# Rogue One (spoilers)



## Gryphos (Dec 18, 2016)

There might as well be a spoiler thread for Rogue One, so here we go. I saw this yesterday, and went out of my way to see it again today. So it goes without saying that I really like this film. I thought it delivered exactly what it was meant to: a grounded, action-packed war movie set in the Star Wars universe.

Some standout things I enjoyed:

K2SO. Easily my favourite character. This droid had some damn funny lines, and he could also kick some major ass when he had to. I came close to tearing up when he died.

Chirrut and Baze. Chirrut, played by legendary badass Donnie Yen, was also fantastic. As to his abilities, I'm certain he's force-sensitive (either that or he's Daredevil), but clearly not trained in the Force like the Jedi. I loved that he had more joy and personality than your typical mystic monk character. And his relationship with Baze was great. Their combined death was a really poignant moment.

Orson Krennick. To me, Krennick is supposed to be the epitome of the ambitious bureaucrat desperate to rise above his station. Like other such figures, he's outmanoeuvred by a rival (Tarkin) and falls like Icarus, forgotten by history. The poeticism of his fate, being killed by his own weapon, hardly needs stating. The entire conflict between him and Tarkin reminded me in many ways of the bureaucracy of the Nazi state.

Darth Vader. He only had two scenes, but that's fine by me; the story isn't about him. In the first scene he knocked Krennick down a peg, as well as deliver a very amusing pun ("careful not to _choke_ on your aspirations, Director". In his second scene, he wrecked shop in pursuit of the Death Star data; that little section was like something out of a horror film.

The general fate of the main crew was really well done, I think. I admire the artistic integrity of the creators to have all the main characters die, and it was definitely the right decision. Jyn and Cassian's last moment on the beach, holding hands and embracing whilst the wave of destruction rushes towards them, was, again, really poignant. And Bohdi's sudden death highlighted how quickly tides can turn and people can meet their demise on the battlefield.

And, finally, basically the entire third act was a non-stop thrill ride. The ground battle and the space battle combined to form possibly the greatest spectacle in any Star Wars film. Darth Vader's rampage was the cherry on top.


The faults:

Nothing major, but I suppose there were some odd and pointless scenes. One example of that would be the tentacle mind-reader monster, especially since, for a creature that's supposed to drive people mad, Bodhi didn't seem too affected in the long run.

You could also say that some of the characters were underdeveloped. Bodhi, again, could have been explored more. And while most the major characters did have arcs (K2: being given a blaster, Jyn: embracing the rebellion, Cassian: coming to terms with his past sins and not killing Galen, Baze: being one with the Force again), I couldn't identify one in Bodhi or Chirrut. Chirrut, I suppose doesn't really need one, since it can be said his purpose is to support Baze's arc. And Bodhi is a difficult case. He does definitely have closure ("This is for you, Galen"), but there wasn't really any visible character arc. Although, saying that, you could say his arc is, similar to Jyn, becoming a rebel. K2 even says that line when Bodhi guns down those pursuing stormtroopers on Eadu: "you're a rebel now." So I dunno, but it definitely could have been done better, whatever the case.


Little things:

The CGI on Tarkin and Leia was quite something. Some people like to nitpick that it was noticeable and distracting, but me, I have no problem with it. First off, it was necessary. Why let Peter Cushing's death stop you from including a vital character to the film? And having young Leia at the end acts as the perfect lead-in to A New Hope, since that film must start only an hour or so after this ends. Plus, CGI has come a hell of a way, hasn't it? Now it's able to basically fully integrate a computer generated person into live action. If this technology keeps improving, think of the possibilities!

This is tiny, but what the hell happened to that admiral who led the attack on the space gate? I believe his was the rebel flagship that was disabled by Vader's destroyer, but we never see what happened to him, whether he escaped or not.

The destruction of the Death Star was awe-inspiring. I loved that one shot of the explosion from Jedha reaching into space as the camera pans up to show the Death Star.


Overall, damn good. I'm going to let it settle in my mind before I finalise my critical opinion, as it were, but I can easily say at present moment that this film is well worth the price of admission. Hell, the final battle in itself is worth the price of admission.


----------



## JediKnightMuse (Dec 18, 2016)

Gryphos said:


> There might as well be a spoiler thread for Rogue One, so here we go. I saw this yesterday, and went out of my way to see it again today. So it goes without saying that I really like this film. I thought it delivered exactly what it was meant to: a grounded, action-packed war movie set in the Star Wars universe.
> 
> Some standout things I enjoyed:
> 
> ...



K2SO and Chirrut are both _easily_ my favorite characters, although I did really like Jyn. I might be the tiniest bit biased with K2SO because YOU WOULD NEVER KNOW IT because they changed up his voice, but he was played by Alan Tudyk, who played Wash in _Firefly_ (and if you haven't seen _Firefly,_ you might know him as Wat in _A Knight's Tale_). But even without that, he really did have some of the best lines and I WAS SO SAD WHEN HE DIED. I'm super happy for Alan having landed that role. If I hadn't already known ahead of time that he'd been cast, I never would have guessed it was him. 

Chirrut is apparently not Force sensitive, so he's probably just really in tune with his senses (aka, he's Daredevil like you said, haha) and has some kind of martial arts training. I remember them mentioning that he's some kind of a mystic in the movie but now I can't remember...I think I vaguely recognized it from having constantly once been looking at Wookieepedia when I was running my Star Wars role play. It definitely sounded familiar to me when I heard them mention it in the movie and I can't remember. Either way, he was a total bad ass and he had some great lines. He and K2SO totally stole the show. 

I was super sad when Baze and Chirrut both died.  Heck, I was super sad when ALL THE CHARACTERS DIED (except for Krennick. He got what was coming to him), even Jyn's father. It's too bad Mads Mikkelsen won't be able to play any more characters since his died, 'cause I would love to see him in a different role in a Star Wars movie. Heck, he could POSSIBLY almost pull off Corran Horn from the EU. (I really, really, REALLY wish they'd do a spinoff movie about the Corellian Jedi/Horn's family, but it's doubtful they'll ever do it.) 

Vader's second scene was kind of weird to me. I think it's because I'm not used to seeing him fight so violently (even more violently than he did in Empire and Jedi!) while IN the suit BEFORE A New Hope, if that makes sense? I mean, it wasn't a bad weird, and it wasn't a bad scene, it was just...weird seeing it. I don't know how to explain it. 

I agree with the tentacle mind-reader. It, like, attempted to read his mind, and nothing really happened, and then the next we knew he was in a cell and kind of out of it but not...not out of it, and not insane like it was supposed to make him. I think that might be due to the fact that they apparently cut out a fair amount of scenes from the final version of the film, and I think that's why some of the scenes seemed odd and pointless. 

I would say that Bodhi's character arc is definitely similar to Jyn's, and was actually the opposite side, so Imperial VS...independent (I wouldn't say Jyn was really a rebel before she actually joined them)? Coming together and becoming rebels and straying from what they originally knew and were comfortable with, especially with Bodhi. 

I agree with you about the CGI for Tarkin and Leia. Leia's was a little off, I think, but not ridiculously off. Tarkin's CGI was pretty spot on. I wasn't really expecting to see CGI versions of him and especially Leia, so kudos to them for doing that. The only thing is that in A New Hope, Vader says that the transmissions containing the plans were intercepted by the rebels, but in Rogue One, the disc is handed off to one of the rebels and he's on the ship that Leia is on, so...I mean, I guess it was intercepted, but it wasn't a transmission. I need to see the movie again (I saw it Thursday night), 'cause I don't quite remember that part. 

You're right, they never showed what happened with the admiral, as far as I can remember.

Here's something else that I saw pointed out and I can agree with, I think: so, on the first planet that's destroyed, Jyn bumps into the Dr. and...Walrus Man, the guys who harass Luke in Mos Eisley and Obi-Wan comes to the rescue. Unless they were able to get to their ship REALLY, REALLY QUICK before the planet was destroyed, they probably should have been dead, which would screw with them being in the cantina a few days later.


----------



## MineOwnKing (Dec 18, 2016)

Took the family today. 

One good thing about -20 F/-28 C, it's far less crowded in the theater.

We enjoyed it.

Only gripe for us was the screen was very dark. It was difficult to see the actors faces. My eyes feel like sand from straining to see.


----------



## ThinkerX (Dec 18, 2016)

Saw it this afternoon.  Liked it a lot.

Did not see the ending coming, but in light of the other movies it makes sense.

Main gripe (same gripe I had with 'Suicide Squad' was the scenes that were in the trailers (What will you become?) and not in the movie.  Must be bureaucratic turf wars going on in the upper company levels.


----------



## Gryphos (Dec 20, 2016)

JediKnightMuse said:
			
		

> Chirrut is apparently not Force sensitive, so he's probably just really in tune with his senses (aka, he's Daredevil like you said, haha) and has some kind of martial arts training.



It's clear that he doesn't have _Force abilities_. I.e. he can't physically manipulate the Force in the same way a Jedi can when they use their abilities (force choke, force lightning, mind trick, etc.). But that doesn't mean he isn't connected to the Force. In fact, his entire last moment where he walks out into the open and all the stormtroopers' shots miss him is basically proof that he's Force sensitive.


----------



## DragonOfTheAerie (Dec 20, 2016)

Just saw it. 

And, well. My theory about Jyn being Rey's mom...obliterated. Literally. 

EVERYONE DIED! Everyone. Even K2SO had to die. I know all their deaths were well done, and necessary, but still, it kinda sucked. Second most depressing Star Wars movie (after III). I think my favorite character was Chirrut. He has to be Force sensitive, even if he can't "use" the Force. 

Loved Vader's rampage near the end; really intense, and seeing Leia. I didn't think we would see her face, but CGI has advanced far, I suppose.  

I loved the little blips like the overturned Jedi statue near the beginning of the movie. I also was pleased by the irony of guy-who-took-credit-for-the-Death-Star dying with the Death Star pointed at him.


----------



## SeverinR (Dec 23, 2016)

Gryphos said:


> It's clear that he doesn't have _Force abilities_. I.e. he can't physically manipulate the Force in the same way a Jedi can when they use their abilities (force choke, force lightning, mind trick, etc.). But that doesn't mean he isn't connected to the Force. In fact, his entire last moment where he walks out into the open and all the stormtroopers' shots miss him is basically proof that he's Force sensitive.


Also shooting the fighters without seeing them. I don't think he could locate and hit them by sound.  He is not Jedi material but he was in tune with the force.

The ending shows what Leia meant when she said so many died to give them the plans, giving the rebellion a chance to defeat the death star.

Death star first shot-death by earth, death star second shot death by fire.


----------



## Penpilot (Dec 26, 2016)

A short analysis of Rogue one by RedLetterMedia. Some interesting points. Some may not agree with them, but for me personally, I respect their opinions.


----------



## Garren Jacobsen (Dec 26, 2016)

I just realized that Leia at the beginning of a new hope is like a toddler that got caught. 

"I saw you steal that thing." 

"NIH uh." 

"I literally saw you take that thing and run away."

"Nope wasn't me." 

"Look, a picture of you stealing the thing." 

"Nope,not me." 

"Even your Cinnabon hair is the damn same." 

"That's a common hair style."

If that isn proof positive that Vader is leias parent I don't know what is.


----------



## DragonOfTheAerie (Dec 27, 2016)

Brian Scott Allen said:


> I just realized that Leia at the beginning of a new hope is like a toddler that got caught.
> 
> "I saw you steal that thing."
> 
> ...



Leia *sobbing*


----------



## Penpilot (Dec 27, 2016)

Brian Scott Allen said:


> I just realized that Leia at the beginning of a new hope is like a toddler that got caught.
> 
> "I saw you steal that thing."
> 
> ...



OMG, hahahah. Awesome catch. 

"Leia, where are the plans for the Death Star? Daddy needs them for work."

"You're stoopid and smell funny. I flushed them down the space toilet so the Rebels could have them."

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!"


----------

