tarkin - a very impressive feat and perfect return for the original imperial officer. Perhaps its greatest accomplishment though is Darth Vader - swaggering back onto the big screen, more dangerous than ever, and stealing the film with only a couple of short scenes. That last scene though is the one that has had everyone talking ever since.
The film gives us a chance to see the darker reality of the conflict between Rebels and Imperials, showcasing the futility of Rebellion and the power of hope side by side. It feels real in a way perhaps no other Star Wars film does. Bravely, it doesn't shy away from the inevitability of its ending, embracing it in a powerful show of a true last ditch attempt and one of the most moving battles in sci fi cinema.
Freed from the constraints of the Skywalker saga, Rogue One feels free-er to do its own thing and stand on its own two feet, but its close proximity to the main series is its strength, feeling relevant in a way Solo didn't and far more powerful.
It might be a little long, slowing down a bit in the middle, and the darker nature of the film might not be to every Star Wars fan's taste but for me: Rogue One stands out above the rest at the top of my most-likely-to-rewatch list.