Rogue One Reviews (With Spoilers)

I got a chance to see Rogue One for the first time today. Here are my initial impressions.

1. The visual parts of the film are amazing. I love the images of Death Star looming over the horizon of Scarif, destroyer over Jedha city, the landscapes of Jedha and Eadu, Vader's castle, the space battle above Scarif, etc.

2. Unlike other action/adventure movies, Rogue One does have a somewhat coherent plot, so that most scenes do logically lead to the next scenes (except for the Vader castle scene - it's cool to see Vader, but I don't think that scene was needed at all for the story). The actions are exciting for the most part.

3. Krennic is not impressive as a villain. He is not memorable and having Vader in the same movie diminishes him.

4. IMO, the character arcs of Jyn and Cassian stopped too early in the second act of the movie. Their arcs should have continued and ended as part of the third act climax.

5. To me, CGI Tarkin seemed okay, but CGI Leia was bad.

My current ranking of SW movies:
1. The Empire Strikes Back
2. A New Hope
3. Return of the Jedi
4. Rogue One
5. The Force Awakens
6. Revenge of the Sith
7. The Phantom Menace
8. Attack of the Clones

 

OMG just saw this online. I was tempted to posted on the meme thread but it's about that last hug:

 

Somewhere George Lucas mumbles and weeps

 

Lol I can imagine.

Yeah that moment - even if the words are not the same - was quite emotional:

 

I didn't even view it as "romantic" necessarily but rather two people going through hell and facing the end together. Sort of like Baze and Chirrut. If people want to "ship" it by all means lol.
But that really just speaks volumes to what is probably THE biggest problem in the prequels

 

It's all in the way they act with their body language .

 

Again, to me, it isn't so much romantic as the moment.
Maybe it is meant to be, I just didn't see it as inherently romantic

 

I saw it as them accepting what's happening and just needing some sort of emotional "warmth" before the worst happens.

 

Agreed, which I don't take as inherently romantic as nothing before that suggested such.
To me, it was just not wanting to be alone at the end.

 

For me, i wouldnt care if youre s stranger, a girl, guy, or whoever but feeling someone's heartbeat in something so stressful would do wonders.

 

"On the Beach" (Gregory Peck) moment. It got me too

 

A good bro hug in the waning moments of life would be pleasant haha

 

Yeah it was a emotional scene, I saw people next to me wiping back tears when that happened.

 

Very critical review of RO.

I don't agree with all their criticisms of RO, but I do agree with a fair amount of it.

 

Ohhhhhhh they didn't get invited for the big event........so sad and now they're angry.

 

The major problem with R1 is that, besides adding little to the overall SW universe history, the acting, at least to me, was very underwhelming. I was unable to make an emotional connection with any of the major characters in the way I immediately connected for example with Finn, Rey or Poe in Episode VII. One of the reasons may be that R1 focuses on action, visuals and easter eggs, while neglecting dialogue and character development.

 

100% agree. The character development in RO is horrendous. For example you need to read catalyst to get any PROPER background on Galen/Lyra/Jyn and that shouldn't happen in a movie.

When I see Daisy, i think Rey, i remember all her development and how Daisy made that role hers. When I see felicity jones....I see felicity jones. When I see mads, i remember Galen from the book, not the movie. etc etc

 

One of best ways for me to determine how good a movie is reviewability. If I need to see it multiple times and can sit through it, it's pretty much a good movie. Now Star Wars movies are tough because of being a fan I almost always see them more than once. With R1 once I get a clip of the Vader in the hallway scene I don't really have a strong desire to see it again.

 

I really liked the movie, a lot, but I can't help but think how much more people would have liked it had it start out with the John Williams' score, had the opening crawl and set the tone for the entire movie, a strong Imperial march theme during the Empire scenes, and 10 minutes more to fully develop a few main characters.

But I'm also the guy who has said that if Force Awakens would have had Luke show up in the snow to save Rey after Kylo bested her in a lightsaber duel, just by showing up, blocking a deathblow with his green lightsaber, and then getting her away back to Leia, then that movie would have made a billion more dollars.

 

That is why you should never read a pre-movie intro book. Each main character shows emotional development throughout the movie. Quite frankly the only one who doesn't is Chirrut and Galen really isn't too important a character, his real importance pertains Jyn's emotional development.

--- Double Post Merged, Dec 20, 2016, Original Post Date: Dec 20, 2016 ---

With all that talk of characterization and all the familiar but hardly original critiques, let's bring up this post again!