ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY Spoiler-Free Movie Review

Don’t worry, I won’t spoil it for you. I might be even more spoiler-averse than you are. In fact, that made me miss the first 5 minutes of the movie.

I went to a screening without being told what I’d be seeing, and when Rogue One started, I thought it was only the trailer and refused to watch it. When the “trailer” didn’t end, I was like SHUTUPISTHISTHEACTUALMOVIE?!?!

I’ve been using ninja-level deflecting methods for a year to avoid everything related to this movie so I had no expectations. And ended up thoroughly enjoying myself, whooping with glee several times.

Rogue One has the rebel spirit and enough references to the previous Star Wars movies (the best ones—you know which I mean) to make you feel that nerd’s delight, but it forges its own identity, too. It’s both familiar and different enough so that it doesn’t seem to be rehashing the same ol’ plot points.

Felicity Jones imbues Jyn Erso with heart and spunk, making her an engaging new addition to the cast of characters. After seeing the actress in supporting roles, it’s nice to have her front and center as a strong action heroine, a guise she dons comfortably without having to try too hard.

One of my favorite things was seeing not one but two Asians in significant roles. (I mean no disrespect by not including the actors’ names; if you’ve been avoiding trailers like I did, maybe you don’t want to know ahead of time who they are. I only mention Jones because she’s hard to miss on the poster everywhere.) I’ve been a fan of this franchise for almost 40 years, and I can’t believe it took this long to see people who looked like me playing important characters. Say what you will, but representation absolutely matters. The Force can be with me, too!

This group of rebels is the most diverse bunch so far. While no cast has matched the star power and chemistry of Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, and Harrison Ford, Rogue One‘s leads leave their mark.

What else is there to say? This movie isn’t just Disney milking the franchise for all it’s worth. It’s a thrilling adventure that fills in the blanks and melds neatly with what we already know about that galaxy far, far away.

Photo: Disney