Film Review: ‘Rogue One: A Star Wars Story’ is a Worthy Addition

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Average: 5 (1 vote)

CHICAGO – I guess from now on, it will never be the holidays without a Star Wars movie, and why not? Every year, we’ll have a celebration with the ardent fans and characters that are one in that universe, “a long time ago, in a galaxy far far away.” For 2016, “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.”

HollywoodChicago.com Oscarman rating: 4.0/5.0
Rating: 4.0/5.0

The film is “outside” the official story, rebooted last year with “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” but it lives and breathes in the oxygen of the developing legend, and is set before “A New Hope” (AKA the first 1977 “Stars Wars”). This is a great little fill-in story that throws red meat to the rabid fan base, with references to all the other films in weaponry, characters and storyline. Directed by Gareth Edwards (“Godzilla”), the plot is pretty serious – with the usual catchphrases and wacky robots – and the religiosity of the “force” is well on display. Hell, if Scientology is a “religion,” than why not the force? As in all Star Wars stories, the underdogs are good, the evil is Darth and never will there be a twain between that darkness and the light. But so what? “Rogue One” has it’s own power, style and passion, and is a more-than-worthy addition to the Star Wars canon.

Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones) is the daughter of an exiled scientist named Galen Erso(Mads Mikkelsen). The imperial power, AKA the Empire, is building a new weapon and needs the expertise of Daddy Erso. They kidnap him from his exile, killing his wife and leaving his daughter behind. An emissary of the opposing Rebel Alliance, Saw Gerrera (Forest Whittaker), retrieves Jyn and raises her to be a warrior.

Fifteen years later, she is thrust into the fight when the Alliance recruits her to find her father again, to figure out an element that could destroy the Empire’s new weapon. Through a series of events, she hooks up with pilots Cassian (Diego Luna) and Bodhi (Riz Ahmed), warriors Chirrut (Donnie Yen) and Baze (Jiang Wen), and a wacky robot named K-2SO (voice of Alan Tudyk), to find that elusive Imperial vulnerability.


”Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” opens everywhere in 3D, IMAX 3D and regular screenings on Friday, December 16th. See local listings for 3D/IMAX theaters and show times. Featuring Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Alan Tudyk, Forrest Whittaker, Mads Mikkelsen, Jimmy Smits and James Earl Jones. Screenplay by Chris Weitz and Tony Gilroy. Directed by Gareth Edwards. Rated “PG-13”

StarContinue reading for Patrick McDonald’s full review of “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story”

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Cassian (Diego Luna) and Jyn (Felicity Jones) Team Up in ‘Rogue One: A Star Wars Story’
Photo credit: Walt Disney Pictures

StarContinue reading for Patrick McDonald’s full review of “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story”

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