Entertaining enough but mercilessly dark

Rating: 6/10 (2 January 2017)

If you're into the Star Wars odyssey by all means, pay the money, and see this one on the big screen. If you're even a lukewarm fan of the franchise, sure, go have a look because the film is visually entertaining with some interesting effects, in particular, the light and shadow effects as planets and spacecraft move around their respective suns. Notice I am not using words like "outstanding" or "stunning" because nothing about this movie qualifies for either of those adjectives, and yet it held my interest for two hours and 13 minutes but left me with very little to applaud.
The story is familiar and the lines spoken by the actors are nothing new but not so much so that I was left shaking my head or groaning though I did find myself sighing many times toward the end as the movie packed in one trouble after another and the dreadful denouement loomed large.
Momentary bright spot: The robot, voiced by Alan Tudyk, thankfully speaks his lines in a matter-of-fact way that was a blessed relief from all previous "cute" robots. And he had some good lines too. He is a complete departure from the earlier robots in that he's not there to appeal to children but rather simply there as comedic relief in this mercilessly dark story. Which brings me to my main criticism of this film.
SPOILERS AHEAD!! (Consider yourself warned) . . . . . I really did not like this movie once the story was told and done. I walked out of the theater feeling disgusted and gloomy, and that's not what I pay the price of a ticket to do. I go to movies to be impressed, amused, and diverted from my cares. To me that's actually the definition of "entertainment". But a movie where everyone dies is not entertaining. And if the writers of this movie honestly think they redeemed this dismal exercise in death by having the final word in their script be "hope" they are naive and completely underestimate the power of the medium from which they've chosen to make a living.
So, for the die-hard fans, sure, go, enjoy the special effects. For the rest of us who would rather not see a movie entirely devoted to death and destruction, save your money. For all it's good points, Rogue One is a miserable movie with nothing to offer but death. And right now in reality on planet earth with apocalyptic nihilists running around indiscriminately murdering people Rogue One seems particularly ill- timed and unhelpful. And no, I'm not comparing the rebels to terrorists but I am saying we, humans, have enough real death in our lives already. We don't need even more of it in our "entertainment".