Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is the first in a line of Star Wars prequels, telling the story of how the rebel alliance obtained the plans to the Death Star at the start of the original 1977 film.
Rogue One is a highly entertaining movie. Everyone in the cast does a good job, led by a solid performance by Felicity Jones. The visual effects are stunning and flawlessly rendered. Director Gareth Edwards knows how to depict scale, making the Death Star feel massive and intimidating.
The final act of Rogue One is fantastic. It features an all out battle on a tropical planet for the Death Star plans, and it's absolutely thrilling. The action is intense and extremely well executed, utilizing handheld cameras reminiscing gritty war movies such as Saving Private Ryan by simulating the chaos of war from ground level.
This is worth watching for Darth Vader alone. There is not enough of him in the movie, but his two scenes are incredible, particularly a late scene where he takes on an entire squad of soldiers. Also, a major plot hole in the Star Wars universe is solved thanks to a clever scene.
Unfortunately, many of the characters are woefully underdeveloped. The acting is sufficient, but the lackluster script doesn't flesh out any of the characters save for the main protagonist. There isn't enough reason to care for the expendable cast of heroes on this deadly mission.
Another letdown was the musical score. This is the first of the series not to be scored by John Williams, and it shows. The music is forgettable and adds very little to the movie. Also the first act feels rushed in an attempt to introduce an overabundance of characters and exposition.
Rogue One is a fun movie that should entertain for two hours, with a great second half. However, it is lacking in compelling characters and memorable music, something the best Star Wars movies always had. A good time at the theaters, nothing more.
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