ROGUE ONE


US, 2016, 133 minutes, Colour.
Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Alan Tudyk, Donnie Yen, Wen Jiang, Ben Mendelssohn, Guy Henry, Forest Whitaker, Riz Ahmed, Mads Mickelson, Jimmy Smits, Genevieve O'Reilly, Ben Daniels. Voices of James Earl Jones, Anthony Daniels. Computer mastered: Peter Cushing, Carrie Fisher.
Directed by Gareth Edwards.

Star Was has been powerful in the consciousness of audiences all around the world for almost 40 years – and, for those who have not seen it or the succeeding films, there is a general awareness of the mythology, the heroes and heroics, and, of course, The Force.

Rogue One is billed as a stand alone story – but not quite. Throughout the film there are quite a number of connections, especially with the first film, which is now the fourth chapter, A New Hope. Darth Vader appears in two scenes (and still with the voice of James Earl Jones). At the end, he appears with a laser sword. There is a glimpse of R2-D2? and 3CPIO. One of the extraordinary features of the film (though, perhaps, not necessary) is that an actor portrays Lord Tarkin from the earlier films, played by Peter Cushing, but has digitally imposed Peter Cushing and Peter Cushing’s voice on his performance. At the end, there is also a moment of a digitally-produced Princess Leia.

While there is a new score for the film, it does incorporate at different times, some of the original John Williams themes.

There are still battles in the galaxy, the film showing quite a number of planets with different terrains, planets and moons, deserts, dark forbidding battlement planets, strange moons, and a climax on the moon which has a very tropical, even Florida-look, palm trees and all – and the credits inform us that locations used were in Iceland, Jordan and, for the tropics, the Maldives.

The Empire is still dominating and there are rebels. With glimpses of the Emperor, the role of Lord Tarkin, the main representative of the Empire is Orson Krennic (Ben Mendelssohn). The Empire plans to build a Death Star for its continuing conquering ventures, engineered by Galen (Mads Mickelson) whose wife has been killed and his daughter disappeared.

It is now 15 years later, the daughter, Jyn (Felicity Jones) who has been cared for by a most strange extreme rebel (Forest Whitaker), is now sprung from prison and has her opportunity to join the rebels, her contact being a very serious hero, Cassian (Diego Luna).

Once again, as in The Force Awakens, the action is led by a woman, this time Felicity Jones. and the president of the rebel Council is also a woman.

While Cassian and Jyn at the centre of adventures, especially to try to get the plans of the Death Star and transmit them to the rebels, there are also a number of spectacular battle in space scenes, the gung ho enthusiasm of the rebels attacking the Empire.

The film has been directed by Englishman Gareth Edwards who made an impact with his small-budget monster-thriller, Monsters, and was then invited to direct the re-boot of Godzilla.

And The Force? Seen in the action is a blind Jedi, Chirrut Imwe, played by Donnie Yen, who is committed to the cause and is also heroic, along with his associate, Baze Malbus (Wen Jiang),

The film has proven very popular – and is a satisfying Star Was experience until the release of Chapter 8.

1. The continuing Star Wars sagas? 40 years after the event? World popularity? Myths, adventure, space, battles, characters, the creatures? The fight between good and evil?

2. The title, and the spaceship, the irony of the ship belonging to the Empire, taken by the rebels and renamed?

3. The story as a standalone, though the presence of Darth Vader, R2-D2? and 3CPO, Princess Leia, the laser swords?

4. The opening, long ago, far away, at the time of episode four? The vastness of space, the effect of many planets and moons, the variety of terrains? Desert? Battlements? In the final palm tree tropic setting? Locations in Iceland, Jordan, the mall dives?

5. The effect of the new score, and incorporating the old themes?

6. The background of the Empire, expansion, the emperor, Lord Tarkin and, Orson Krennic, the death Star, the plans, the rebels against the Empire? Attack and heroics?

7. The female perspective, Jyn and her leadership?

8. The situation, Jyn’s father, his engineering skills, working for the Empire, unwillingly? His escape, Orson Krennic finding him, the wife and daughter trying to escape, the return of the wife, her death? The confrontation, engineer going, his daughter escaping?

9. The story of her rescue, Saw Gerrero and his guardianship, her getting away from him? His being a rebel, extreme, information about the pilots, participation in the plans, the Council thinking him too reckless? His involvement in the plot?

10. 15 years passing, Jyn and her stances, imprisoned, the heroic rescue, her suspicions, wary of Cassian? Going to the Council, the commander, the variety of views, action? Her seeing her father and his message on the hologram? The motivations?

11. The rebels, the council, the members, the president and the feminine perspective? The various senators, the arguments? The possibility of the rescue of her father, the plan for his death by Cassian, Cassian and his rounding up the loyal supporters, the attack?

12. The introduction of the new droid, K, his intelligence, abstract, lack of emotion, ability to analyse, his vocabulary, artificial personality making an impression? Taking sides, wanting a gun, interactions with Cassian, with Jyn and her suspicions, his becoming involved, the action? An interesting Star Wars character?

13. Cassian, a young warrior in childhood, stern, undercover, the information from the spy, the spacecraft? Presentation to the board, clashes with Jyn?

14. The engineer, his plans, incorporating sabotage, his urging his daughter on?

15. Expedition, the pilot, his being taken, his craft, put in charge, his information and skill, naming the craft Rogue One? Landing, the issue of the transmission of the code? His participation, getting the connections to reach, and fire?

16. Cassian and initial attack, his having the engineer in the firing line, not able to hear what was going on, not killing him?

17. Cassian and Jyn, landing, infiltrating, their plan, contact with the pilot, the plan for the transmission, different connections, the danger, the threats, the final achievement?

18. Chirrut Imwe, the Jedi, blind, his consciousness of the Force? The other Chinese, support, participation in the attack? Having the Force after his colleague’s death?

19. The Empire, Lord Tarkiin and, his role (and the effect of seeing Peter Cushing resuscitated)? His role in the plan and the defence?

20. Orson Krennic, the Lord, his white cloak, the touch of the ruthless, the confrontation with the engineer, with Jyn, the sabotage of his plans, the explosives? Visiting the president, his being controlled? Supervising, the discovery of the infiltration, going to the tower, the pursuit, Cassian and Jyn, the conflict, his losing?

21. The council, the attack, the creature control the plane, the pilot? The variety of pilots, the fighting and the tactics, the barrier? The gung ho attitude?

22. Chirrut Imwe and his decision, walking through the guns, the Force with him, achieving his aim? His death?

23. The dangers on the tower, the action, the falling, Jyn being saved? Transmitting the information?

24. The engineer, his death? His plan to deceive the Empire fulfilled?

25. The role of Darth Vader, memories of the past, is intervention about the death Star, the final appearance with the laser sword?

26. Rebels, reinforced by the information about the Death Star? The presence of a R2-D2? and 3 CPO, The vision of Princess Leia and her talking about hope? The transition to the main
episodes?