Rogue One: A Star Wars Story follows Jyn Erso, as she is recruited by the rebellion after learning that her father is critical in the development of of the Death Star, The Imperial Super Weapon capable of destroying planets. The fate of the galaxy hangs in the balance as Jyn and fellow rebels must find and steal the plans to the super weapon.

If you are a huge fan of Star Wars or a newcomer to the series, this movie is a lot of fun and is easy to follow. The story is based on the opening crawl of Star Wars (1977) where rebel spies steal the plans for the death star. This serves as a standalone movie as it is a treat for Star Wars fans as it has a sense of nostalgia bringing us back to the old Star Wars universe.

Director Gareth Edwards, a big fan of Star Wars made really a big budget fan film. While not having as much fan service as Star Wars: The Force Awakens it still references a lot of things from the original. The movie also officially bridges the prequels to the original trilogy. This movie takes place closer to the first film instead of the sequels. The character development is actually the weakest part of the movie as a lot of the characters show up and stay for the ride or characters that we are supposed to invested in are not really fleshed out and don’t work as much as the movie wants it to. Little bits and pieces of the movie don’t work with the character development and some scenes but overall it’s a memorable movie for me. This movie also provides some of the best looking CGI of the year. The movie is shot beautifully with wide’s and when battle scenes happen, some shaky cam to make it more intense. The way the movie is shot complements the CGI perfectly as the dog fights with X-Wings and A-Wings vs Tie Fighters look breathtaking and intense. The movie incorporates a lot of practical effects and make up as Is a Star Wars tradition. The new alien designs are also really cool and creative.

I was thoroughly entertained and I think the cast was diverse and had good chemistry. It’s the most war in a Star Wars movie and I enjoyed it. I give Rogue One: A Star Wars Story a 8.2/10.