Fresh and Revolutionary and Still So Familiar

Rating: 10/10 (16 December 2016)

It took almost 40 years to take the original diamond and take to what might be its most splendid shape. "The Empire Strikes Back" ruled as the best of the bunch for over 30 years, and last year hope was regained when we saw "Episode VIII", only to realize at the end that it was really more of a set up, and one that mirrored the original. For a year, we have been hanging and hoping many of the new plot lines will live up to the very high expectations. Well, it's going to have to be much, much, better than we hope because "Rogue One" has raised the standard.
"Rogue" is a direct prequel to "Episode IV"; this time the prequel bursts alive with the same force that made believers of all of us the first time. It has a lot to introduce, and it's the sort of mythology that needs to be good enough to stand on its own and prepare us for the immediate sequel. The best thing about it is that it has been produced and designed to look just like the original 1977 film. The weapons, ships, costumes, and the villains are all back, like they never left us. However, technology has made it possible now, with the help of some brilliant editing, a killer soundtrack, and plenty of imagination to give us new perspectives, watching the rebels' ships move and do all kinds of maneuvers that were impossible when Lucas first directed his film. Lucas' original was greatly benefited from the superb editing job his wife did. This time it takes three people to improve on that, and the results are splendid, as three or four story lines are shown to us seamlessly, keeping us on the edge of our seats.
"Rogue One" introduces us to the chapter that allows to learn how the Death Star was designed and originated, who made it all possible, and who allowed the rebels to have access to the plans that will eventually lead them to succeed in their enterprise to stop the Empire, at least, temporarily.
Keeping us with modern trends and not disappointing us by introducing the skeleton of ideas that fall apart before being fully developed, this film has many new characters, and they're all memorable and not just a whim or an excuse to showcase computer animation, the one problem that sank I, II, and III. This time we feel like we are back where this universe started. We feel welcomed, and we welcome it. One moment that stood out in "Episode 7" is how cool it was to see Chewie and Solo say that famous line: "Chewie, we're home!". The rest of that film moved nicely, but it never hit that high again.
On the other hand, we go back home, to recreations of the original sets, with the computer graphics looking the same they did in 1977. It's a fast and exciting trip back in time to the source. Here you see the helmets, the gadgets the same way they were introduced, and the last shot in the film is sure to bring the house down.
We follow our new heroes as they track the creator of the Death Star, and they move forward to the location of the material that will prove to be very helpful to the Alliance. As this occurs, we see the levels of intensity reach new highs, and things eventually reach a conclusion that is bound to be both controversial and that lifts this way above what this type of film is generally perceived to be. "Rogue" is a masterful entry to the series, and one that honors the original material. This film gives us "hope" that it's still possible to bring new ideas, while using the original source without looking or sounding like a cheap imitation or an excuse to get extra cash from the audiences.
New stars will be born, exploding on the screen, and yet you see why this time around it's very important to take advantage of the moment and use what we have to its full potential. The entire cast is a joy to watch, and who can ever refuse a good villain like Vader, a character that if you can believe, grows even more malignant than we thought possible.
"Rogue One" is great film.