Movie: Rogue One
My Rating: 4 stars
I saw this movie in the theater on opening weekend. All my friends and family are absolutely crazy for the Star Wars movies, so I figured I had to get on it right away, or risk enduring their wrath. Plus, I wouldn’t have been able to talk to anyone in my immediate circle for a while for fear of spoilers, or having nothing to add to the conversation. But, I’m not going to blame my enthusiasm for this movie entirely on my nearest and dearest. I’m nothing if not stubborn, so you couldn’t have dragged me to this movie if I hadn’t already wanted to go. And as expected, I liked it a lot.
This movie tells a relatively small story. It’s just one chapter out of an entire epic. But, it’s a very important one. This movie takes place immediately before the action in the original Star Wars (Episode Four). It tells the story of the plot to steal the blueprints for the Death Star—the information necessary for its destruction in A New Hope. Jyn Erso and Cassian Andor are the crucial members of the Rebellion that will pull off this dangerous heist. We watch them form their plan, collect the right team, and execute then execute. It’s all straightforward and takes place in a pretty short amount of time. Not too much back story, or inspirational training montages. But, even though the story is pretty limited in scope, I was pretty satisfied with the tone, and aesthetic (straight out of the 70s), and all the little references to the original films that it made. Plus, this really is a pretty exciting action movie at times. Although, I fear that many of the fun Easter-eggs that people have been raving about were lost on me.
Definitely see this movie. Despite how commercial I fear the Star Wars franchise will become now that Disney’s got its mitts on the intellectual property, I think this movie is still a pretty big deal from a pop culture standpoint. It’s one you aren’t going to want to miss if you care anything about this stuff. Sure, it was made with die-hard fans in mind. It’s got tons of little tidbits hidden away just for people who are deeply entrenched in Star Wars lore. But, it’s also a pretty exciting heist movie—suspense that anyone can follow and enjoy. And, it’s appropriate for the whole family. I’d say don’t miss this one.