'Rogue One: A Star Wars Story' Review (Non-Spoiler)

Image from Disney

By Darian Scalamoni

            Ever since Disney purchased Lucasfilm, people had known that there would be incredible expectations for what they would do not only to continue the episodic adventures but also introducing this expanded universe and other stories through anthology films. The first one that they would make in what Disney CEO, Bob Iger called “experimental films” was Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. The movie would follow a band of rebels stealing the plans to the planet killer base, the Death Star. It was originally said by the director himself, Gareth Edwards (Godzilla, Monsters) that it would be “like Saving Private Ryan but in the Star Wars universe”, and I would say that’s the best way to describe this film in its entirety.

            Rogue One is not really a sequel or a prequel but it can be interpreted either way if you've seen the other movies. This adventure is unlike any Star Wars movie you’ll ever see and it's evident after you leave the theater. There is truly a different feeling in your heart, more pride than anything else. The movie follows a band of Rebels who must steal the plans for the Death Star from the Imperial Army before the enormous, planet-destroying ship wreaks more havoc than it should be capable of. Rogue One is darker than any other Disney tentpole that’s ever been released but it truly is a war film, first and foremost so expect to see a lot of darker imagery than you’re used to seeing in a movie with this name and brand attached to it. Having said that, there is definitely some great humor in the film as well, mostly from one of the film’s standouts, a droid named K-2SO voiced by Alan Tudyk and one of my favorite characters ever in a Star Wars film, Chirrut played by Donnie Yen. The acting is great, Diego Luna does a comparable job as Cassian but Ben Mendelsohn and Felicity Jones are the fantastic in their roles as lead protagonist and antagonist in the film.

            The question will be asked, “Do I need to be a huge Star Wars fan to enjoy this movie?” And the answer is no. Will it help? Of course, it will. The film has some incredible nostalgic moments and appearances from central characters in the lore of the other movies but as a movie in general, it could be just as enjoyable from just the perspective of it being a war film in space. The cinematography is also something to marvel at. The movie is definitely an epic so you get these grand sweeping shots of landscapes as well as battle scenery and hundreds of people on screen at once. The core group of heroes is entirely new as is the central villain, Orson Krennic so you’ll be introduced to these characters for the first time just like the most hardcore Star Wars buffs.

            In terms of pacing, the movie is paced in an interesting way for the first hour. It jumps from slow to fast and you’re taken to multiple locations in a rapid fashion but stick with it. It’s not anywhere close to jarring as other blockbusters this year like Suicide Squad but the movie works on multiple levels and is fleshed out more later. It’s a character driven drama with an ensemble cast set in a galaxy far, far away. The narrative is superb and will make everyone appreciate this film as a whole when you walk out.

            There are a few negatives that I have with the movie but it could be spoiler-ish and nitpicky so I won’t be displaying those in this review, one thing I can comment on though is the score. It was unfortunate when it was announced that John Williams would not be doing the score but instead, it was Michael Giacchino. Though Giacchino is a very capable composer, he gets lost within this universe. Unlike other iconic scores from the episodic movies, the score within Rogue One often feels awkward and doesn’t always fit the tone of scenes within the movie. It’s very much forgettable compared to some of the most memorable compositions in the history of cinema in the other Star Wars movies.

            I would say based on what I’ve seen from blockbusters so far this year, it has to be up there as one of the best. Though it has a few problems in which I can’t give this movie a perfect score, it’s hard to argue how tremendous it is as a whole. It could be regarded as a top three Star Wars movie ever when all is said and done.

9.2/10