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Franchise films are fun to watch. However fans of franchise films sometimes have to excuse or legitimize the fact that they like the film. For example, if they’re being honest then they’ll say ‘it’s an OK Bond film, but not a really good movie’… (I’m looking at you Spectre…) Star Wars is not immune to this. When The Force Awakens came out many folks were relieved that Disney handled the transition very well and was a marked improvement since the forgettable later third of the sequels. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is a stand-alone movie in the Star Wars universe and again marks the Death Star as one of its main villains.
I rolled my eyes too when I read the plot synopsis. Oh joy, more Death Star. While the villains are the same there is an entirely new group of heroes to figure out the threat and combat it. This fact brings about more humor and action than you’re expecting from a Star Wars film.
Rogue One is its own film. It’s a funny, action packed science fiction film that’s a joy to see on the big screen. Because the film is free from the narrative and characters in the previous installments it has a swagger and footloose quality that make the other films feel routine. Don’t get me wrong, I still love them, but compared to Rogue One they feel slightly forced because I know what’s going to happen next.
This is all the more amazing because the audience knows how Rogue One will end. Somehow the Death Star manages to go on to kill another day, giving Obi-Wan a big fat headache when Alderaan is blown up. In a way Rogue One is like a documentary of a celebrity. If I know that this celebrity overcomes drug abuse, a bad marriage and then manages to record a comeback single when they’re in their late 40’s why should I see the film?
You should see Rogue One because it’s a great film. The first half has more humor than any other Star Wars film and it all works. Said humor is provided by K-250, an Imperial droid who has been reprogrammed to help the Alliance. It’s voiced by Alan Tudyk and the interaction between him and Cassain Andor (Diego Luna) are some of the best parts in an already great film.
Legendary Chinese actor and martial arts star Donnie Yen is also a stand out in the film. His character is Chirrut Imwe, a blind man who uses the Force with humor and strength. This is Yen’s biggest film outside of China and I hope that it gives him a chance to make more films outside of the mold that he’s been cast in.
Old school Star Wars fans will appreciate the details in Rogue One. It’s a film that takes place before the first Star Wars and seamlessly fits in just before that film takes place. Some of the human casting is all but identical to the actors that portrayed the original scene performers almost 40 years ago.
These same fans will also love the colors in the film. Green, fields of green grass, lots of tropical green trees, blue water and more are mixed in the ever present black, red and white. Rogue One is a visual treat for the eyes. Storm Troopers on the beach! AT-AT’s on the island! This is fun stuff and it’s a reminder that movies can be the great escape.
Is Rogue One OK for children? The film is rated PG-13 for extended scenes of science fiction action and violence. The action sequences are longer than those in The Force Awakens and there isn’t as traumatic a death as (spoiler alert) Han Solo. That’s mainly due to the fact that the characters in Rogue One are all new and we haven’t had time to know them. Children 11 and up will be fine for Rogue One. If younger children have seen science fiction violence (laser blasts, ships colliding and such) then they’ll be OK with it. Our 7 year old will be fine with the violence, but might wince at some of the volume because it is packed with explosions.
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