This Stand-Alone Film Has Heartbreak, Humor, Hope

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, a ragtag group of Rebel fighters set out to retrieve the plans for the Empire’s Death Star, a massive space station that can destroy planets.

That’s the basic plot for “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,” which is the first stand-alone film in the Star Wars franchise. It’s set directly before the events of 1977’s “Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope,” and it actually succeeds in improving that classic movie by raising the stakes of the conflict between the two warring factions. Now when I watch Luke Skywalker blow up the Death Star by firing a couple proton torpedoes into a tiny exhaust port, I can appreciate the great lengths that Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones) and her team went through to make that attack plan possible.

Thanks to a wonderful cast of characters, the film is hopeful, heartbreaking and humorous. Much-needed comedic relief cuts through the darkness with the quick quips of scene-stealing K-2SO, a droid voiced by Alan Tudyk of “Firefly” fame. Chirrut Îmwe (Donnie Yen), a blind warrior who believes that the Force is with him, also provides some of the bigger laughs in the film — as well as some impressive fight scenes.

“Rogue One” emphasizes the “war” in “Star Wars.” It’s darker and grittier than its predecessors, and intense ground and space battles during the third act left me on the edge of my seat. It’s a new direction for the franchise, and it works.

The film demonstrates that this war is more complicated than simply being about the Rebel Alliance vs. the Galactic Empire. Erso initially wants nothing to do with the fight, and her father has ties to the Empire. Cassian Andor (Diego Luna), a Rebel officer, is conflicted with some of the violent orders he is asked to carry out. Saw Gerrera (Forest Whitaker) is a Rebel extremist, to the point that the Alliance is concerned about him. And Imperial pilot Bodhi Rook (Riz Ahmed) defects to the Rebellion, essentially starting this whole mission.

While “Star Wars” fans (myself included) are sure to love “Rogue One” and cheer at all of the “New Hope” tie-ins and Easter eggs, there are a few minor issues with the film. The first act jumps abruptly from planet to planet to introduce the characters, but that problem is quickly resolved once their mission truly begins. Gerrera falls a little flat, but he appears in the “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” television series if you’d like to learn more about his backstory. And Lucasfilm made the decision not to have an opening crawl in this stand-alone film, but including those iconic yellow letters could have given casual moviegoers an indication of where “Rogue One” takes place in the ever-growing franchise.

Those minimal issues aside, “Rogue One” is an exciting film that is a wonderful addition to the Star Wars universe, and it made me want to watch “A New Hope” right after I left the theater. 

I’m already counting down until “Episode VIII” is released on Dec. 15, 2017, and the stand-alone Han Solo movie comes out in 2018.

“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” is rated PG-13 for extended sequences of sci-fi violence and action.