Rogue One

Have you seen Rogue One yet? I saw it over the weekend and I was really excited for it leading up to the day. Then, I saw mixed reviews on my Facebook newsfeed. Some people seemed to love it and others thought it was just okay. I started to get worried that I wouldn’t like it so I tried to tell myself to keep my expectations low.

What did I think?…..I absolutely loved it! It had me interested for the entire movie. No wondering how much time was left to the movie. No trying to tell myself that it has to get better. It was awesome! If you don’t know what the movie is about, well then you do need to know some Star Wars basics to understand the premise fully. This movie takes place before the first original Star Wars movie “A New Hope”. The Star Wars movies talk a lot about the rebel force who are fighting against the evil Empire. The main stars of the movie are rebels.

I don’t want to give too much away or spoil the movie for anyone here who hasn’t seen it yet and intends to. But, I think in order to fully enjoy the movie you have to have a certain mindset about it. This movie is different from the typical Star Wars movie or “hero” type movie in general. Let me explain.

Essentially, the movie is about characters such as Jyn (Felicity Jones) and Cassian (Diego Luna) who are part of the rebels and trying to save the galaxy from the evil Empire. This movie is entirely based on team work and how all of these people need to work together for the greater good. There is no one hero, but a collective effort to get the job done. So when I see people who were critics of the movie complain about a lack of character development and not enough insight into the backgrounds of the characters – I get it, but you have to remember that’s not what the movie is about. Yes, these characters are important and play significant roles, but it doesn’t matter what happened to them in the past or who their parents were or anything really. The movie is about these people who will sacrifice anything and put their lives on the line for the greater good. The movie is about the unsung heroes who sometimes (most of the time) don’t get any credit for their work and sacrifices and don’t get to see any glory nor do they ask for it. There is something beautiful in that and heartbreaking at the same time.

So some may complain that the characters weren’t developed enough, but to them I say – you’re missing the bigger (and deeper) picture of the movie. The movie isn’t about any one person and their journey. It’s about this group that get a mere mention in passing in the original Star Wars movies yet deserve so much more.

The movie wasn’t all heavy, though. In fact I laughed quite a bit during the movie and the robot, K-2SO is hilarious. Jyn is a strong, independent woman who can take care of herself and reminds me of Rey in The Force Awakens.

So yes, I loved the movie, and I would pay to see it again!

Have any of you seen it yet? I’d love to hear what you thought!