SPOILERS: ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY - 7 Things It Got Right & 3 Things It Got Wrong

SPOILERS: ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY - 7 Things It Got Right & 3 Things It Got Wrong

With Rogue One: A Star Wars Story now in theaters, we take a look at the things which did and did not work in the movie, ranging from the fates of key characters to whether key story elements worked...

Feature Opinion
By JoshWilding - Dec 16, 2016 09:12 AM EST
Filed Under: Star Wars


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! 

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TheSoulEater
TheSoulEater - 12/16/2016, 9:40 AM
Gonna have to disagree with you there.

I loved Krennick, not since Tarkin have I had an antagonistic Imperial who's actually concomitant, and somewhat formidable seeming due to it.

Also, I did like the characters , even with what little time they were given.
pesmerga44
pesmerga44 - 12/16/2016, 1:48 PM
@TheSoulEater - I completely disagree I felt he was ineffective as a villain. He felt whiny and incompetent especially when Tarkin just comes in and takes control of the Death Star from him. Later when he was summoned by Vader he looked a lot like a child running to mommy to tattle on his brother for taking his things. I found nothing about him made him a good villain in the slightest. He felt more like a lackey to the movie's villain then the actual villain.
Nerdman3000
Nerdman3000 - 12/16/2016, 3:03 PM
@pesmerga44 - To be honest, having read the Rogue One prequel novelization Catalyst, I actually liked his character. Admittedly the novel expands his character a lot more, so perhaps that's why I enjoyed him, but I did.
pesmerga44
pesmerga44 - 12/16/2016, 5:22 PM
@Nerdman3000 - Well the first act did feel like it was edited a lot which is probably where the reports of extensive re-shoots came from. Maybe there is a cut where it makes him look more effective as a villain but the cut we got in the theater maybe him look incompetent and completely nonthreatening. Like the scene after they test the Death Star and Tarkin calls him out on his incompetence that info about the Death Star was leaked on his watch. He stood there dumbfounded and then went on how he deserves to have the Emperor know he did a good job. It came off childish. Lastly if the book expanded his character that is all great the only problem is I am watching a movie and they expect me to read a book to understand their characters the movie has failed on that part.
pesmerga44
pesmerga44 - 12/16/2016, 6:35 PM
@Nerdman3000 - Funny enough the more I think about I actually find Krennick to be almost a non factor in the movie. Like after he takes Galen in to help build the Death Star what does he do in the movie. Does he do anything to confront the heroes really he does nothing. He spends most of the movie getting bitch slapped around by Tarkin and whining to people why he isn't getting the recognition he deserves. By the time we get to the present the movie is set in the Death Star is built. There is no race to stop the Death Star from being built. There is no confrontation to get the last remaining piece, crystal, McGuffin or what ever the Death Star needs. Hell he doesn't even go after the Rebels. He doesn't even know who Felicity Jones is until she tells him at the end. As the villain of the movie he was such a non factor to the plot it is actually funny they even have him in the movie at all.
TheSoulEater
TheSoulEater - 12/18/2016, 10:39 AM
@pesmerga44 -

Krennick got things done, why he was upset was because while he had run an efficient ship, he was blind to Erso's treachery. That one mistake was what sunk him, I didn't chalk that to incompetence so much as a testament to the cleverness of Erso himself.

Him being upset that Tarkin swooped in and took his position seemed if anything understandable. It's classic corporate/military bullshit.

A guy who hasn't been in charge comes in when things have been mostly swimming thus far, takes all the credit for your success and leaves you holding the bag for all the faults.

Also he didn't run off like a child to Lord Vader, he was summoned there, no one really WANTS to bring Vader bad news. So he seemed like a frightened child from that aspect more than a whining one.

Your always half pleading for your life in his presence anyway and making sure he knows that the weakness he sees isn't your fault or he'll cut you out even if your only indirectly involved. Or how many imperial officers do you know of who have lived through such?

He put allot of time and effort into the Death Star being a success so him still vieing for resuming control of it was understandable after hearing the open ended comment Vader meant about being in command still.

He didn't feel like a lacky so much as a corporately shafted major who was trying to work with what he had, and seemed to be be the only one awares of what to do and unlike other officers who gawk at things, and just gives orders.

He was on the ground himself with his own troops making sure shit got done, he even was the one who shot Captain Cassian.

It was refreshing to see a admiral figure seen as someone who was hands on and actually invested in his job as opposed to the "council of snobs" that every other military imperial i've seen has been.
BloodyBed
BloodyBed - 12/16/2016, 9:41 AM
josh masturbates to starting flame wars, spoiling movies the day they come out, next lists, and boss logic artwork.

:D
LEOSTRATOR
LEOSTRATOR - 12/16/2016, 9:44 AM
My friend told me the only good thing about this movie was Donnie Yen. Other than that, straight garbage.
TruePunishment
TruePunishment - 12/16/2016, 10:44 AM
@LEOSTRATOR - Your friend is either a liar, a moron, or both.
BloodyBed
BloodyBed - 12/16/2016, 10:53 AM
@LEOSTRATOR - let me guess, yen had the coolest fight scenes?

don't actually answer that, i haven't seen the movie.
Sxcory
Sxcory - 12/16/2016, 9:48 AM
Tarkin was great. You're crazy if you think that CGI was bad.
ELAYEM
ELAYEM - 12/16/2016, 10:19 AM
@Sxcory - Yeah opposite to Josh I thought Tarkin looked perfect, Leia looked more iffy
soberchimera
soberchimera - 12/16/2016, 10:34 AM
@Elayem - Leia looked like a Shrek character.
StormXmen123
StormXmen123 - 12/16/2016, 10:43 AM
@Elayem - I havent seen the film yet but I have seen images of both characters (though admitly not HD quality) but I agree,Leia looks cgi and Tarking looks better.

I think it simply because Leia is younger, and the smoother face makes us associate her with game characters/ real human.

Tarkin has a unique bones structure which is quite uncommon in most people so we dont really have mnay refrences to go by and doesnt look that jarring.

Honestly the only thin that bugs me is that disney preaches real, practical effects (which I dont have a problem with its just that they constantly go on and on about it) but they they turn to cgi at every given stage.
DrFreudstein
DrFreudstein - 12/16/2016, 10:52 AM
@StormXmen123 - Images don't really give a great idea of how poorly it works. Something about the way his mouth moves when he talks is super uncanny valley and personally pulled me out of those scenes. It's just annoying because they didn't even bother to hide it with creative lighting or mix digital and practical effects. They just put him out there and for me it didn't really work. It;s frustrating too because he actually has a pretty cool role in the movie so it's annoying to have the distracting CG in there. Great movie overall though.
Joulipous
Joulipous - 12/16/2016, 11:00 AM
@StormXmen123 - I think what is more worrisome is the moral implications of using a dead actor's likeness for a real performance in a film. It is nowhere near the same as a cameo.

Though the technology is exciting it does raise the question if something like this is ethically responsible. Ofcourse, one could argue that with a studio owning a fictional character, even though that character has the physical appearance of a non-fictional person, that studio should be allowed to use that character as liberal as they want.
Batman5
Batman5 - 12/16/2016, 11:18 AM
@Joulipous - his estate agreed and wanted them to use his character in the movie. If they had not agreed they would have went another route so it's not like they did it without permission.

Also I thought tarkin looked great, and so did Leia. Yea she looked a little weird but it was due to how young she appeared.
StormXmen123
StormXmen123 - 12/16/2016, 11:44 AM
@Joulipous - I thought about the morals to. Whats to stop them taking a living actor/actress likeness (say Dasiy Ridely didnt want to return) and having another actress motion capture her. (I dont think the technology is there just yet however).

With dead actors I think it is more leanient. Additionally many of star wars actors have signed their likeness to to Lucasfilm. I dont think there is a difference for adapting Tarkins likeness to Rebels over a feature film.

shadearts
shadearts - 12/16/2016, 11:45 AM
@Sxcory - I got to agree Tarkin look good i barely notice he was CGI i actually forgot he was now when the show Leia it threw me off because i was expecting CGI because i knew of Leia it still look good for her too. I wonder did they use her daughter as live stand-in
DENNISsystem
DENNISsystem - 12/16/2016, 12:56 PM
@Sxcory - not even close. It was jarring every time he was on screen
AwesomePromoz
AwesomePromoz - 12/16/2016, 4:25 PM
The later scenes of Moff T were better than the earlier things, but I had problems with:

1) His body moved like a crappy cut scene from a video game

2) He is always just standing around waiting for Krennick to come see him; doesn't he do anything besides stand around? As an acting teacher myself, the feeling of what happened immediately before the scene is what makes a performance believable.

Using a talented body double and replacing the face would have been way better.

Leia's cameo was fine though.
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