Technical assessment: 3.5
Moral assessment: 4
CINEMA rating: VA
MTRCB rating: GP
Rogue One happens in between Revenge of the Sith (Episode 3) and A New Hope (Episode 4) wherein the Jedis have been wiped out and the Emperor through Darth Vader controls the galaxy. Galen Erso, (Mikkelsen) a research scientist is kidnapped by Orson Krennic (Mendelsohn) to have him complete the Death Star. Galen’s young daughter, Jyn survives the attack of the Imperial army and is taken to safety by the family friend and rebel leader Gerrera (Whitaker). After 15 years, Jyn (Jones) is in Imperial Captivity for being a rebel. Meanwhile Galen influences an Imperial pilot—Rook—to defect and transmit a message to Gererra informing him that he has placed a vulnerability within the Death Star and urges them to retrieve the schematics and free the galaxy from Imperial Control. Jyn and other rebels group together and face several battles in order to steal the schematics. The ending of this film directly connects to Star Wars A New Hope wherein Princess Leia holds the schematics and prepares to attack the empire.
Rogue One provides texture and depth in the Star Wars universe without contradicting the narrative and characters already set by the original storyline. It works both as a standalone film and a part of the epic. For non-Star Wars fans, the movie has a lot of characters and terms to keep track of and at times feels thin and underdeveloped. And because the film picks up one element to work on, it leaps from battle to battle from one planet to another. But as previously mentioned, the movie works because of the dynamic action sequences and impressive CGIs. The visual artistry of the film stays faithful to the franchise but adds contemporary flavor that blends seamlessly.
The main deviation of the film is the theme. Whereas most oppression-related movies rely on the “chosen one” or characters destined to deliver freedom. Rogue One brings ordinary people doing extra ordinary works. The absence of the JEDI powers is significant because the rebels rely on their own resourcefulness and commitment to save mankind against the tyrannical ruling of the Emperor and Darth Vader. Rebellion as theme is developed as hope—that which allows us to see the greatness ahead. But this hope is not one that falls from the skies and into the hands of a lucky person who had to do nothing except exist. Hope is the inspiration but sacrifice is the key. CINEMA believes that the bravest heroes are those whose names are almost forgotten because they fought without the need for recognition or acknowledgement. While Rogue One is not necessarily violent, it is recommended that the parents guide their very young children when watching.
