Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Director: Gareth Edwards

    Cast: Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Donnie Yen, Forest Whittaker, Mads Mikkelsen,

 Alan Tudyk (voice)

       When Disney bought out the Star Wars franchise in 2012, it set out to not only 

  make more movies but spinoffs as well. Rogue One is set just before A New Hope.

       Felicity Jones plays Jyn-Erso, a young woman who learns her father worked 

 for the Imperials and helped building a moon sized weapon called the Death Star.

 She and a few handpicked soldiers from the Rebel Alliance guide the effort to 

 destroy what her father had created. A reprogrammed droid, K2-S0 (Tudyk) joins

 them and provides comic relief during the intense battle scenes.

        

      While the movie is quite long, clocking in around 2h/15m, it doesn't shy away 

 from the grittiness that is war. While I enjoyed most of the movie, I couldn't help

 but think that this was nothing more than a big budget fan film. Director Gareth

 Edwards took the beloved Star Wars franchise and made it completely dark. 

  

       Despite the PG 13 rating, this movie is definitely not for small children who

 are easily scared. Not that it's gory but is just grim and serious in tone. It's not 

 a story worth telling. 

Grade: C (6/10)