Countdown to "The Rise of Skywalker" - Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Hey guys. Chuck here. The Countdown to The Rise of Skywalker continues as we take a look at the other entry of the Anthology Films: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.
Released in December 2016, this entry of the Star Wars franchise is based on a story concept by John Knoll, a visual effects artist and the current Chief Creative Officer at Industrial Light & Magic. Knoll got the idea for the story of this movie from the opening crawl for A New Hope, which says that Rebel spies had stolen the secret plans for the Empire's new super weapon: the Death Star. This movie shows how the Rebels got those plans.
The movie focuses on a young woman named Jyn Erso, played by Felicity Jones, whose father was taken by the Empire, and her mother was killed when he was taken. We then cut to her years later as a prisoner being transferred to an Imperial Labor Camp. Meanwhile, we also meet Captain Cassian Andor, played by Diego Luna, who learns of an Imperial Cargo Pilot named Bodhi Rook, played by Riz Ahmed, who has defected to give a message to a Rebel extremist named Saw Gerrera, played by Forest Whitaker. Cassian and his droid K-2SO rescue Jyn and take her to the Rebel base on Yavin IV, where the Rebel leaders task her with locating her father Galen, played by Mads Mikkelsen, and bringing him in for questioning regarding the Death Star. Jyn, Cassian, and K-2SO head for Jedha, where Saw gives them the recorded message from Galen regarding the weakness he secretly placed into the Death Star's reactor.
Meanwhile, Imperial Director Orson Krennic, played by Ben Mendelsohn, is tasked by Grand Moff Tarkin with testing the Death Star's super laser on Jedha City, deciding that destroying the entire planet was not necessary (as Tarkin put it, "We need a statement, not a manifesto."). As the city is destroyed, Jyn, Cassian, K-2SO, Bodhi, and two members of the Guardians of the Whills: Chirrut Imwe and Baze Malbus, played by Donnie Yen and Jiang Wen, escape and head for the Imperial Base on Eadu, where Krennic goes as well. Krennic then questions the scientists who betrayed the Empire, and Galen confirms that he was the one. Soon after, Rebel X-Wings arrive and attack the base, killing Galen, who has a brief reunion with Jyn, who now wants to send the Rebel fleet to the Imperial Base at Scarif, where the Death Star plans are being held. The Rebel leaders, however, are unwilling to send the entire fleet, so Jyn, Cassian, Chirrut, Baze, Bodhi, K-2SO, and a small squadron of Rebel troops head there on a stolen Imperial shuttle, and using the call sign Rogue One, they take off to get the plans to the Death Star. After a meeting with Darth Vader, Krennic also goes to Scarif to make sure that Galen did NOT compromise the Death Star whatsoever.
While Jyn, Cassian, and K-2SO infiltrate the base and get the plans, the Rebels on the ground engage in battle against a battalion of Stormtroopers and a bunch of AT-AT's. Meanwhile, in space, the Rebel Fleet arrives in an effort to assist the Rebels on the ground. While a squadron of X-Wings and U-Wings fight against the AT-AT's and Stormtroopers, the Rebel Fleet is working to disable the planetary defense shield so that Jyn and Cassian can transmit the plans to the fleet. While there are casualties during the battle, the Rebel successfully get the plans for the Death Star, which are downloaded onto a smaller data card, which is taken aboard the Blockade Runner Tantive IV, and makes its escape, but not after several Rebel soldiers are cut down by Darth Vader's lightsaber. The movie ends with Tantive IV jumping to lightspeed en route to Tattooine, and the opening sequence of A New Hope.
Story wise, Rogue One is very engaging, and it works to answer two very important questions that Star Wars fans have had for years: How did the Rebels get the Death Star plans in the first place, and why did the Empire not know of the Death Star's one fatal design flaw? The idea that the scientist responsible for building the damn thing would covertly place that design flaw into the Death Star as his ultimate revenge against the Empire was a stroke of genius. While seeing Tarkin once again felt a bit off, as the CGI re-creation of the late Peter Cushing was almost too real, but still lost in the uncanny valley, I was glad to see that another Imperial officer was responsible for overseeing the construction of the Death Star. Ben Mendelsohn was terrific as Krennic, and would later go on to play another great villain as Nolan Sorrento in Steven Spielberg's Ready Player One, as well as Skrull leader Talos in Captain Marvel.
Released in December 2016, this entry of the Star Wars franchise is based on a story concept by John Knoll, a visual effects artist and the current Chief Creative Officer at Industrial Light & Magic. Knoll got the idea for the story of this movie from the opening crawl for A New Hope, which says that Rebel spies had stolen the secret plans for the Empire's new super weapon: the Death Star. This movie shows how the Rebels got those plans.
The movie focuses on a young woman named Jyn Erso, played by Felicity Jones, whose father was taken by the Empire, and her mother was killed when he was taken. We then cut to her years later as a prisoner being transferred to an Imperial Labor Camp. Meanwhile, we also meet Captain Cassian Andor, played by Diego Luna, who learns of an Imperial Cargo Pilot named Bodhi Rook, played by Riz Ahmed, who has defected to give a message to a Rebel extremist named Saw Gerrera, played by Forest Whitaker. Cassian and his droid K-2SO rescue Jyn and take her to the Rebel base on Yavin IV, where the Rebel leaders task her with locating her father Galen, played by Mads Mikkelsen, and bringing him in for questioning regarding the Death Star. Jyn, Cassian, and K-2SO head for Jedha, where Saw gives them the recorded message from Galen regarding the weakness he secretly placed into the Death Star's reactor.
Meanwhile, Imperial Director Orson Krennic, played by Ben Mendelsohn, is tasked by Grand Moff Tarkin with testing the Death Star's super laser on Jedha City, deciding that destroying the entire planet was not necessary (as Tarkin put it, "We need a statement, not a manifesto."). As the city is destroyed, Jyn, Cassian, K-2SO, Bodhi, and two members of the Guardians of the Whills: Chirrut Imwe and Baze Malbus, played by Donnie Yen and Jiang Wen, escape and head for the Imperial Base on Eadu, where Krennic goes as well. Krennic then questions the scientists who betrayed the Empire, and Galen confirms that he was the one. Soon after, Rebel X-Wings arrive and attack the base, killing Galen, who has a brief reunion with Jyn, who now wants to send the Rebel fleet to the Imperial Base at Scarif, where the Death Star plans are being held. The Rebel leaders, however, are unwilling to send the entire fleet, so Jyn, Cassian, Chirrut, Baze, Bodhi, K-2SO, and a small squadron of Rebel troops head there on a stolen Imperial shuttle, and using the call sign Rogue One, they take off to get the plans to the Death Star. After a meeting with Darth Vader, Krennic also goes to Scarif to make sure that Galen did NOT compromise the Death Star whatsoever.
While Jyn, Cassian, and K-2SO infiltrate the base and get the plans, the Rebels on the ground engage in battle against a battalion of Stormtroopers and a bunch of AT-AT's. Meanwhile, in space, the Rebel Fleet arrives in an effort to assist the Rebels on the ground. While a squadron of X-Wings and U-Wings fight against the AT-AT's and Stormtroopers, the Rebel Fleet is working to disable the planetary defense shield so that Jyn and Cassian can transmit the plans to the fleet. While there are casualties during the battle, the Rebel successfully get the plans for the Death Star, which are downloaded onto a smaller data card, which is taken aboard the Blockade Runner Tantive IV, and makes its escape, but not after several Rebel soldiers are cut down by Darth Vader's lightsaber. The movie ends with Tantive IV jumping to lightspeed en route to Tattooine, and the opening sequence of A New Hope.
Story wise, Rogue One is very engaging, and it works to answer two very important questions that Star Wars fans have had for years: How did the Rebels get the Death Star plans in the first place, and why did the Empire not know of the Death Star's one fatal design flaw? The idea that the scientist responsible for building the damn thing would covertly place that design flaw into the Death Star as his ultimate revenge against the Empire was a stroke of genius. While seeing Tarkin once again felt a bit off, as the CGI re-creation of the late Peter Cushing was almost too real, but still lost in the uncanny valley, I was glad to see that another Imperial officer was responsible for overseeing the construction of the Death Star. Ben Mendelsohn was terrific as Krennic, and would later go on to play another great villain as Nolan Sorrento in Steven Spielberg's Ready Player One, as well as Skrull leader Talos in Captain Marvel.
Felicity Jones was great as Jyn Erso, who is easily my favorite Star Wars character of the Disney era. In my opinion, Jyn is very realistic, and you really feel like you understand her issues and motivations. The rest of the main cast are great as well, especially Donnie Yen as Chirrut Imwe, a blind monk who believes in the power of the Force, although he himself is not Force Sensitive. Plus, the scene where he takes down a bunch of Stormtroopers with his bo staff aws really cool. I also liked seeing the space battle at the end of the movie where we see both Gold Leader and Red Leader leading the charge to destroy the shield gate that keeps the Rebels from being able to get the plans for the Death Star to the fleet. I also liked seeing the Hammerhead Corvette in this movie. As someone who is a fan of the Knights of the Old Republic games (which aren't canon, I know, but still, those games are awesome), I liked seeing a Hammerhead-class starship on the big screen for the first time. But the big highlight for me, as well as many other fans, was the Darth Vader hallway scene. Seeing Vader just cut through a bunch of Rebel soldiers like they were nothing was just awesome, and it was jaw-dropping seeing just how badass Darth Vader really was.
Overall, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is a great movie, and definitely one to watch for any Star Wars fan. I do recommend watching A New Hope immediately after watching this movie. I give Rogue One a rating of 4.75/5. This is Chuck signing off. See you guys next time when we get to the Original Trilogy with A New Hope when the Countdown to The Rise of Skywalker continues.
Overall, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is a great movie, and definitely one to watch for any Star Wars fan. I do recommend watching A New Hope immediately after watching this movie. I give Rogue One a rating of 4.75/5. This is Chuck signing off. See you guys next time when we get to the Original Trilogy with A New Hope when the Countdown to The Rise of Skywalker continues.
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