Following the announcement of Disney’s acquisition of Lucasfilm and the Star Wars franchise and subsequent announcement of Star Wars anthology films to accompany sequels to the main saga, there was much speculation over whether there existed an audience appetite for non-Skywalker family Star Wars movies and whether these side projects would be high quality enough to support such an ambitious move. As a lifelong Star Wars fanatic, I have been cautiously optimistic. If Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is any indication, the answers to both questions land overwhelmingly in the positive column.
Rogue One follows Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones), a woman whose mother Lyra (Valene Kane) is killed in front of her while her brilliant scientist father Galen (Mads Mikkelson) is kidnapped by the Empire to assist in the completion of their superweapon, later revealed to be the famed Death Star. Forced to turn to a life of crime after losing her parents, Jyn is rescued from imprisonment by members of the Rebel Alliance, headed by Cassian Andor (Diego Luna). They hope to use Jyn to get to extremist rebel leader Saw Gerrera (Forest Whitaker) who also served as a surrogate father for Jyn after her parents were taken from her. Gerrera has access to information regarding the Death Star as well as the Empire defector that supplied it, Bodhi (rising star Riz Ahmed from The Night Of). Following massive loss on the journey to find Gerrera, and then Jyn’s father on an Empire refinery outpost, and a decision to avoid war by rebel leadership, a group of rebels led by Jyn and Cassian go “rogue” to capture the Death Star architectural plans which may hint to a hidden flaw in the design planted by Galen Erso (and, since we all have seen the original Star Wars A New Hope, we know the flaw is there).
Rogue One is a gripping, emotional sci-if action movie that perfectly references nostalgia without tipping over into replication, a frequent criticism of last year’s The Force Awakens. The movie is able to craft its own story while smartly hearkening back to classic Star Wars characters and references. Saw Gerrera himself is a character from cartoon The Clone Wars and other familiar faces such as Bail Organa (Jimmy Smits), Mon Mothma, the two aliens Ponda Baba and Dr. Cornelius Evazan that almost killed Luke Skywalker in the famous Mos Eisley cantina scene in A New Hope, and a few others that I won’t spoil. The movie expands on the “war” in Star Wars, with the third act essentially one long hard fought battle both in space and on the ground. It also introduces us to new worlds (something that creator George Lucas criticized The Force Awakens for not doing), furthering its establishing itself as its own movie and not something that uses old favorites as a crutch. I also have to applaud the kid friendly Disney for taking a chance and serving story over feelings and killing off the main ensemble. In order for this movie to fit in the greater storyline where we never saw these characters (Rogue One is a direct prequel to A New Hope) they all had to go. The movie does so valiantly and with the proper emotional weight. The movie may also represent a real turning point and evolution in cinema with its digital effects work on the character Grand Moff Tarkin, famously portrayed by Peter Cushing. Cushing appears as Tarkin in the film, a major supporting villain. What makes his appearance so revolutionary is that Peter Cushing has been dead for 22 years. The actor’s face has been digitally reproduced in the movie to stunning accuracy and effect. The effect seems to build on existing technology that can make older actors appear as their younger selves (see: Jeff Bridges in Tron Legacy) but, it takes it to another level. That Disney was so able to successfully accomplish this could have a rippling effect on film for years to come. As this technology advances, how far can this be taken? How long can franchises go on if death is no longer a factor in the actors being able to appear in movies and play substantial roles? Tarkin appears a lot in this film and I think many casual viewers will have no idea that they are watching a ghost. We may be witnessing the future.
The acting in this film is superb and follows The Force Awakens as greatly improved over both the original and prequel trilogies. Jones’ Jyn adeptly portrays a young woman first hurt and handed at the loss she suffers so young then a daughter determined to avenge her father and live up to his legacy and sacrifice. Alan Trudyk provides the voice for the robot character K-2SO who serves as the main source of comic relief for the movie. The character’s humor is used just the right amount at just the right moments but it surprisingly provides an emotional moment in the third act that serves as the first domino for a series of emotional, heroic acts. The character greatly establishes an emotional connection with the audience that is then cashed in to add weight to the movie. The rest of the main ensemble successfully portray a band of rebel soldiers willing to do whatever necessary to defeat a tyrannical regime and win freedom, even if their fellow rebels prefer to retreat. Their constant displays of sacrifice, selflessness, courage, and conviction may guide many in the audience on how to live life after a disappointing 2016 and a challenging 2017 ahead of us. The lessons on never giving up and having hope in the face of probable defeat will resonate for many and give the movie that much more weight and relevancy. The villain in this film is Director Krennic, played by Ben Mendelsohn. He plays more as a bureaucratic niusance than a major threat. For me, the true villain in the movie seemed to be the odds that the heroes went up against. Whether it was finding the Death Star plans in time or creating the optimal environment to pass those plans on to rebel command. The fight against those barriers and overcoming them with high stakes felt like more of an antagonist than Krennic. Film’s all-time greatest villain Darth Vader does appear in the film and is presented as utterly terrifying, even just as a supporting villain. He gets a couple major moments of badassery that every hardcore Star Wars fan was hoping to see in the movie. You will not be disappointed. Still, he’s only a background villain and not a main or even major antagonist. But they were smart to use him in this way and not overdue it; he appears for the perfect amount of time.
For this longtime Star Wars fan, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story just may be the best Star Wars film since Return of the Jedi. It is too early to say whether it surpasses Revenge of the Sith, but I give it the edge over The Force Awakens due to its original plot that doesn’t borrow too heavily from previous Star Wars movies. The movie is deeply entertaining and engrossing, strikes all the right beats in tone and connective tissue with the greater Star Wars universe, and can standalone as its own piece of art. This first foray into Star Wars anthology movies could not have gotten off to a better start.
Image: Walt Disney Studios
