Rogue One

So I finally saw the newest Star Wars movie, and I must say I really liked it.

While people might think I don't like Star Wars, that isn't actually true.  I`m just not fond of the SW Lego sets, butI like the movies.  I just can't really get the "diviness" that the fandom reaches.

Which is why I like Rogue One so much, it isn't relying on the Force to solve all.  It's more like a "Dirty Dozen in Space" action movie.

Jyn Erso is the daughter of Galen Erso, chief scientist and responsible for making the Death Star.  He does this reluctantly, and when Director Crennick comes to get him out of retirement and force him to complete his work, Jyn is hidden away and escapes.
Sixteen years later, a Resistance group led by Cassian Andor frees her from a labour camp, and together with the droid K-2SO and two former Guardians of the Whill, Chirrut and Baze, and a defected Imperial pilot, they set out to steal the plans for the Death Star.
But not before they see the mighty weapon in action on the planet Jeddah (and actually robbing Alderaan of the stations first demonstration... so by the time A New Hope comes into the storyline, they already knew what this thing could do).

On Scarrif, they are launching a strike together with the rest of the Resistance, and manage to obtain the plans at a great cost, the ultimate one.  Vader intervenes and makes short work of the remaining Resitance forces present, and the scene that leads to the launch of Tantative IV is just fantastic, including the frantic rush to have Leia escape with the plans.  Yes, the movie takes place just mere days before A New Hope.

Another great thing is all those small cameo's and easter eggs, to both the regular canon (a small one line and one bleep dialogue scene makes sure R2-D2 and C-3PO retain their status of being the only figures appearing in every Star Wars movie), and the Rebels cartoon one (even including the Ghost in the Battle of Scarriff).

It was a great action filled flick that didn`t really bore at any time.  The pace is fast, the effects of in particular the Death Star effect and the space battle at the end where fantastic.  There was a lot of critique of including the CGI version of Tarkin, and I admit at some times it worked, at others he looked ghostlike and detached...as a man that haunts from the grave.  Which unfortunatly by the time I went to see it was also the case for Carrie Fisher.

Rating: 8.5 / 10