Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (Gareth Edwards, December 16, 2016) Movie • Page 86

Hell yeah wife will be out of town, I'll hit this up if it's playing nearby

 

Really really hope this is at my local AMC. Rogue One is the only movie I've ever gone to see on Christmas Day, but it was at basically an AMC Classic. IMAX would be incredible.

 

Need to know showtimes!

 

nice, there are 4 showings that day near me. I'm there.

 

Nothing near me and we have a fucking dedicated IMAX theater. Stupid

 

It's not just playing on the 26th. It's playing that entire week. I got tickets to see it on Sunday in Phoenix.

 

This made me laugh

 

Just got out of this, loved it just as much as I did all those years ago (can't believe it was 6 years). Some thoughts:

- cinematography is still top notch. Such a beautifully shot film, especially the third act.
- Ben Mendelssohn is so good in this.
- On the other hand, I still feel like Forest Whitaker was a little over the top in his role.
- I don't understand why the Bor Gullit scene was a thing.
- The hammerhead corvette scene is still one of the coolest things to happen in any SW media.

The Andor sneak peek was good, can't wait for that one.

 

LIES
DECEPTION

 

I’m going tomorrow to see it. It’s my birthday next week. Fuck it, let’s go see a Star Wars.

 

I also just got back from seeing it in IMAX

This movie ruuuuuules

 

One dude slow clapped like 6 times when Vader was force choking Krennic. I hate him

 

What a nerd

 

This is funnier when you know my mom paid for my ticket haha

 

Unsurprisingly, I really enjoyed seeing this in imax. First hour is still kind of weak but that third act. So so good. A longer post on the movie is brewing in my head. For now, I’m heading home from the theater and having dinner. Maybe I’ll write it up later.

 

cant wait

 

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story… 6 years later. Well, like, 3 years since I watched it leading up to TROS. But you get it.

In the past 6 years, my opinion on the movie has mostly stayed the same. I like it overall, love the third act, and get triggered when people say it’s the best Disney or overall Star Wars. That remains true today, but I think I am a little more positive on it and can safely say I put it as my 3rd favorite of the Disney era behind TLJ and TFA. For a bit there, I considered Solo being better. but having seen that a couple months ago and seeing Rogue today, Rogue One is definitely better. Still enjoy Solo a good bit though.

Back to Rogue One, overall, it’s good. But that first hour has just never sat the best with me. I never found Jyn to be that intriguing at first. It starts to pick up for me when she is seeing her father’s message. The stuff leading up to that is a bit lacking for me. They present her as this apathetic loner who is just out for herself. But on Jedha, she saves that little girl during the fight, risking her life in the process. Which, I guess could just show that the whole loner thing was just a mask. But I always felt that such an action should have taken place after she heard her father’s message. That should be the catalyst (hahaha get it? Like the name of the prequel book. I’m so clever, clearly) that wakes her up from her apathy and desire to do what’s right at all costs. Based on trailer footage, they seemed to have cut some moment of her being a bit more sassy and potentially cynical. I’m basing this off the “I rebel” line that’s not in the film. Although there is no indication her saving the girl was added later in the process, regardless I feel it makes her arc less interesting if she was that heroic already. Feels like they wanted to make sure she was likable enough rather than give us the story that seems to be there. Her actions after the message all flow better to me. I just ignore her saving a child and her story feels more interesting to me. Not a massive problem but it’s always stuck out as something that lessens the movie for me. I do think we needed a scene of young Jyn and Galen bonding. Something that shows their bond beyond having a nickname. Something that would make sense with Jyn feeling abandoned but still ultimately missing him. Even just a quick scene of him teaching her something on the farm that can show their dynamic. A hug goodbye and a nickname just doesn’t cut it for me. Something to add depth to her seeing him for the first time after all those years.

Cassian falls sort of flat to me. While they do show he will murder even allies, it’s clear he does so because he believes it is the best thing for the rebellion. He does what he feels he must. I never took it as he was some bad dude or anything. Desperate times and all that. So, when he goes with Jyn to Scariff, it just feels like he is still doing what he thinks is right and best for the rebellion. He is willing to do whatever it takes. There is talk of him doing these things due to orders… but he kills the guys at the start by his own choice. He kills one of Saw’s rebels to cause chaos to save Jyn. He disobeys his order to kill Galen. He disobeys the council and goes to Scariff. Seems like he is his own person after all. I do like the scene after Eadu where he says he’s been in the fight since he was 6. It showed there was a story there, we just don’t really get it in the movie at all. I think we needed a bit more for him here but at least the show will give us far more. The sneak peek for Andor was good. I am now hyped to see the show. It said there is a 3 episode premiere on 9/21. Not sure if the three episode thing was announced already. Maybe it was? Anyway, while I like a rebel who will do anything to complete the mission, I wanted something more there and it just wasn’t there.

So with the two leads not doing much for me, particularly in the first hour, that’s a big downer for me, not ruining the movie or anything though. Just lowers the movie for me.

Saw’s portrayal is… odd, if you’ve seen his Clone Wars and Rebels stuff. Though, tbf, the Rebels stuff comes after Rogue One. While the monster clearly broke his mind, the Saw we know from before this would never just give up and wait to die. He would survive and keep fighting. In another version of the film, he would have gone with them and been a role model for Cassian as someone who does anything to complete the mission. But then he goes too far and shows Cassian there has to be a line that they won’t cross. Just feels like a missed opportunity there. Instead he dies because they didn’t know what to do with him? He also could have been another witness to the message and back up Jyn. But nah, just die already.

There are some other things that irk me and kind of take me out of the movie. The blue milk in that opening scene. The movie is filled with Star Wars things we know, I’m not against blue milk. But it’s the fact that it is front and center that just strikes me as odd. The placement just makes me give it a side eye. Just feels silly. Then there is the moment with Ponda Baba and Dr. Evazan. It’s completely pointless. It only serves to have the audience go, “I know who they are!” I hate it. There are so many other things in the movie that make sense to be there based on context. X-wings? Of course. At-St’s? Makes sense. Tarkin? That fits with what we know. Vader? Of course he’d be involved in this stuff. And so on. There is no need to force references in when there are so many that just naturally comes with the time it takes place and the major players involved. The ones that feel forced stick out like a sore thumb.

Then there are just really odd decisions on how things are presented or added on. Like, when Bail steps up during the first meeting at the rebel base and they play the force theme and he says nothing and does nothing of note. I think he has like a line of dialog there? It’s so weird to give him that emphasis for nothing. The 3PO and R2 scene. I hate it. I know it’s only like 10 seconds, but again it just sticks out to me. Contextually they would be there as the ship they are on is present as we see when it break away from Raddus’s ship. But they serve no purpose. Just another “I know them” moment. I don’t like it.

I’m sorry, but Baze is completely useless and should have been cut to give a little more time to the other characters. He’s just along for the ride. His death is the most pointless. His only purpose at the end is to mourn Chirrut. He finds his faith again only to be killed in his next scene. I think it would have made way more sense for him to be the lone survivor. Living on to continue the fight with his renewed faith. But they committed to killing them all no matter what, I guess. Bodhi gets the transmission to Raddus. K2 buys Jyn and Cassian time. Chirrut flips the master switch allowing Bodhi to make that transmission. Jyn and Cassian do what it takes to transmit the plans, knowing they are trapped there to ultimately die. Baze was there because???? Feels like the easiest cut in the world.

Those are probably always going to be my biggest issues with the film. I think everything else works for me. The performances are good despite the material at times. The visuals are fantastic! I probably under appreciate the music. I found the Tarkin CGI convincing. The Leia face felt off to me, although, I swear what I saw today looked like an updated pass at the CGI of her face. I wouldn’t be surprised if this is the case but I haven’t seen anyone else Point it out, so maybe I’m just crazy. It’s so brief it doesn’t ruin anything even if I find it off. I enjoyed Vader here, even the corny choking on your aspirations bit. Raddus is awesome and I loved the hammerhead maneuver. Chirrut and Bodhi work for me. Krennic is decent. The third act is near perfect. Best space battle in all of Star Wars. It leans hard into the wars of Star Wars and works beautifully.

All this to say, I’ll always consider this a good Star Wars movie. But best of Disney or overall? Eh. You’re getting an upset stare from me for that kind of comment. It’s a solid 6th place after episodes 4-8.

I’ve prattled on enough. Sorry for the essay.

TL/DR: This movie is good with some problems but still good. Excited for Andor now.

 

Does anyone want a digital copy of this?

I had to get a new Blu-ray copy and of course it came with another code. I don’t need it and nobody on my Facebook wanted it. Figured someone here could probably use it.

 

I shall be as most willing to take you up on your generous offer, good sir

 

Rewatching now

 

Hmmm…

 

Wasn’t the direction/writing/everything on Rogue One a mess

 

Interesting and it makes sense. Love that part but was total fan service

 

I thought the official story was that Tony Gilroy came in towards the end of production to "supervise" the reshoots, and in his words he drastically changed most of the movie and saved it from being a complete mess that didn't work at all. I don't think Gareth Edwards commented on it publicly, and it's unclear whether he was locked out of the edit / post-production entirely or if he was still involved beyond a certain point.

Disclaimer: I am a big fan of Gareth Edwards and I think Gilroy came off like an egotistical prick in the press for the movie.