Return of the Sith - "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" Trailer Review

Guys... WE GOT A NEW ROGUE ONE TRAILER!!!

... Oh yeah. And the Olympics are on, and stuff. But still, WE GOT A NEW ROGUE ONE TRAILER!!!!!

It's been a disappointing year for summer movies. Which makes the fact that we're getting A NEW STAR WARS MOVIE THIS DECEMBER all the more sweeter and reassuring.

And this doesn't look like your typical Star Wars movie. It looks more like a Star WARS movie. Emphasis on "War".

The trailer opens with a shot of the planet Jedha, which has been described as a "holy land for followers of the Force". It can easily be compared to Jerusalem for the Jewish religion, or Mecca for the Muslim religion. One of my favorite things about Star Wars is how the idea of the Force can relate to every religion, whether it's Christianity, Buddhism, Judaism, Islam, etc. It's one of the reasons Star Wars is so universally loved. Heck, even "Jedi" is considered an actual religion in some parts of the world. (It's true... All of it!)

The first line in the trailer is said by Saw Gerrera (played by Forrest Whittaker). "The world... Is coming undone." In a year full of tragedies, unrest, and the most chaotic presidential election in history, that line could not be more relevant. Another reason I love Star Wars is how its themes still remain relevant in our culture.

The theme of Rogue One appears to be hope. Hope amid a world (or galaxy) full of darkness and despair. This galaxy looks so dark and grim, as it should. This has been over twenty years of the Emperor's reign. And according to the opening crawl of A New Hope, this is the Rebellion's "first major victory against the evil Galactic Empire".

The action in this trailer looks amazing. The director is Gareth Edwards, who directed 2014's Godzilla. No matter what your opinion of that movie, we can all agree that the visuals were amazing. The Rogue One trailer has amazing visuals.

I guess Count Dracula is in charge of parking the Death Star.

Despite The Force Awakens being a giant success in reviving the franchise and attracting new fans, one of the biggest complaints some fans had over it was that it didn't really take risks or give us anything new. Which is understandable. Even though Rogue One doesn't show us anything new, it really feels different form the other films. It feels more like a war movie/espionage. And considering we don't see, let alone hear of, any of these characters in the Original Trilogy, don't expect the ending to be all lollipops and rainbows.

Of all the characters we saw in the trailer, the one that left the biggest impression on me was Chirrup Imwe (played by Donnie Yen). He appears blind, but is still able to hold his own against Stormtroopers. Remember what Obi-Wan Kenobi said to Luke Skywalker when he trained him with a helmet shielding his eyes? "Your eyes can deceive you, don't trust them." This can't help but make many fans like myself wonder, is Chirrup a Jedi? He definitely believes in the Force. "I fear nothing. All is as the Force wills it." he says before he beats down Stormtroopers with his staff.

But it's Gyn Erso played by Felicity Jones who I am the most excited for. I can already see her being a breakout star like Daisy Ridley's Rey in The Force Awakens. I love her spunk, her reluctance, her grit, her determination, and her sense of humor. Where Rey felt more like Luke Skywalker (I wonder why that is...), Gyn is more like Han Solo.

My 2nd favorite part in the trailer, the one that gave me chills, was when the Rebels are on a U-Wing fighter. Gyn Erso asks her team "Are you with me?" To which Captain Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) replies "All the way." 

I love how a woman is leading a daring mission, and the men are proud to follow her. There are no jokes of how she's a girl. Just like how in the Original Trilogy, when Carrie Fisher's Princess Leia led the Rebellion, they didn't take her less seriously because she's a girl. They followed her all the way because she was strong, brave, and trustworthy. And it's so exciting to see more female characters like that in the new Star Wars movies.

But the moment everyone is talking about is Darth Vader.

We don't see his face. Just the back of his helmet. We hear no dialogue. We only hear his breathing. And he already leaves a huge impact. That is not only a testament to how well the teaser introduces him, but also how iconic of a character he is. Even if you've never seen Star Wars, you know who Darth Vader is. We all know his theme song, we all recognize his voice, and we all know his lines. For many of us, he's the first thing we think about when we hear the words "Star Wars". Darth Vader is the #1 reason I am excited for Rogue One. I'm so excited to see my all time favorite villain in all his Rebel crushing glory! And James Earl Jones returning to voice him could not be more perfect!

If there is one problem I have with this teaser, it's that it made me realize how far away December is. Just like the trailers for The Force Awakens did. We used to have to wait three years for a new Star Wars movie. Now we only have to wait a year. But it still feels like three.

And in a year like 2016, where there is so much darkness and despair, I have never been more anxious to escape back to that galaxy far, far away. If there is one bright side to this divisive election, it's that no matter who wins (Trump or Hillary), we get a new Star Wars movie either way. And I think we can all agree that that's awesome!

May the Force be with you. Always.