Rogue one Star Wars story brings everything to the table fans could possibly want with a few minor gripes in the mix, especially towards the beginning of the movie.
We get a standalone story with very real connotations to the rest of the Star Wars mythos. Old characters make minor appearances in cameos throughout to entice longtime fans but don't overstay their welcome. New characters Jyn Erso portrayed by Felicity Jones and Diego Luna as Cassian Andor lead the cast with their back stories that are more focused on than rest of the characters which is a mixed creative decision among the films flaws and triumphs. Regardless they lead the cast with aplomb and Jones gives the performance of her career alongside Luna.
Jumping planet to planet and introducing characters left and right was jarring because of the rapid pace in the first thirty minutes even though the relationships never fail to be believable. By act two and three the narrative picks up with more meaningful content like the state of the rebellion years after Episode 3 and the fall of the Jedi. These sequences play out fluidly as expected but are lacking a contextual backbone at first that makes Star Wars' atmosphere so engrossing. We see a new side to the rebels, a more desperate than humble one not unlike a cat being cornered and lashing out. Cassian portrays this well with his brash (to say the least) way of doing things although I won't mention any specifics here. Rebel leadership like Mon Mothma and Bail Organa (Leia's adoptive father) struggle against the sectionalized bureaucracy for leadership in fighting the Galactic Empire. These factors play out well early on and culminate brilliantly in act two and three of the film as a relevant bedrock to the character interactions.
"Rogue One" doesn't just thrive in the thoughtful formation of the narrative, the action is the best it has ever been and provides the necessary intensity for the movie to garner more of an emotional payoff and gratification for fans new and old. You can see military tactics displayed in an extremely satisfying fashion not to mention the choreography and cinematography involved in tandem with it. Gone are the days of mindless CGI and hallucinogenic levels of color oversaturation from the prequels to distract from gaping flesh wounds in the story. All of these things are done in classic Star Wars fashion with sweeping battle shots and cooperative musical ambiance and it is so very refreshing after past failures.
The only truly definite wasted opportunities lie with time dedication (or lack thereof) to a couple supporting characters. Mads Mickelson and Forest Whitaker do the best they can with the screen time they are given. Although Forest Whitaker was most definitely under-utilized in this film, the same could be argued for Mads Mickelson as Jyn's father Galen Erso. Though he had a meaningful character arc, it was cut short in the time allotted for the film and it saddens me to think his role may have been more prominent in a lost version of this film. Both actors’ roles seem to be victims of the editing block especially considering some of the trailer footage featuring them never made it into the final cut among scenes with yet more supporting characters in action. The pacing of the narrative is weak at first but by the second and third acts it picks up speed and justifies the slow wind up any but avid Star Wars faithful would likely be bored of to some extent. Jyn is hinted to get time in jail for example but we never get to see why she ended up there or why she left Saw Gerrera's tutelage for such a foolhardy, rebellious (pun intended) lifestyle. We get a single scene of action showcasing Jyn's fighting skill and no hint at the kind of upbringing she had after the tense opening sequence. Cassian's arc has the same issue to a lesser degree while K-2S0 makes up for a nearly nonexistent background with his perfectly timed sarcastic wit and believable presence in the crew.
Although the positive aspects alone have better examples in other movies it's difficult not to commend this film for how fluidly it utilizes each creative choice together. Some definite faults in character development can be found by simply observing some of the attempted emotional impacts the film wallops. The emotions hit but left me wondering what three more minutes with a couple members of the crew could have done. An oil to the existing flame to be sure. But the flame remains so to speak. These faults are minor when looking at the movie as a whole and its strengths overshadow the minor setbacks. Regardless of any of the other films this Star Wars story gets much done on its own and heals old wounds in the franchise that many have inquired about through the years. So much so that "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" topples "The Empire Strikes Back" in every category besides character arcs (by a wookie hair) and takes its place as my favorite through brute force narrative impact and risk-taking that "The Force Awakens" seemed scared to take and thus, elevates it in the pecking order that much more.
My very first 9/10 for a blockbuster I can't recommend it enough, every moviegoer in search of spectacle should see this. They won't regret it.
