Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
Director: Gareth Edwards
Stars: Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Alan Tudyk
Duration: 133 mins
Class: PG
KRS Releasing Ltd

The Star Wars saga was awakened with great force last December as The Force Awakens powered its way to over €2 billion in takings, critical acclaim, and a seismic sigh of relief felt across the globe as millions of fans saw that it was a rather fantastic movie.

Director J.J. Abrams effortlessly brought the franchise back to its roots, recreating the exuberant story-telling of the adventure-filled original trilogy and wholly steering clear of the po-faced complications of the three prequels that followed.

The pressure certainly was on Abrams; and given the humungous success he delivered, said pressure no doubt fell with a bang on Gareth Edwards’ shoulder, the director behind this latest instalment in the saga – Rogue One, the first in a new series of Star Wars standalone stories set to be rolled out over the next few years.

I am reluctant to say much about the plot apart from the basic outline (not to mention who appears and who doesn’t…). Felicity Jones stars as Jyn Erso, a young woman who is enlisted by the Rebel Alliance to join them in their battle against the Galactic Empire.  Key to the battle is a mission to steal the plans to the Death Star, the Empire’s ultimate weapon of destruction. Much action ensues…

I will not go into where Rogue One’s storyline fits in the universe as we know it; nor shall I share a niggling nit-pick about the use of the word ‘standalone’ (fear not, those three of you who have never seen a Star Wars movie will still understand what is going on…) but suffice it to say that Edwards has intrepidly taken up the gauntlet thrown down by Abrams and confidently steers this (space) ship on its latest leg of the journey across the Empire.

It feels exactly like what the prequels should have been

Moreover, the screenplay by Chris Weitz and Tony Gilroy – from a story by John Knoll and Gary Whitt –  blends the new with the familiar, spinning off the story from the original saga with dexterous twists and turns to craft another action-packed, character-driven crowd-pleaser. It feels exactly like what the prequels should have been.

For the most part the characters are well-drawn, complex and possess the old-fashioned heroism, sense of righteousness and duty, and adventure-seeking traits - or deliciously evil ambition, depending on what side of the force they fall, of course – of their forebears.

As with Awakens, the cast face a not inconsiderable challenge in bringing to life some new faces in the classic universe; yet thanks to the script’s strong narrative and effective characterisation, it takes few minutes for the characters to make their mark.

In Jones, the saga has found yet another petite British actress to join the universe and kick intergalactic butt with aplomb. She is utterly compelling as Erso – tough, no-nonsense, determined and feisty with the right amount of emotion thrown in. She comes to lead a motley crew of rebel fighters including Diego Luna, striking as the ruthless, suspicious Cassian Andor, a Rebel Alliance Intelligence officer.

Able support – and international flavour – is given by Ben Mendelsohn, as Orson Krennic, the haughty director of the Death Star project for the Empire; Riz Ahmed as pilot Bodhi Rook, Donnie Yen as warrior Chirrut Imwe, and Baze Malbus, as freelance assassin who come to Erso’s aid.

Alan Tudyk’s K-2SO, is a droll and worthy addition to the assembly of droids we have come to love; while Forest Whittaker channels Morgan Freeman in his role as warrior Saw Gerrera.

The battles come thick and fast; with Edwards and his team not shirking on the action as the rebels come face to face with the mighty wrath of the magnificent yet imposingly lethal Death Star and of course the Republic’s destroyers and fighters, as the rebels take their fight into space, while much of the action takes place on the ground, Stormtroopers battling it out with our guys in fast and furious exchanges of fire as they make their final assault on their quarry, the fight reminiscent of the grimness and grittiness of a war movie.

Like Abrams before him, Edwards unashamedly wraps the action with the warm glow of nostalgia aided and abetted by some absolutely delicious moments bringing to mind the original trilogy… courtesy of some superb us of CG which is remarkable in its subtlety.

That Michael Giacchino has composed a score that is respectively evocative of John Williams’ seminal score helps tremendously. Rogue One will stand proudly alongside its predecessors; cementing the saga’s return to its former glory.