The first of the Star Wars Anthology Series, Gareth Edwards’ film was surrounded with mystery and excitement. How would they handle a non-episodic Star Wars? How would Rogue One affect the other films in the series? Was there any chance it could match the entertainment value expected from a Star Wars movie? In a word: yes. While not the best in the series, Rogue One betters the franchise and stands on its own.

In the midst of war, Jyn Erso and her band of misfits venture into the heart of the Empire in hopes of capturing the elusive Death Star plans. And as the premise promises, there will be action and seemingly insurmountable struggle. However, the film’s biggest problem is getting there.

Rogue One’s first act is a slogfest. The first 20 to 30 minutes feel reminiscent of Suicide Squad. Many characters are thrown at the audience and we’re given flimsy backstories as to why we should care for them. The most developed characters are Felicity Jones’ Jyn Erso and Diego Luna’s Cassian Andor. Even then, these characters feel half-baked and the re-writes of the script feel evident. We’re given just enough reason to care about them and the movie relies heavily upon that.

Rogue One makes its money in the second and third acts. The tension builds methodically in the second act, but comes to a crescendo in the third. The action feels visceral and resembles that of Saving Private Ryan. The stakes feel high, partly due to the knowledge we have from previous Star War films, and every character is ready to die for this cause. This all culminates into one of the most engaging third acts in film history.

Some minor faults that detract from the overall film include the shoddy editing and the distracting CGI-Peter Cushing. The film underwent many reshoots and rewrites and there were moments of inconsistency when this became noticeable. Additionally, the late Peter Cushing was digitally recreated and while it’s by far the best use of this technology to date, it is still not up to par. Whenever he’s on-screen it’s distracting and removed me from the story.

Ultimately, Rogue One is a solid addition to the Star Wars universe. However, lack luster characters and post-production work held this back from being the best in the franchise. Rogue One delves into both gritty action and the morale spectrum of war, culminating in a fun and exhilarating climax.

Score: 7/10