Rogue One: This Was Dark
Star Wars is a cinematic franchise that has built its fortress upon the foundation of the Hero’s Journey. The hero leaves his home, learns from wise mentors, triumphs over evil, and returns a changed man. It is a story of noble criminals, regal princesses, and redeemable villains. It is the the light beating back the dark again, saving a galaxy far, far away…
Rogue One is not a Star Wars story.
Don’t get me wrong; it takes place in the Star Wars universe, some time before the originals, but after the prequel trilogy. It is in the universe where we have grown accustomed to seeing Samurai Space Wizards with glowing swords (Jedi) take on Intergalactic Nazis (The Empire) and triumph. However, while sharing a universe with Samurai Space Wizards, Rogue One is the story of people who are not nigh-omnipotent fighting against an overwhelming power; the story of the ant battling back against the oncoming boot. I was hard-pressed not to draw parallels between the Battle of Jedha and the current conflict in Aleppo or any other military occupation that was met with less-than-total acceptance.
But I digress.
Felicity Jones (Jyn Erso) and Diego Luna (Cassian Andor) deliver enjoyable performances as the movie’s primary protagonist. They are accompanied by a humanoid droid, K-2SO (Alan Tudyk) who handles the primary delivery of humor, effectively making the audience fall in love with a non-human character. Riz Ahmed (Bodhi Rook) plays the part of former cog in the imperial machine who defects, while Wen Jiang (Baze Malbus) and Donnie Yen (Chirrut Imwe) play a pair of temple guards with two different approaches to their faith in The Force.
As expected, we are given battles between the Rebel Alliance and The Empire. These fights, while supplying the action to the film, hold the audience’s interest with their various camera angles (sometimes throwing us into the cockpit of an X-Wing or a TIE fighter), explosions, and different segments that kept the combat fresh. The special effects department (also, as expected) do their thing, going so far as to utilize CGI to recreate the likeness of the dearly departed Grand Moff Tarkin (Governor Tarkin in this film) from the original series.
BEYOND THIS POINT, THAR BE SPOILERS!
PROCEED ONLY AT THINE OWN PERIL!
SERIOUSLY, I BETTER NOT HEAR ANY MOANIN’ OR GROANIN’…
Rogue One is the first Star Wars film wherein I felt The Empire was a viable threat without Darth Vader on screen. The Stormtroopers’ actually hit their targets, killing off three members of the main cast. The weight of The Empire is felt throughout occupied cities as what is essentially “Stop-And-Frisk” can be executed by troopers at any time. We see prisons, labor camps, and rebels attacking troopers in areas with civilians. All of these elements evoke a sense of despair; war is literally in your front and backyard and, if you’re an Empire loyalist, you cower in fear of the potential terror attack that may occur while you and your daughter are strolling through the marketplace.
With The Empire feeling as ominous as it is toted to be, there is little expectation for any of the heroes to survive. What might dampen some watchers’ spirits is the fact that each and every protagonist resign themselves to death for the greater cause of the rebellion; shot, blown up, incinerated…all in order to ensure that the Rebel Alliance has “A New Hope.”
However, Rogue One takes its darkest turn within the last ten minutes of the film. The rebel fleet, complete with crucial information on the Death Star, prepares to jump into hyperspace. Their path is blocked by an Imperial Destroyer. Their ships are crippled. On board the the sole rebel ship with the files, men are scrambling to evacuate with the information.
And here, Rogue One becomes a horror movie.
The door out is jammed…
The lights cut out…
The darkness is all consuming… oppressive…thick…
Then…labored, mechanical breathing…
A red lightsaber ignites…
Intestines, of both trapped rebels and of the audience, all turn to water.
Darth Vader, for the next forty-five seconds, goes honey-baked HAM on the remaining soldiers. It’s not our first sighting of Lord Vader in the film; he appears earlier delivering a “be careful not to…choke on your ambition” line while Force-choking one of his subordinates. He makes liberal use of his signature Force-choke and even gets artistic; slamming folks into the ceiling, others into the wall, reflecting blaster fire with his bare hands. Honestly, those forty-five seconds were my favorite display of Vaderdom in the entire franchise, because he seems to enjoy causing mayhem. It was one of the few times the films demonstrated exactly how terrifying Force users are to those not lucky enough to be born a Samurai Space Wizard.
He honestly needs his own movie (while James Earl Jones is still with us).
Overall, Rogue One was an incredibly enjoyable movie. A little long on the run-time, but that is mitigated by the sheer enjoyment you experience watching it. While set in the Star Wars universe, the feelings of dread, despair, and hopelessness blend to create a completely unique film. The stakes are felt by the audience, as are the sacrifices of each-and-every character that makes sure Princess Leia gets that file on the Death Star.
Grade: 8.2/10
