One man’s freedom fighter is another man’s terrorist. That idea is explored in Rogue One in a way not previously seen in Star Wars, with the rebellion from the original trilogy sidelined in favour of hard-line extremists and borderline mercenaries in the form of Forest Whitaker’s Saw Gerrera – a scarred rebel leader fighting an unofficial guerrilla war – and the titular group led by Felicity Jones respectively. Imagine everyone is like Han Solo, but more of a complete bastard.
Hardened ragamuffin Jyn Erso (Jones) is recruited by the rebellion to steal the plans to the Death Star, designed by her father Galen who was taken away by the empire, leaving her to be raised by Gerrera. Mads Mikkelsen is on fine form as Galen, mildly playing against type as a sympathetic character rather than a murderous lunatic. This rejection dynamic helps to flesh out Jyn’s motivation and allows Jones to stretch her acting muscles somewhat in scenes where she deals with her father issues, immediately elevating her performance above a wooden British brunette who fends for herself. Like Daisy Ridley.
Unfortunately, other characters aren’t as well defined because of the lack of screen time available to the cramped cast list. Donnie Yen shines as blind semi-Jedi Chirrut Imwe, bringing his Wing Chun A-Game as he deftly trounces stormtroopers in one of the highlight action sequences. His partner Baze Malbus (Jiang Wen) has a brief and unrealised character arc about rediscovering his faith in the force. The remainder of the group is made up of ammoral yet devoted rebel Cassian Andor (the smoldering Diego Luna), reprogrammed sardonic empire droid K2SO (voiced by Alan Tudyuk bringing the correct dosage of comedy to an otherwise morose film) and empire defector Bohdi Rook (Riz Ahmed). Not one actor can be faulted. In fact, they deserve to be applauded for helping to craft such endearing characters who will stand tall next to more established fan favourites from previous entries despite a much shorter time frame.
Praise goes to screenwriters Chris Weitz and Tony Gilroy as well for slotting Rogue One perfectly into Star Wars cannon, filling in the gaps immediately before A New Hope whilst delivering satisfying cameos and nods to the wider franchise. The most divisive of which will be the overuse of an initially impressive (if dubious) Peter Cushing returning to the role of Grand Moff Tarkin…22 years after his death. On the flip side of this is Darth Vader, in all his post-Hayden Christensen glory; few could argue it isn’t orgasmic to see one of cinema’s greatest villains tear-arsing around, emulating menace equivalent to that of Voldermort working for HM revenues and customs.
Speaking of villains: Director Orson Krennic, the next in a line of officious imperial officers. Unlike the original trilogy where they were generally secondary antagonists to the looming presence of Vader and the emperor (Tarkin excluded of course), Ben Mendelsohn’s Krennic is centre stage as the man tasked with completing the Death Star. Even though the lack of the spine-tingling line about “THE POWER” they are dealing with is missing from the finished product – extensive re shoots leave the trailers almost irrelevant, but thankfully don’t ruin the film like so many before it – Krennic fits the bill, even if his spotlight is borrowed by scene-stealing Vader.
Although the first act drags under the weight of character introductions and exposition, Gareth Edwards kicks it into life with the most visually stunning action set pieces Star Wars has seen yet; Edwards channels the grit and frantic violence Saving Private Ryan as much as George Lucas’ films. The AT-ATs emerge from mist in as frightening a manner as his last film (Godzilla), solidifying the fact that the director can handle scale perfectly and encapsulating the visual beauty of the prequel. While A New Hope takes a lot from jaunty Japanese adventure The Hidden Fortress, Rogue One goes for a different Kurosawa flick with the darker Seven Samurai. It even has shades of the Samurai formula of assembling a group of renegades one by one to fight an evil group.
Rogue One is not classic Star Wars in the best possible way. It is moving. It exposes the grim underbelly of the beloved universe. It is fresh. How better to tide fans over until Episode VIII?
FIVE STARS BITCHES. – Luke
