The best Stars Wars Film of them all - HONEST!

Rating: 9/10 (3 April 2020)

Oh yes - in my honest opinion, this is THE best Star Wars film of them all. Even better than The Empire Strikes Back, and that is some claim so at least I should attempt to explain myself (I may struggle!).
I stand by opinion 1000%. Up until Rogue One appeared on our screens, The Empire Strikes Back was the go-to movie. Dark, sinister and moody with spectacular set pieces, the film took the Star Wars universe to a different level, focusing on the desperate fight between good and evil (which in essence is what this franchise is all about). Nothing before or since this film has come even close; in comparison, most of the other movies are either a bit tame or just plain dreadful. So watching Rogue One was not an experience where I had the feeling of much hope (but then Rebellions, as they say, are built on hope!) After 2 hours and 13 minutes, I realised that I had not just watched a great Star Wars film - I had watched the best one of all.
Why? OK, here goes.
The Plotline
It's ingenious. How the writers managed to take a line from Mon Mothma in 'A New Hope' and turn it into a 2-hour long film is smart, to say the least. And it works too. The idea of creating a back story focusing on how the plans for the Death Star come into the hands of the Rebel Alliance is a stroke of genius. The story is compelling and introduces an entirely new cast and with one fundamental difference between all Stars Wars films. There is no hope for the main protagonists; there is no happy ending. Here lies true heroism in the face of Imperial annihilation.
The Cast & Characters
One of the difficult hurdles that Rogue One needed to get over was creating characters that the audience could believe in, and the producers achieved this in most parts, flawlessly. It helps that, unlike in previous iterations, the cast of this film act exceptionally well. Felicity Jones (as Jyn) does a fantastic job and at times, delivers a barnstorming performance. Cassian's objectives are shrouded in mystery, and he gives a brooding, tortured performance. Baze (Wen Jiang) and Chirrut (Donnie Yen) are bickering buddies and stellar, triumphant heroes. Krennic (Ben Mendelsohn) plays the villain of the piece gloriously over the top. However, the laughs and the stand out performance all come from Alan Tudyk as K-2SO. A literal, caustic and sarcastic droid who delivers his lines with a blunted severity that has you laughing out loud. No gimmicks, no ingenious tech. It is the character aspect that makes K-2SO the best droid of all.
Set Pieces
It's easy to forget how many fabulous set-pieces there are in this film. The most expansive is the battle on and above Scarif, but there are so many more. The fight scenes and destruction of Jedha, the attack on the crystal mining colony. There is, of course, a lot of CGI going on here but it is delivered at such a pace and in such an exhilarating way that it immerses you in the Star War Universe and gives you the box seat.
Bad Bits?
Well, there are some but thankfully very few, and not enough to detract from what is an epic movie. Saw Gerrera is dissapointing which is a surprise considering Forrest Whittakers acting credentials. The film also delivers an astounding piece of CGI and then near the end, an utterly laughable one. I thought Peter Cushing had miraculously come back from the dead or there was a doppelganger in the acting world, for at least for a few seconds. The way the filmmakers did this with CGI was impressive, using a real actor and a voice that sounded very similar. However, Leia's appearance at the end was shockingly bad, totally unconvincing, and one intelligent step too far. It was unnecessary in the scheme of things. Vaders voice didn't work either which is nobody's fault since James Earl Jones is now 89, and his voice has lost that sinister grit. He could have been helped with some better dialogue to be honest. "Be careful not to choke on your aspirations, Director" seemed a bit contrived to me. Not the least bit scary.
Still, Rogue One is an unexpected gem. When compared to all that has gone before, it is better written, better produced, better acted and does one thing that all other Star Wars film failed to do apart from Empire. It makes you care. For me, there are only two Star Wars films worth watching. This one is the most fulfilling although the Battle of Hoth for me is still the standout sequence of any in the entire franchise.
Please take note Disney - originality, competent acting, real drama and not so happy endings make better films rather than the regurgitated nonsense of the Force Awakens, The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker.
Today's children are intelligent enough to take it.