Star Wars. So much to say but such restricted word count to say it all. Undoubtedly the biggest film franchise in history, but perhaps at the same time, the most overrated. With the start of the original trilogy in 1977, the now much-hated prequel trilogy in 1999, and last year’s continuation The Force Awakens, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is the official eighth film in the saga, though it’s not an episodic entry and is intended to serve as more of an “in between-quel.”
Set between Episode 3 and Episode 4, rebel-with-a-cause Jyn Erso must lead a newly-assembled squadron to retrieve the architectural plans for the Galactic Empire’s superweapon so that the Rebel Alliance can – and as we know they do – destroy the infamous Death Star. But Jyn must also find her father, engineer Galen Erso (Mads Mikkelsen), who was taken from her as a child by the Empire to help them build the planet-destroyer with which they intend to rule the galaxy. These events will, of course, set in motion the original and classic trilogy.
As a child, Star Wars was, for me, right there with the other nostalgic classics like the Ninja Turtles, Ghostbusters, Thundercats, Indiana Jones, Back to the Future and so on. And while there are many fanboys (and girls) out there whose light sabres might get in a twist at the mere comparison with such “inferior” franchises, after seeing the latest flick – or perhaps the latest two, or maybe even five – it’s left me wondering whether the whole thing has been blown out of proportion and the franchise simply turned into something it never really was.
For the most part, Rogue One is action-packed with its opening act promising grit to come as well as a darker side to cinema's favourite universe. The look and feel is also accentuated by some beautifully-bleak and intimate cinematography, but any hope for a fresh perspective is quickly squandered when the film decides to play it safe by using the same old music, the same old aerial battles and the same old villains and sub-villains (it must also be said that the Storm Troopers are now so bad it’s become an unfunny joke) as well as a plethora of unnecessary, shoehorned cameos in an evidently-desperate attempt to validate it as an episodic entry, contrary to its marketing and, of course, its controversially-absent opening scrawl.
Despite what the film’s marketing and the gritty, atmospheric trailers might have suggested – or promised – Rogue One makes no real effort to separate itself and stand independent of the other seven movies, something the recent Harry Potter spin-off-prequel Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them did so well. But the real problem here isn’t all the above – it’s the lack of heart and charm and, amongst its character population, any charisma. Felicity Jones’ rebel Jyn Erso is criminally-underused, as is Ben Mendelsohn’s Director Orson Krennic, while the film leans too much on its signature-droid K-2SO (Alan Tudyk), who isn't a patch on last year's adora-ball BB-8. Donnie Yen brings some likeability to the fold as Chirrut Imwe, but at times it’s deeply unsettling to watch how excited he becomes at the mere mention of The Force.
Don’t fett though – it’s not all bad: The wide-eyed Jyn Erso is undeniably-adorable; the phantom that is Darth Vadar is made menacing once again after that truly unforgivable scene in Episode 3; and (though unintentional), both the digitally-resurrected Grand Moff Tarkin and the digitally-de-aged Princess Leia’s CGI faces are, quite unbelievably, laughably-bad, and more so in a franchise where you'd expect the universe is the limit when it comes to budget.
Sadly, The Force isn’t strong here, nor does the film ever truly commit to going the distance and being the rebel-movie of the saga that we were promised; failing to set itself apart from the usual formula or conveying any atmosphere that isn’t as flat and drab as Edward’s previous monster reboot Godzilla. So I live in waiting that there will come a day when, for me, Star Wars strikes back, but five films beyond the original trilogy later, I won’t hold out any new hope.
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