Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

The most satisfying Star Wars film since The Empire Strikes Back

This time last year, audiences were awash with nostalgia when The Force Awakens landed in cinemas. It was a chance to reunite with old friends, and above all to correct past sins and scrub away the bad memories of Jar Jar Binks and witless battle droids. JJ Abrams' film managed to do this with aplomb, proving to be one of the most satisfying blockbusters in recent years.

Now it's the turn of British director Gareth Edwards (Godzilla), who has been tasked with helming Rogue One, the first in a series of Star Wars anthology movies that will sit outside of the overall ennealogy.

There has been an air of cynicism at the prospect of these standalone movies. Are they just another way for the House of Mouse to milk a few more dollars out of their Star Wars cash cow? If Rogue One is anything to go by, the answer is a defiant no, as Edwards has crafted the most satisfying Star Wars film since The Empire Strikes Back.

Edwards skilfully taps into nostalgia but makes great use of the liberty that has been afforded to him, introducing us to new characters and being very playful with old ones, even bringing some back from the dead.

The story takes place an even longer time ago in a galaxy far, far away, before the events of A New Hope. The trademark crawl that has adorned the other films is absent. There is no Luke Skywalker and just the slightest hint of Obi-Wan. This tale is rooted in more earthy beings: it is a story of resistance, and the birth of the Rebel Alliance told from the ground up.

Felicity Jones takes centre stage as Jyn Erso, a rough and ready figure searching for her scientific genius father, Galen (Mads Mikkelsen), who has been kidnapped by cunning Imperial official Krennic (Ben Mendelsohn). Her hunt sees her planet-hopping across the galaxy, where she joins up with a band of misfits with links to the Rebel Alliance, who reveal her father is involved in the creation of the ultimate weapon – the Death Star.

The diverse ensemble cast of rebels, including Riz Ahmed, Diego Luna, Wen Jiang, Donnie Yen and Alan Tudyk, each have their moment to shine, with Yen’s role as force mystic Chirrut Îmwe stealing much of the show.

While these are all enjoyable treats, what makes Rogue One such a rewarding watch is that Edwards has given us a romp of a war movie, cut in the mould of 633 Squadron and The Dam Busters. Rogue One is full of heart-pounding derring-do, with X-wing and Tie-fighters dogfighting across the screen as the heroes battle it out on the ground to complete their mission, with more than a nod and a wink to the climactic battle in Return of the Jedi. Adding to this is the careful consideration to replicate (sometimes frame by frame) the aesthetic of the 1977 original, including sets, props and costumes that plunge us back into the moment we first encountered the universe created by George Lucas 40 years ago.

In one scene, Riz Ahmed’s rebel pilot Rook dials in the call sign of their rebel ship, saying “Rogue, Rogue One”, to which he is told there is no such ship, and nonchalantly his droid co-pilot quips, “There is now.” This line is certainly a statement to those who might question why such a film exists – yes, there is now a Rogue One, and it proves to be a more than welcome addition to a beloved franchise.