Star Wars Rogue One thread with Spoilers

[photon]

The ANH rebel pilots weren't CGI but were actually unused footage from ANH. I guess the director got his hands on some film that was still in the can, hadn't even been digitized yet and used that cut in ways to fit the new battle sequence. That's pretty cool.

[Badgers Nose]

Some of my favorite star wars characters are from old video games. So yeah the CGI Tarkin and Leia were not so bad. They could have been cardboard and I still would have liked the film.

[WhiteTiger]

Originally Posted by bc-chris

one thing that surprised me was some of the lack of trailer footage in the film

i guess with the re-shoots/re-writes that it makes sense, but i was sooooo looking forward to the scene from the trailer when the tie fighter pops up in front of Jyn.

I heard that in the original, Jyn lived. I would imagine that TIE Fighter popping up there would be the easiest way for her to get off the planet/far enough away that the Death Star shot wouldn't hit her. With her not making it...you no longer need to have a TIE Fighter there.

[GreenLantern]

Originally Posted by Tinordi

Can we all agree that AT-ATs are hilariously idiotic war machines?

Uhmm technically *pushes up glasses* those weren't AT-AT's, they were AT-ACT's. All Terrain Armored Cargo Transport.

[iggy_oi]

I wonder how big of an impact the reshoots had on the final product. I was pretty let down by the movie overall, it had some nice sequences but overall I really just never felt engaged while watching it. Loved the battle scenes, but the main dialogues between the characters was weak for the most part. Thought tarkin was well done, it is what it is with cgi, but they nailed the voice, although that added to the frustration with James earl Jones' "Vader". I'd give it a 6 or 7 out of 10 overall.

[OutOfTheCube]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

If you truly nerd out and look, the Imperial Star Destroyer is faster in hyperspace and in subspace then a Corellian Blockade runner.

If you remember in Empire Strikes back when the Falcon fake jumped to light speed, the officers were told to calculate all possible destinations so they can figure out where a ship is possibly going because light speed tracks in a GFFA are like tunnels there are only so many rifts.

so it doesn't take too much of an imagination for the Imperials to calculate possible destinations and say, hey Tatooine is on that track and its the most likely and then use their superior hyperspace speed to catch up.

That's the nerd explanation anyways.

I do appreciate that there actually is a canon explanation for this.

So, at the end of Empire, when the Falcon actually goes to hyperspace right in front of them, why don't they give chase? Is the Falcon that much faster?

How fast is hyperspace anyways? The rebel fleet seemed to show up pretty darn quick after intercepting the message. Like, within the hour quick.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by OutOfTheCube

I do appreciate that there actually is a canon explanation for this.

So, at the end of Empire, when the Falcon actually goes to hyperspace right in front of them, why don't they give chase? Is the Falcon that much faster?

How fast is hyperspace anyways? The rebel fleet seemed to show up pretty darn quick after intercepting the message. Like, within the hour quick.

ok, a bunch of years ago my nephew who knew I was a big star wars fans bought me a bunch of the essential guides to Star Wars including vehicles and vessels.

I just looked through my storage room after this conversation started.

Here goes

An Imperial Star Destroyer had a class 2 hyperdrive the falcon had a faster then class 3 hyper drive. The Blockade runner had a slightly slower hyper drive then the Star Destroyer.

In terms of Sublight engines had a similar speed to the blockade runner but the falcon was slightly faster then both.

I also believe that at the end of the Empire that Vader was so conflicted by the discovery of his son being alive and the man he was that wouldn't ever turn to the dark side that he was almost frozen in indecision.

I also think that when the Falcon went to light speed a smuggler like Lando would know all sorts of hyperspace routes that maybe the Empire didn't know about so combined with being a third faster then the Star Destroyers they would have been able to dissapear.

[CaptainCrunch]

They hyperspace thing is always kind of confusing because Hyperspace in the Star Wars galaxy is a theoretical tunnel in space where there's a set entrance and exit that's why when you look at the galactic map they talk about Hyper space lanes.

But I don't believe that they are instantaneous.

I don't know how many of you played the game rebellion which was actually a cool game. But I still have it on my PC, and when I jump a fleet from one side of the galaxy to the other it literally takes a couple of weeks of straight hyperspace travel.

The disadvantage is that the enemy would pretty much know that my fleet was coming and have a ton of time to stack their fleets to meet me.

[soreshins]

Saw it today. Loved every minute!

[Itse]

I thought it was okay, 3/5.

Pros:
+ A different Star Wars film. The universe has a ton of unused potential for films, it's nice that they finally get around to it.
+ Beautiful locations. Really liked Vaders little mountaintop cabin, the city on Jedha and Scarif, all were IMO among the visually best designed locations in the films.
+ Nice new shots of the Death Star
+ On the surface a very solid and interesting story. Dramatic, and managed to find a grittier tone without losing all of the "uplifting adventure" atmosphere that I feel is essential to Star Wars. Yes a lot of people died, but they were all brave volunteers fighting for a good cause, they died with honor, they were appreciated and their sacrifice meant something. It's an extremely romanticized version of war, but that's okay in a fantasy film.
+ Nostalgia. Those 70's moustaches! All those crazy OT helmets Blending the old with the new wasn't quite seamless, but good enough that I don't think it's worth nitpicking over. Any faults in that department was certainly not for lack of trying. Personally I've always felt the designs created for ANH and the OT are just flat out better than the more modern stuff. I get that it's very much a matter of taste. (It's not just a Star Wars thing, I tend to like 70's scifi aesthetics in general.)
+ Added new depth to the Star Wars films.

Cons:
- Main duo. Felicity Jones and Diego Luna were both okay, but neither could really carry the movie the way a movie like that needs to be carried. Partially of course the problem was lack of good dialogue, but when Jyn was supposed to have a huge emotional reaction to seeing the hologram message from her father, and it's one of the flattest and most awkward moments in the film, you know the casting has not been a success. It was a brave try, but this role was too big for Jones. Luna had similar problems. Captain Andor was an interesting character with a lot of potential, and I think the script had quite enough stuff to work with, but ultimately I just couldn't find myself caring or even that interested.
- Dialogue. Not terrible, but I don't think there was a single really good line in the whole movie. Considering all the stakes, the drama, the internal and external conflict that's going on, the waste of potential feels like a crime. Oh, and Darth Vaders dialogue, just WTF. Darth Vader is one of the definite pompous and arrogant movie villains. That dialogue was just completely wrong, to the point that I feel like nobody writing it had ever even seen the OT. Heck, pretty much the only thing that works in the prequal-Anakin is his arrogance and taste for melodrama.
- Unimaginative directing. Just a very worksmanlike job. Not terrible, but ultimately kind of boring, and again wasted a ton of potential that I felt was there in the story.
- Unimaginative technical production in general. This of course is unfair to pin on this film alone, as it's become an epidemic in Hollywood epics. (And stuff many are starting to complain about, so hopefully eventually things will start to change.) Lighting, cameras, sound editing, film editing, music, effects... Pretty much everything not including set design was just so plainly done that at times it felt almost like a big budget made-for-TV film. Nothing stands out, unless of course it's lifted directly from the OT, and even then it's often done a bit worse than originally. The first five minutes of ANH have more standout ideas for lighting and sound than this whole film, and that's just sad.

(Of course the comparison is somewhat unfair, since ANH is a fantastic film in this regard. It's after all a huge reason why the simple story is so encaptivating and fun to watch over and over.)

[Igottago]

Saw the movie today and absolutely loved it. It was a great blend of something refreshing with enough homage to the originals. Definitely more of a war movie than a space adventure. I loved getting a look at the galactic war at a visceral level and the story of the people in the trenches instead of focusing on the usual character that finds out they have special powers with the force.
The Vader scenes were worth the price of admission alone, absolutely awesome. I loved that they didn't overdo it with him and each time he was on screen you could feel the weight of his menace. His place at the top of movie villains has been restored with this movie.

[Knut]

I walked out of the theatre very excited. I felt it was just the right mix of New and old and filled in a gap in the story.

Then I walk in here and have people picking apart every aspect of the movie. It is really hard I think to satisfy fans that will nitpick so much.

I am big fan of the Clone Wars animated series. I felt it captured the right amount of action and moving the story forward. It also had a huge variety of landscapes and interesting battlegrounds. I think the movie really captured the feel of The Clone Wars. Which I really liked.

I thought Vader was done well. I also think they captured how intimidating the empire can be, but also how it has internal strife amongst its leaders. I think Vader and the Emperor not being there for the first test was telling.

I agree that they could have left out Saw and had more fleshing out of the characters. Not a huge issue for me. I am not watching Star Wars for Scorsese dialogue and strong character development.

The second watch through is key though. I know TFA was downgraded a bit following the excitement of the first watch. I have a feeling that I will actually like Rouge One better on the second watch.

[Igottago]

Originally Posted by djsFlames

As I mentioned in the previous post, I don't think the characters were supposed to have the same development and depth as those in the main saga. I think this was meant to be a story about the faceless, forgotten soldiers that make a sacrifice for something bigger than themselves, like in actual war. And think of how sad it would be if the audience fell in love with Jyn's character as much as people seemingly did with Rey's, and then that ending..

Also, I thought the score was absolutely fantastic. It had a similar aura as the OT, while setting itself apart. Noticed the score more than in TFA. It was also (apparently) all put together in 6 weeks. Impressive.

Great comment. Another story about someone learning the force and that they are the chosen one would've put me to sleep. I thought the characters actually suited the film really well. It was a rag tag team of people who come together to achieve a goal that served the larger purpose. As a sub story of the larger saga the characters were perfectly fine. Not every character needs to be biblical.

[Cappy]

Decent flick. Better than TFA and prequels. Not as good as the originals.

Can't stop thinking about how good Dunkirk is going to be!!!!

[djsFlames]

Originally Posted by N-E-B

Overall 7/10. Sill enjoyed it but if I had lived my life without ever seeing it I wouldn't be upset. I don't get how anyone can think it's better than episode VII but to each their own I guess. Fun enough movie for a one-off but certainly didn't blow me away.

Because episode VII was a recycled version of A New Hope except worse, with villains that pale in comparison, and every call back/nod to the originals in that movie was obnoxious and in your face.

The only clear edge TFA has on R1 I think is character depth and chemistry. Rey, Finn and Poe are way more fleshed out than any of the characters in R1 (and superbly acted), but R1 has an original storyline and the action isn't even comparable. So for me it wins. I don't know about other fans but tbh I didn't wait 10 years to watch a cgi'd up poor man's version of one of the classics. I waited impatiently to see this universe expanded and deepened with new stories. And finally this was something fresh, while also being undoubtedly Star Wars.

[Roast Beef]

Originally Posted by OutOfTheCube

So -- how does the Star Destroyer catch the Rebel Ship and get it to drop out of hyper space at the start of episode IV? It's pretty well established in both A New Hope and Empire that once a ship goes to hyper space, it's gone. And that was with Vader on the Star Destroyer bridge watching the Falcon fly away. Here, he still would've had to get back to his Star Destroyer before they even left. Hmm.

My thought on this is set up by some dialogue in Rogue One and the original Star Wars. In Rogue One it was set up immediately after the scene where the main characters improvise the Rogue One call sign and steal the Imperial Cargo Shuttle to go to Scarif. There is a scene with Mon Mothma and Bail Organa that sets it up.

Mon Mothma "Despite what the others say, war is inevitable."
Bail Organa "Yes, I agree. I must return to Alderaan to inform my people that there will be no peace. We will need every advantage."
Mon Mothma "Your friend, the Jedi."
Bail Organa "He served me well during the Clone Wars, and has lived in hiding since the Emperor's purge. Yes I will send for him."
Mon Mothma "You will need someone you can trust."
Bail Organa "I would trust her with my life."


In Star Wars it's the holographic message from Leia.
"General Kenobi, years ago you served my father in the Clone Wars, now he begs you to help him in his struggle against the Empire. I regret that I am unable to present my father's request to you in person, but my ship has fallen under attack and I'm afraid that my mission to bring you to Alderaan has failed. I've placed information vital to the survival of the rebellion into the memory systems of this R2 unit. My father will know how to retrieve it. You must see this droid safely delivered to him on Alderann. This is our most desperate hour. Help me Obi-Wan Kenobi, you're my only hope."


Bail told Leia to seek out Kenobi on Tatooine. That was probably their course while escaping Scarif, that way she could get the plans and Kenobi to Alderaan at the same time. The Empire calculated her trajectory and followed. When the Tantive IV dropped out of hyperspace at Tatooine, the faster Star Destroyer was not far behind. Cue the opening of Star Wars.

[getbak]

I found this map of the Galaxy with the new planets on it (apparently, it's from a special Entertainment Weekly edition that came out recently)...

Spoiler!

Based on this, Scarif is very close to Tatooine. Leia's ship may have already come out of hyperspace near Tatooine by the time Vader got back aboard his Star Destroyer. In that case, they wouldn't have needed to try to track its trajectory or anything, just jump right there and stop the ship before it gets to the planet's surface.

[CroFlames]

I loved loved loved it. I was smiling the entire time in the theatre.

I have so much to say and have a million thoughts but I can't describe them well right now. Too excited.

The best way I can put it is that the movie blended old and new so damn well, and after three goddamm death stars in the Saga, it's nice to have a very original storyline.

[speede5]

My favorite scene was when Vaders ship comes out of hyperspace and the escaping rebel ships plow right into it. That just screamed bad ass.

I also think I either need to hand in my superfan card or am blinded by it, because I had no complaints about the CGI characters, JEJ Vader voice, or the droid cameo.

I didn't mind the lack of detail on Jyn growing up, the only thing I was really left wanting was more on Saw. He had way to little screen time. The whole Immortan Joe thing kinda bugged me too, with no backstory.

All in all I thought it was a great addition to the collection. I'm quite surprised how many "best star wars movie" reviews this is getting on my facebook feed, particularly from friends who were kids when Phantom Menace was released, hmm maybe that actually makes sense.

[Northendzone]

I saw the movie yesterday with my daughter - she was disappointed in how it ended.

maybe I missed the scene, but I thought that many bothans died getting those plans to the rebels?

personally, I enjoyed the movie, and liked how it ended as a statement that there will be no rogue 2