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Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
Directed by Gareth Edwards
Based on characters created by George Lucas
Screenplay by Chris Weitz, Tony Gilroy, John Knoll, Gary Whitta
Starring: Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Alan Tudyk, Donnie Yen, Forest Whitaker, Ben Mendelsohn
To combat the Empire’s powerful new weapon, the Rebel Alliance sends a team to steal the weapon’s plans. The team is led by Cassian Andor (Luna) and Jyn Erso (Jones), and includes a unique group of fighters committed to doing whatever it takes.
This film is the 8th movie in the Star Wars universe. (But this should not be confused with Episode 8.) This film is based on the characters that George Lucas originally popularized with his 1977 film Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope. The screenplay was written by Chris Weitz (About a Boy), Tony Gilroy (The Bourne Legacy), John Knoll, and Gary Whitta (The Book of Eli). The film was directed by Gareth Edwards (Godzilla).
The cast for this film includes Felicity Jones (The Theory of Everything), Diego Luna (Open Range), and Forest Whitaker (Platoon). Alan Tudyk (Zootopia), Donnie Yen (Ip Man), and Ben Mendelsohn (Starred Up) are just a few of the other big names in this movie.
This movie has a good story that tackles some of the obvious challenges with ease. The film takes place prior to the 1977 film, and failing to connect with that world would’ve been a serious issue. Luckily the writers did a nice job making the connection happen. The trick with the connections, were to make sure that the film could still stand on its own. While there is a lot to be had for fans of the series, this one does stand up nicely. The film also features some moments of comedy that help to lighten up an otherwise intense story. There is also a lot of nice work done in strengthening the relationships between the characters. The only weakness in this film comes from some aspects of the story that were left a bit too vague. Overall, this is a solid screenplay that delivers on the magic of the Star Wars world, while remaining independent in all the right ways.
The acting in this one does some great things with the script. Diego Luna does a great job sharing the lead with Felicity Jones. His performance is strong and fitting of a lead role in a heist film. He also handles the action in the movie nicely. Jones also does a great job with an emotionally and physically demanding role. Alan Tudyk, Donnie Yen, Forest Whitaker, and Ben Mendelsohn all add their own nice touches to this one. There isn’t much to complain about from the solid work delivered by the entire cast in this one.
This one looks great. Like Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens; this one feels right for the series from a visual standpoint. The locations, sets and the CGI all come together to bring the audience back into familiar places. The cinematography made sure to make the most of the action sequences, which include small combat sequences and giant battles in space. Much of this credit can go to cinematographer Greig Fraser (Foxcatcher). The film also has an excellent score, written by composer Michael Giacchino (Jurassic World). The sound work, costuming, and all the other aspects of the movie all do nice work in putting this film together.
Fans of the Star Wars films should make sure to check this one out. I would also suggest this one to fans of science-fiction films and action films. The stars bring a lot to the table, and the story is nicely written. I give this one 4 out of 5 stars.
Did You See That One? 
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