Since I'm writing this well after release....spoiler warning. The whole post.
Anybody that follows me on Twitter may have seen my angry-ish rant (it reads angrier than I actually was) about Rogue One. Honestly though, it's okay. I was having a pretty shitty day and Rogue One was just kind of mediocre so I judged the movie pretty harshly. Also, some of my old Star Wars fandom came out a little because the movie had a couple head nods to extended universe fans. It was a nice gesture but all I could think about is how the context was all wrong.
I think because of my past super fandom, Star Wars is super hard for me to critique until it has aged for a while. I too was in denial after first seeing The Phantom Menace many years ago. I initially thought it was good! It probably took me a full month to admit that not only was it not good but not even average. Star Wars just has that effect on some people (me).
Rogue One gave me the opposite feeling at first because a. It's not a main series Star Wars movie and therefore, b. Doesn't feel like a Star Wars movie. I knew this going in and it still threw me for a loop. 100% objective, I am not. My fandom got the better of me.
Having gotten figuratively over it, I think Rogue One is between average and sitting on the fence of being a good movie. It's certainly not great but not bad either.
(Note - Not everything in this post is going to be me complaining. Trust me.)
The movie has 2 big flaws, the first being characterization. Uh...why can't I remember any new characters name outside of Jan...Orzo?
Pictured here.
I mean Jyn Urso and WOW does that name look like a name I came up with while writing my own Star Wars short stories when I was 12 years old. That's the problem with Sci-Fi names. It's a fine line between acceptable and laughable.
Anyway, Jyn Ursa Major...
Pictured here.
...is orphaned at a young age because Star Wars has never had a protagonist like that. Also, she is a criminal to the Empire, which makes the Rebels look into her, even though the Rebels themselves would be criminals ah fuck it nevermind. Actually, they want to talk to her about her dad because he is the chief architect of the Death Star and whyyyyyyyy?
What is it with this universe and everybody important being related or at the very least, met at a younger age? The twist at the end of Empire Strikes Back is one of the most shocking in movie history but it certainly doesn't feel like it now. And I know this "everybody knows everybody" complaint is a nitpick but it's one that has annoyed me endlessly. When the young Han Solo movie comes out and he ends up being an orphan who is raised by Chewbacca I will fucking burn down a theater*
*I won't actually do that.
Galen, Jyn's father, is actually one of the better acted roles in the movie. His purpose is pretty cool too as most of his existence is to fill the Death Star weak point plot hole from A New Hope. I like that the weakness was there on purpose now rather than an accident that the Empire never found but the Rebels did while looking at Sci-Fi blueprints. It...doesn't explain Return of the Jedi but whatever. The other reason for his existence is to give Jyn motivation and that works. I'd prefer something different but okay.
The other characters include Cassian Andor who is there to spout exposition, be Jyn's friend, and not really be a character in his own right. I have no idea what this dude's deal is. The movie also had blind warrior monk named, uuugh, Chirrut Imwe, and machine gun guy named after a Warcraft raid boss, Baze Malbus. Those guys are badass and wish the movie had more screen time for them. Forest Whitaker is in the movie too. His character's name is Plot Device because that's all he is. He saves young Jyn and gives her her father's message about the Death Star. That's it. He also doesn't leave with the rest of the crew when the Empire attacks his town because his purpose is over. He's done. It's fine. I'm fine.* I don't even care. His character could be completely removed from the movie and basically nothing would change. Who cares?
*I'm very not fine.
Also, I wasn't too keen on the acting from Jyn and Cassian. I don't think the fault is with Jessica Jones and Diego Luna though as flat acting is usually the directors fault. 9 out of 10 times, directors have to dial an actor back from overacting. In Rogue One, emotion from these two was not allowed. Every moment that should have had an emotional moment like Jyn's father dying or, THE TWO OF THEM dying at the end just landed with a thud. This might have to do with keeping the movie somewhat kid friendly but that doesn't explain like half of Pixar's movies. Emotion, even sad ones, are fine for kids.
This is the only face she makes. It's weird.
The main villain is Imperial General #1964, or, that dude who wore all white. He's fine. He is there only to move the plot forward and I'm okay with that. He's not really the star of the show because Grand Moff Tarkin is in the movie. Also, Grand Moff Tarkin is in this movie....why is Grand Moff Tarkin in this movie?
Peter Cushing died in 1994. In this movie, he is completely CGI and while I will say it was great (and it better be since this movie has Star Wars money) there was still some uncanny valley shit going on. I get him being there since the Death Star was kind of his baby but come on. He's in like 4 scenes. Is this what the reshoots were about? Wanting to get their monies worth? I still think CGI should be a last resort for impossible shots but this was unnecessary. Just give him a cameo and be done with it. His scenes could have been filled with Darth Vader instead. Fuuuuucking NOBODY is going to complain about too much Darth Vader* and he wears a mask. You could have anybody in that suit.
GAH!
*James Earl Jones must be feeling like Alec Guinness cause that line delivery....oof. I don't think he wants to do that voice anymore. It still could be directing with him too though cause even his acting was off.
The characterization of this movie ties into it's 2nd major flaw. 2/3rds of this movie is just kinda filler. The first act is meh, the second act is uuuugh, and the third act is awesome (Note - I told you not everything in this post was going to be me complaining). I expected more character development because this story is mostly known already. We didn't need to check in with how the building of the Death Star is going. We know already. We didn't need to check in with the Rebel's and how wishy-washy they were about actually getting the plans. We...actually we didn't know that.
It bugs me that the team had to "go rogue" in order for the Rebels to get the plans in the first place. Why? What is the reasoning here? They tested it on a planet already at low power. Even if you don't think it can actually destroy a planet are you at least not concerned that it can take out a continent? And even if you think getting the plans is a suicide mission, isn't it worth the risk? I know they change their mind but still.
I will say though, that last battle scene was fantastic. From an audience perspective, this climax was fantastically directed (making the dull acting even weirder). Ever since, damn, Revenge of the Sith, space and/or air battles have seemed too chaotic. Just a bunch of ships, lasers, and explosions overwhelming the screen. The eye doesn't know where to go. Here, you actually have shots following specific fighters allowing the action to take place in front of you as if you were the pilot....kind of like the original movies. And even the ground battle has a, dare I say, Saving Private Ryan vibe with the camera often focusing on our heroes. The camera is close to head level as if somebody is running along side the soldiers with a camera on their shoulders. It seems like a camera man is actually there and that's really cool to do in a Star Wars movie! For once, the intensity of the battle is actually felt instead of just looking like pretty fireworks.
Why did it take so long for a Star Wars battle scene to look this good?
Regardless of how I feel about any other part of this movie, there is a scene, when Darth Vader boards a ship and.....it's the best Vader scene ever made. Not kidding. He just destroys everyone. It's like joining an Overwatch game and finding a pro player on the other team and they pick Genji. They just....you're done son! And I love how the scene lets him fling motherfuckers with the force while also letting him use his lightsaber...it's so well choreographed. I have a slight boner right now. Why can't movies have good villains?
Despite spending most of this post complaining, Rogue One is okay. Wish it did something else with its characters but holy crap were those action scenes good. It's like a bizarre Marvel movie where the action scenes are nonsense and the character development is solid (with flaws here and there). I need to let my Star Wars fandom adjust to this new spin-off movie idea and maybe I won't fly off the handle right out of the gate.
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A quick side note that didn't fit into my post.
I saw this movie the day after Carrie Fisher passed away and I was not expecting a stand-in with CGI touch up Leia to be there at the end. My wife and I let out an audible "Owe" and we cried a little. Not full on sobbing but it was a jolt to the system enough that I had to wipe away tears.
Other than David Bowie, Carrie Fisher is the biggest celebrity death I'm sad about in 2016. Like many a thousands of boys and girls, she was my first crush. Yes, yes, slave costume but even without that, she was great. Leia was an excellent character in an era when strong female characters were kind of rare. Okay...A New Hope isn't that great for her but Empire and Jedi are, slave costume* and all. I hope Disney doesn't CGI her character in future movies extensively. Also...if she has scenes in Episode 8 already filmed....I don't know man.
I mean, the costume didn't hurt. Cut me some slack I was 12.
*One of the best moments from Jedi is when she strangles Jabba the Hutt to death with her own chain. Cold - fucking - blooded. The barge was gonna blow up anyway and she straight murders her captor. It's Jabba so, you know, fuck him, but in repeat viewings it's almost like insult to injury. I fucking love it.
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