One of the best things about using a word processor is being able to do clever stuff like this:
- The Phantom Menace
- Attack of the Clones
- Revenge of the Sith
- A New Hope
- The Empire Strikes Back
- Return of the Jedi
- The Force Awakens
Y’see if I wanted to, I could slot a new line between, for example, three and four, and all the other numbers below it would shift down one to make room. You can’t do that with movies unfortunately, which means Rogue One gets a bit of a bum deal; it gets tagged with ‘A Star Wars Story’ like it’s a weird cousin you don’t invite to the same party as your posh guests. This is a shame, because Rogue One deserves to be slotted into the main episode line as it’s one of the best of the lot as far as I’m concerned.
Okay, no doubt people are going to come along and point out holes in the plot (let’s just call these people out for what they are: spoilsports). People are going to say the script is average at best, and the acting is passable. They will say the set pieces are stunning and the battle scenes are simply awesome. I also hope they remember to say that this film is one of those that is greater than the sum of its parts. All its shortcomings do not overshadow the fact that for the true Star Wars fan it’s an absolute treat. It’s a story of trust, friendship, sacrifice, and battling against all hope. It’s everything a good war film should be, and it’s set in space to boot! (Bonus!) It has some real heart-stopping moments , and some of the flying sequences had me leaning left and right in my seat. Great stuff.
It’s a further redemption after the disaster that was Revenge of the Sith, and the partial return to greatness of The Force Awakens. The franchise is in good hands. Onward!
Nine out of ten.