When Star Wars was first released in 1977, the world was a scary place. The economy was doing poorly. We had just gotten our troops out of Vietnam, one of the longest, bloodiest, and most controversial wars in U.S. History. Our President, Richard Nixon, was forced to resign from the Presidency after tapes revealed his involvement in covering up Watergate. Americans had lost faith in their heroes and leaders. The country was divided and the future was uncertain. Patriotism was dead.
The movies at the time reflected that. Movies like The Godfather, The Godfather Part II, Chinatown, Taxi Driver, etc. included heroes who broke the rules, Dark and somber tones, and a bleak outlook on the world. The first Star Wars was the complete opposite of those films. Star Wars was a throwback to classic films and serials from the past such as Flash Gordon, Buck Rogers, The Searchers, Thr Wizard of Oz, etc. Instead of a somber tone and a bleak outlook, Star Wars bright, flashy, and full of optimism. It was a story of good vs. evil. Right vs. wrong. Equality vs. oppression. It was a movie Studios had not faith in, and the public didn't know they needed. When it was released, Star Wars defied all the odds, surpassed expectations, and became a phenomenon. It connected with the public who grew tired of cynical heroes, and longed for escapism. Star Wars is an example of a movie that came out at the right time. Not when the world wanted it. But when it needed it.
Fast forward to the present. We have already had seven Star Wars films. And the first spin-off film, Rogue One, was just released. And just like 1977, the future seems uncertain to many people. We just got out of the ugliest election in history. Donald Trump, the most controversial, most divisive candidate in history, was just elected President. Aleppo is under siege from pro-government Syrian troops (Here is what you can do to help). Everyday, the future seems more uncertain.
We feel like we need Star Wars more than ever. And Rogue One delivers.
Rogue One is a direct prequel to the first Star Wars film. Now, the word "prequel" is infamous in the Star Wars fan community. Fans typically associate the word prequel with Jar Jar Binks, Midi-Chlorians, wooden acting, and Darth Vader shouting "NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" But fans should relax. There are no Jar Jars or Midi-Chlorians in this prequel. Just TIE-fighters, AT-ATs, X-Wings, and characters we care about.
I won't give away too much of the plot. The less you know, the better it is. But the film is based on the opening crawl in A New Hope.
We all know that the Rebels steal the plans to the Death Star, find out its weakness, and destroy it. But what we don't know is HOW they do it. HOW do they steal the plans. Who were the rebel spies? And did they survive? These are questions we have had when watching the first Star Wars, and never had answered. Until now.
One of the biggest strengths of the Star Wars movies has always been with the characters. Even in the worst Star Wars movie, there's at least one memorable character. Rogue One has quite a few.
When I first saw her in the teaser, I just knew I would love Jyn Erso. Her spunky attitude, her determination, her devil-may-care attitude that made us all love Han Solo. I just knew she would leave an impression, and she did. Felicity Jones was the perfect actress to play her. I felt really engaged in her arc, and rooted for her to succeed in her mission. Star Wars has always been famous for having strong female characters. And lately, it has been on a role with strong female protagonists. It is so exciting to live in a time where little girls everywhere are having more heroes to look up to.
K-2SO steals every scene he is in. He provides the comic relief. Thankfully, he's closer to C-3PO and R2-D2 than Jar Jar Binks. He's a droid designed by the Empire, but is programmed by Andor to work for him. He's sarcastic, straight-forward, and good in a fight. He's another lovable Droid worthy of sitting alongside R2-D2.
My favorite character was actually Chirrut Îmwe played by Donnie Yen. He's a Jedi-like character with strong reflexes and impressive fighting skills. He is blind, but relies on his senses to defend himself. He is not Force sensitive, but has strong faith in it. "I am one with the Force, and he Force is with me." is a prayer he makes whenever he goes into battle. This movie takes place in a time where the Jedi are all but extinct. Chirrut Îmwe brings a lot of the religious and philosophical elements that make Star Wars so unique among science fiction franchises.
Captain Andor, played by Diego Luna, is like the opposite of Han Solo. He's a rogue, but feels more tormented by his past. He fights for the Rebels, but feels conflicted about his morals.
Saw Gerrera, played by Forrest Whittaker, is a character from The Clone Wars. He definitely feels haunted by the scars left on him from that war. He is not the same cocky, adventurous warrior he was in The Clone Wars. He feels more broken, more cynical. Like how Andor is the anti-Han Solo, Saw is he anti-Obi-Wan. He's not a messenger of hope. He's a messenger of fear.
Dr. Orson Krennic, the Director of Advanced Weapons Research for the Inprerial Military, is an effective villain. He's cunning and controlling, and full of aspirations. He believed in the power of the Death Star before anyone else. He longs to be respected in the Empire, and to be in command.
The most anticipated aspect of Rogue One is the return of Darth Vader. Vader has always been my favorite character in Star Wars. He is arguably the mkst iconic villain in movie history. And his appearance does not disappoint! I will not give ANYTHING away. But when he shows up, he instantly reminds us why he has the title, "Dark Lord of the Sith".
The film is very morally grey. It does not portray the Rebels as purely good guys. It portrays them as conflicted. They feel uncertain if they are doing the right thing, and if they could even succeed.
You really feel the tyranny of the Empire. The film has an incredibly bleak tone. It matches The Empire Strikes Back in terms of its atmosphere and dark tone. You may have been hearing that this film is not for kids. And you are correct. Not that it's R-rated or anything. But it is darker than usual for a Star Wars film. I would recommended this for older children. Like ages 10 and up. Anyone younger may be a bit traumatized.
The music is done by Michael Giacchino, making it the first (live action) Star Wars film to not have its score done by John Williams. Stepping in for John Williams is almost like stepping in for Magic Johnson. Michael Giacchino had to do just that, and in a matter of three days! And Michael Giacchino manages to rise tonthe occasion. While the music never reaches the greatness of John Williams (not that anyone expected it to), it still does well in providing the tone of the movie, and puts the audience on the edge of its seat. Michael Giacchnio is my 2nd favorite composer behind John Williams. I always wanted to hear him compose the score for a Star Wars movie. And I hope he does more Star Wars spin-off films in the future.
The action in this movie is INSTENSE. It felt so gritty and realistic. It feels like you're watching the Original Trilogy on the big screen again. If you can, see it in the biggest screen possible.
The film is full of so many surprises that will make any Star Wars fan squeal with delight.
Overall, I had high hopes for Rogue One and it delivered. It was dark, gritty, action-packed, and loads of fun.
If you have time, please read Rogue One: Catalyst. It will make the first act of the film a lot easier to understand. I am only halfway done with the book as I am writing this. But I plan to finish reading it before I see the film again.
Not only do I want to see this film again and again. I now want to watch the Orignal Trilogy as well. I have a feeling Rogue One will only enhance the Original Trilogy.
It's the kind of Star Wars movie I never knew I wanted. And it's the film I needed right now. One we all needed right now. Star Wars, at its core, has always been about hope. Hope that no matter how dark things seem, light will always prevail. No matter how much evil there is in the world (galaxy), good will always fight back. In a time where the world is feeling more bleak, and the future more uncertain, we need Star Wars more than ever.
May the Force be with you! Always!
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