Rogue One is a prequel to the original Star Wars trilogy (Star Wars (A New Hope), The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi) and a sequel to the prequel trilogy that wrapped up 11 years ago (The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, and Revenge of the Sith). If this doesn't confuse a casual film goer I don't know what will. The film tells the story of the construction of the Death Star and the Rebellion's fight to stop this super weapon designed by the Empire. Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones) is the daughter of the designer of the new weapon Gaylen Erso (Mads Mikkelson), who were separated years before when the Empire ran into snags in development. The Rebels feel that Jyn's lineage will guarantee the help they need in their fight against tyranny. Assisted by Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) and the reprogrammed K-2SO (Alan Tudyk) they develop a band that grows as the film goes on as they attempt to find Jyn's father and the secret that may save the galaxy from annihilation in the face of Director Orson Krennic (Ben Mandelsohn).
Director Gareth Edwards has taken the monumental task of trying to develop a Star Wars film that breaks the traditional conventions of the franchise. Rogue One is a film with an expected outcome and is a dark entry into the series and possibly one of the darkest films of the year, though the film doesn't take itself to seriously. There are some breaks for humor in the film, breaking the enormity of the film. This is a way film, depicting space battle as the violent, heartbreaking experience that all wars are, even in a galaxy far, far away. This is the main accomplishment of this film. There is a weight to the battles that goes beyond what we have seen previously.
Even though there are slow points in the film, they tend to be balanced by action sequences or an intriguing throw back. I guess you can call this fan service, and there's a lot of it here, but what do you expect from a film that is set directly before one of the most beloved films of all time. They make it work in this film and it does. The acting isn't Oscar worthy, but the story overcomes that, thankfully. In a year where acting and story have taken a backseat to sheer spectacle it's refreshing to get something that's intriguing.
Rogue One represents the first step in expanding Star Wars beyond the linear story that it has been for the last forty years. The main trunk of the tree is gaining branches. The film represents the bridge between the original trilogy and the not as beloved prequel trilogy, tying them together in a way that makes them more a acceptable as a whole instead of one being the generic brand of the other. I was pleasantly surprised by Rogue One and hope other spin off films are as entertaining as this one, though I am still skeptical about some of the ideas I've heard about. This is a Star Wars film that gives the audience a real look at the battle between good and evil and the consequences of such a battle. It's an entertaining adventure that runs non stop and holds you until the end.
