While I agree that the characters were interesting, I felt like they weren't as developed as some of their counterparts in TFA. While I get that Rogue One is a standalone, how hard would it have been to show a 3 or 4 minute encounter between Galen Erso and Bodhi? His last words are "This is for you, Galen" It would have given Mads Mikkelsen some more well-deserved screen time, and would have gone a long way to developing Bodhi's motives further. If I were a betting man, (I'd be broke) but I'd wager that scene would up on the cutting room floor (or would have, if they did that sort of thing manually anymore)
Those of you who know me know I'm a HUGE fan of basically everything Star Wars. The biggest thing that stuck with that part of my personality was the REMARKABLY stupid R2/C3P0 cameo... They're not telling you at the outset "This is just prior to A New Hope", though Plastic Carrie Fischer's line at the end certainly puts forth that idea. So, walk me through this: The Tantive IV departs the (awesome, by the way) Mon Cal flagship and flies away with the Devastator in hot pursuit... They're running for their lives, and she's just been given the data card with the transmission from Scarif. They'll be chased down by the Devastator and captured, and Leia will entrust R2 with bringing the data to Obi-Wan, setting the original trilogy in motion... except, R2 and 3P0 are on Yavin. They established this while the Rogues were leaving for Scarif. I get that they feel like they can't have a Star Wars movie without the two droids... but how is Leia supposed to get the data to R2? The entire interrogation sequence in ANH demonstrates clearly that the Empire doesn't know about the base on Yavin. So, the Tantive is going to fly there WHILE THE DEVASTATOR IS CHASING THEM to pick up the droids? It just was really jarring to me. I'll have to watch again... maybe they were shown while fighters were departing for Eadu, and we're just supposed to assume that they traveled with the fleet when they attacked Scarif... but why show them there at all? R2 is arguably the most important character in the entire nonology... why leave this hanging there?
Things I liked:
I agree with the non-kiss. Loved that.
Alan Tudyk
Donnie Yen
Ben Mendelsohn's Orson Krennic.
Vader's retreat being on Mustafar.
The land battle. Very well done.
Ship designs... the TIE speeder variant and the Mon Cal Flagship were particular standouts for me.
Things I didnt like:
I would have liked to see more of Saw Gererra. When you cast an actor of Forest Whitaker's talent in a part like that, I want more than we got. Even a part on the level of Maz Kanata from TFA would have been better.
More background on Jyn's intervening years would have been great. Show us, even through inference, where she's been.
The somewhat ham-handed use of kyber crystals... but I've bitched enough already.
TL:DR: Good, not great. A solid outing. Mid-pack on my list currently.Statistics: Posted by Bluedevyl — Mon Dec 26, 2016 2:15 pm
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