Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is finally in theaters, and, well, it's pretty f***ing amazing (you can read my review by clicking here). However, like most movies, it's not entirely perfect, and there are almost as many things that didn't work as those that did. It goes without saying that MAJOR SPOILERS follow as I delve into everything from the ending to the fate of the characters and a HUGE action scene.
Just because something didn't work, that doesn't mean it's a bad movie, but you may be surprised by both the things that Rogue One dropped the ball on, as well as what it got right (especially amid all those reports of reshoots and issues in the post production stages). So, click through to find out all about that and what exactly you should expect from Disney and Lucasfilm's first Anthology movie...
Didn't Work: The Return Of Grand Moff Tarkin
At first glance, the return of Peter Cushing's Grand Moff Tarkin is extremely exciting...well, until you realise he looks like he's just stepped out of a video game from the last generation of consoles! We've seen special effects used many times to make actors look older or younger and I'm pretty sure a fair few have been resurrected, but this just does not work.
The voice is spot on, as are the mannerisms, but Tarkin ultimately becomes a distraction because of how phony he looks. Lucasfilm would have been much better off using prosthetics or finding a lookalike, because Tarkin's long awaited return crashes and burns in Rogue One. It's not enough to ruin the movie, but it definitely finishes the impact of his presence here, and that's both a crushing disappointment and a great shame.
Did Work: K-2SO
While I know Alan Tudyk has a lot of fans from his Firefly days, I've always found his work to be a little hit and miss, especially in the comedic realm. That explains why I was so worried going into Rogue One then as we've heard a lot that his K-2SO is very much the movie's comedic relief. Thankfully, the character is awesome, and I found myself wanting to see more of him, not less (and I definitely wasn't expecting that).
While it's true that the droid is the main source of laughs, his lines all land well, and a heroic sacrifice in the final act ensures that K-2SO is someone we all remember for a long time. I'm just disappointed that there's now no chance of him showing up in the new trilogy because I'd rather spend time with this guy than the endlessly irritating C-3PO.
Did Work: The Fate Of The Rebels
The fact that every single members of the "Rogue One" squad dies is definitely a bummer, but you have to hand it to Disney and Lucasfilm for having the balls to actually dispatch of this lot in such a memorable and poignant manner. They all suffer from equally tragic (and sometimes very violent) ends, but it had to be done, and considering the fact we know that their sacrifice ultimately means something, it makes it all worthwhile.
They're not killed for the sake of it, they die for the greater good, and that ensures they'll all live on in the hearts and minds of Star Wars fans rather than if a few had been kept around to possibly show up elsewhere. Plus, as an added bonus, we don't have to spend the next year listening to theories about Jyn being Ray's mother. Well, unless...actually, never mind!
Did Work: The Ending
Talking of Rogue One's ending, something which helps ensure we don't all leave the cinema crying into what's left of our popcorn is the optimistic note things end on. That is with a shot of Carrie Fisher's Princess Leia talking about how the actions of "Rogue One" have given the Rebellion some much needed hope. The move actually ends just hours before A New Hope begins, and that too is cool enough to guarantee fans are left happy.
Unlike the work done on Tarkin, Leia looks great, and that's probably because she's only on screen for a matter of seconds rather than in extended dialogue sequences. Rogue One could have easily ended weeks, months, or years before the events of the original Star Wars, but the decision to so closely tie these films together is a smart one, and makes this the right kind of prequel.
Didn't Work: No Opening Crawl
Rogue One not having an opening crawl is something we've known about for a while now, and to be perfectly honest, I really didn't care about that one way or the other. Well, until I saw the movie that is! After the Lucasfilm title shows up, we get the classic "A Long Time Ago In A Galaxy Far, Far Away" but are then launched straight into the action.
Honestly, it's a tad unsettling to see a Star Wars movie kick off without an opening crawl and that iconic John Williams score, and while I get the thinking behind that being saved for the main episodes, this movie could have done with one, especially as it's so heavily geared towards fans. The Rogue One title showing up on screen after a prologue of sorts was also strange, and while this is something we're clearly going to have to get used to, I'm not sure I like it!
Did Work: Everything About Darth Vader
Oh. My. God. We've all been excited to see Darth Vader in Rogue One, but no one could have predicted that his scenes would be this good! We first meet back up with the Sith Lord on his home on Mustafar where he spends his time inside a Bacta Tube, sans armour. That and his confrontation with Director Krennic is cool and all, but pales in comparison to his final scene.
There, we see Vader unleash the full power of the Force on a helpless group of Rebels as the iconic villain unleashes his lights lightsaber, force chokes, and force throws in what I consider perhaps the Star Wars franchise's greatest sequence. This will make you want a solo movie for the character, and it's a scene I know I'll be playing over and over on the Blu-ray. Seeing Vader unleashed like this is amazing, though you have to wonder why he didn't pull more tricks like this out of the bag in the original trilogy!
Didn't Work: Director Krennic
I love Ben Mendelsohn, and while he delivers some fine work here, Director Krennic is ultimately a pretty forgettable villain. Yes, he's thoroughly evil, but in a way that means we'll all be talking about him for years to come. He serves a purpose, and that's it. The biggest problem with that is when he finally gets what's coming to him, it really doesn't mean much, and your reaction to his death is likely to be closer to a shrug than pumping a triumphant fist into the air!
Perhaps this can be blamed on reshoots (it looks like he may have piloted a TIE Fighter to confront Jyn in am earlier cut), but regardless of that, he's still far from a great bad guy. It's a good job then that we have Darth Vader and, er, the poorly CG'd Tarkin! I wouldn't go so far as to say Mendelsohn was wasted, but his character most definitely was.
Did Work: A True Standalone Movie
While Rogue One has been advertised as a standalone movie from the very start, you can't blame some fans for doubting that. After all, the movie is a guaranteed box office hit, so who could blame Disney and Lucasfilm for trying to find a way to develop a sequel? Well, a few members of the team won't be coming back to steal the plans to the second Death Star, because as I've already mentioned, everyone dies!
It's not just that which ensures Rogue One is a one off though, because the movie is structured in a way which makes it a one off story as we're taken to a certain point in this galaxy's history to witness a very specific moment. This bodes well for future standalone efforts...now, where's my damn Obi-Wan Kenobi spinoff? Regardless, this movie proves that there's still a lot in this galaxy we haven't seen which can easily be explored.
Did Work: The Battle Sequences
We were promised an epic war movie, and hot damn, Gareth Edwards delivers! Say what you will about the prequels, but they didn't disappoint in terms of space battles. Rogue One however easily rivals those with some very inventive visuals (a Rebel freighter pushing one Star Destroyer into another so they destroy a shield generator), but it's what happens on the ground which really impresses.
Here, the war movie really comes into its own as we're treated to some genuinely shocking and very violent moments as the Rebellion goes head to head with the Empire. These action sequences are unlikely anything ever seen in the franchise, and it's hard to believe any future efforts will be able to replicate this sort of magic. The best way to describe them is that Rogue One is like the Star Wars Battlefront games come to life!
Did Work: The Characters
As I've now established, not every character in Rogue One is perfect, but make no mistake a out it, it's them who ensure this movie succeeds. The entire team is made up of interesting heroes you'll wish you could spend a lot more time with, while even the likes of Galen Erso and Saw Gerrera manage to make a surprisingly significant impact with relatively little screen time.
No matter how many changes the screenplay went through and what changes were made courtesy of reshoots, Rogue One is a very well written film. It's set the bar high for future Anthology movies, that's for sure, but it's hard to believe any of them will deliver characters as memorable as this lot! They'll live on forever as action figures and in comic books and novels though, so that's well worth being excited about.
Do you agree with those points? What do you think did and didn't work in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story? As always, share your thoughts in the comments section!