"Rogue One" impressions (Spoilers hidden)

So, saw Rogue One today in theaters, and thought I'd share my thoughts for anyone wondering if its worth seeing. While I prefer it to The Force Awakens (My thoughts on it can be found here), Rogue One is a rather crowded and rushed film. There are a lot of new characters thrown at us with the barest of introductions, and while I'm all for lean, efficient storytelling, Rogue One jumps from location to location and scene to scene at near-breakneck speed for the first two acts of the movie, leaving us with little time to get invested in the characters or the situations they face. Jyn, her pilot, his smart-alec droid K-2SO (easily the best of the new characters, and by far the funniest) and the leader of Imperial special projects would have been sufficient enough, but we also have a blind warrior and his gun-toting sidekick, an imperial pilot who defected to the rebellion, and Jyn's old mentor. With the exception of K-2SO and Jyn's father, Galen, all the newcomers here feel like B-listers trying, really, really hard to be A-listers, but just not quite making it (though to be fair, when you're standing next to the original film, that's some really big shoes to fill). With little time to know them, half could have been cut from the script and not hurt the narrative at all.

Thankfully, Rogue One finds it's footing in the second after our heroes head to the tropical planet of Scariff. From here, the narrative goes at a good, steady pace, and the spectacle really kicks in with an incredible space and beach battle that ties with the Endor showdown from Jedi as the best galactic duel in the franchise ( having two star destroyers collide, and then break up a planet-wide shield while crashing certainly helps!). It's here that we finally get a movie with a classic Star Wars feel that effortlessly blends a new experience with the framework we all know and love, right down to appearances by Mon Mothma and a few other surprises from both the prequels and A New Hope. Heck, even the Death Star itself is cooler than ever (the devastation from when it fires its laser is awe-inspiring). I also especially like how the movie retcons the Death Star's sole weak point from being a blindingly obvious design flaw to being a purposeful f*ck you from the designer to the Empire.

And we mustn't forget Rogue One's best element: Darth Vader. He's only on screen for a few minutes, but steals the show every time he appears. And his last scene... oh my gosh, Vader's last scene is reason enough to watch the movie, when he effortlessly slaughters a dozen Rebel soldiers without expanding even the slightest effort. With the darkened hallway, terrified screams, and dark music, it's straight out of a horror movie, and though it only lasts a minute, it's easily one of the best kickass moments in any Star Wars film.

Overall, Rogue One is a bit of a mixed bag: Too many characters and a rushed pace hurt the movie, but the fantastic final act, gorgeous visuals, and Darth Vader manage to save the film. The Force Awakens may have a more focused, streamlined plot and better characters, but Rogue One at least tries something new instead of just recycling and repeating what came before in a new coat of paint. If you're a Star Wars fan, especially of the original films, it's worth a watch.