Going into Rogue One, I was a bit nervous as I am with every film that I have high expectations for. I had heard nothing but good things about it since it released but I wondered if it was going to simply meet my expectations or really surprise me. With The Force Awakens, I say that simply met my expectations. There was plenty of new and good things but I had my critiques with it. Rogue One, however, is a much different story after seeing it. Rogue One is a mastery of what it means to redefine a franchise. It included the perfect amount of old with the perfect amount of new. I will try my best to avoid spoilers, but otherwise this is a mostly uncensored reflection of my experience during the new Star Wars film.

From a purely story-telling perspective, the movie did an amazing job. It did not linger on dialogue or force any of its references to the rest of the franchise. The references that were there felt natural. It introduces many complex characters in a short period of time but never takes time away from the advancing plot. Every detail ties in with the overall film. The comedic relief comes in the form of the new K-2SO, this character is better than R2-D2, C-3PO and BB-8 all combined. In terms of computer effects, which is always a topic when it comes to Star Wars, for the most part, they help bring you into the world and enhances the experience rather than distracting you with obvious CGI. The diverse cast and charismatic performances make the new characters quick and easy to fall in love with. The restraint on the use of classic Star Wars tropes was respectable and shows that the writers had enough foresight to know that fans aren’t just looking for a wink and nod type Easter eggs anymore, although it did have some of those as well. The icing on the cake with this movie was the perfect use of Darth Vader. My biggest complaints after only the first of many viewings is the poor use of a pun that broke what was an intense moment.

Overall, Rogue One was a very pleasurable experience and if there are any major downfalls with the film, they are hard to notice upon a first viewing. It is fun enough that the first viewing is more than worth the money and deep enough that a second viewing is required. To use an already overused word in cinema, Rogue One was organic to the series combining old elements with new details seamlessly. Disney and the franchise as a whole, as well as diehard fans, should be proud of where Star Wars is at and the track it’s on.