Let’s see what happens.
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story dropped its’ first trailer on Good Morning America today, and the Internet hype machine is abuzz once more because one of the great American sci-fi franchises is presenting itself to the world once again. So, I figured why not comment on it for your amusement? Let’s explore some of the reasons why we can look forward to this movie, and what it could mean for the ongoing saga.
1. It Feels Like An Adaptation Of Dark Forces.
The EU is real… and it’s AWESOME!
If you were a fan of this franchise in the 90s, then you’ve probably played the Dark Forces trilogy of video games. And if you are just coming into this franchise, what the hell are you still doing reading this? Click on my link to G2A over in the sidebar and come back when you’ve bought them! Anyway, how does one of Lucasarts’ finest hours translate onto the screen?
It has the same basic plot as one of the first missions in the game with a number of call-backs that make me think of the story, such as how Diego Luna and Felicity Jones’ characters are dressed up to look like Kyle Katarn and Jan Ors, respectively. Also, you have the presence a stormtrooper that looks kind of like a Dark Trooper, so that could set up some sequels down the line for some of that sweet, sweet black ops action.
2. It Has A Female Lead That Isn’t Poorly Explained… I Hope.
Welcome to the big kids’ table, Felicity Jones! Good luck to you!
If you’ve read my blog in the past, you’ll know that I gave The Force Awakens hell for having Rey be a Mary Sue-type character, among the other flaws in that movie. Fortunately, Rogue One has avoided that problem by having the story be about spies and the common soldier, so that already raises the movie a few points in my book. In case I didn’t say it before, my philosophy with regards to female characters is simple.
If she is well-written, thoughtfully put into the story, and is an apolitical entity aside from the obvious “Republic good, Empire bad” that is present in this franchise. That’s great. Welcome.
I like to turn my cannons on feminists and SJWs a lot, but I think I would like to hit back at the men who are butthurt about a female spy this time. There have been women serving their country in that capacity going back to at least the English Civil War in the real world, so why wouldn’t they be there in a galaxy far, far away? In other words, she could be explained to be a female Jason Bourne-esque character. That could be cool.
Aside from that, I don’t think that Jyn Erso is a feminist character. If she were, she’d be fighting on the side of the Empire (or, at least, making excuses for it) and would be constantly belly-aching about how she requires a safe space because Diego Luna’s character has an opinion. I don’t think that Kathleen Kennedy is crazy enough to put that into a Star Wars flick… although it would be hilarious.
3. The Early Days Of The Rebellion Are Unexplained.
They nailed the look and feel, but I wonder where she was during the Battle of Yavin?
I really like the fact that they got Genevieve O’Rielly back to reprise her shamefully cut role as Mon Mothma in Revenge of the Sith. Aside from that, the early days of the Rebel Alliance are not known in the current universe of stories. How did they come up with the starbird? How did the Emperor consolidate his grip on the galaxy? Were there resistance movements in addition to the Rebel base on Yavin?
All of these questions will help to create a more lived-in galaxy, especially since our protagonists are definitely not a Skywalker or a Solo.
I want to see a film that is darker than The Empire Strikes Back in tone, where our heroes are holding on for dear life against a seemingly unstoppable juggernaut. If it can immediately lead into A New Hope, then it will have a natural progression where a small band of freedom fighters coalesce and hang on against all odds to bloody the Empire’s big fat nose. That would be epic, especially since we saw AT-ATs stomping on palm trees and so on in the trailer.
Unfortunately, that could also lead to a problem.
Why It Could Suck – We Already Know That The Mission Was A Success.
This is a cool shot, but…
The problem with this movie is that everyone is going into it already knowing the outcome… because it was given away in 1977. While a prequel is not bad in itself, it does mean that this script will rely entirely on whether or not the characters are likable in order to keep the movie going. If the dialogue is cheese on a cracker and the heroes are not compelling, then the movie will fall flat on its’ face.
I really hope that it doesn’t do that. In spite of my harshness, I really want Star Wars to be great in all aspects, whether it is the story, characterization, or technicals. Although, to be fair, this movie is probably in good hands, especially since we have people that would dare to tease nerds everywhere with their interpretation of Grand Admiral Thrawn.
WOO! SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY!
May the Force be with us.
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