Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
Starring: Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Donnie Yen, Riz Amed
Directed by: Gareth Edwards
Rated: PG-13
Last year, J.J. Abrams brought Star Wars back with The Force Awakens. He helped us forget the uncomfortable chapter of early 2000's cinema known as the Star Wars prequels. Fans were happy. Disney was happy. It was a good time. Then, Rogue One was announced. It would be another Star Wars prequel. Why couldn't they just continue the story? Did they have to go back in time for more prequels? Would there be a resurgence of the one and only Jar Jar Binks?
For anyone confused about the timeline (take heart because the Star Wars timeline exists to confuse you.) Rogue One takes place right in between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope. "Thanks Rebecca, that told me nothing," you're thinking to yourself. Well, here's the plot line: A group of rebels led by Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones) and Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) set out on a mission to steal the plans for the Death Star.
I was pretty excited for Rogue One, especially considering how much I loved The Force Awakens. The movie entertained me. It's action sequences are thrilling and the tie in to A New Hope is quite neat.
However, I left the theater feeling underwhelmed. My biggest complaint with Rogue One is that it feels very formulaic. It's as though the movie has a checklist of specific elements to check off. Action sequences, character introductions, plot difficulties: check. All popping up in the time frame you would expect in the film. There are not many surprises in store here. I don't expect a ton of plot twists, but I don't want every Star Wars film to feel extremely formulaic.
In terms of performances, all of the actors play their characters well in Rogue One.
I'm a big fan of Felicity Jones so it was great to see her as the lead role in a Star Wars film. I thought she was very impressive as Jyn. She is a strong leader with a complicated past hoping to find her father.
Diego Luna is great as Cassian, a rebel pilot who works closely with Jyn on the mission.
Donnie Yen, Jiang Wen and Riz Ahmed join the rebel group as Chirriut, Baze, and Bodhi. They're captivating additions to the revel group. However, I wish we knew more about their characters. At times, it feels like they are just there to help the plot move forward. A little character development goes a long way.
Rogue One offers a look at an event that ties previous Star Wars films together along with some thrilling action sequences and great effects. It's low on characterization and high on formula, but Star Wars fans will still enjoy their trip to a galaxy far, far away.
My Rating: 7/10