Rogue One: A Star Wars Story was the primary spinoff anthology movie Lucasfilm produced beneath the possession of Disney. It informed the story of how the Rebels bought their fingers on the Loss of life Star plans, alluded to through the opening crawl of A New Hope. The movie, I feel, has been growing old fairly effectively, nevertheless it wasn’t with out a few tough spots. However now that Andor has come to a conclusion, I can say that Rogue One positively feels extra earned and refined due to the story informed in that present.
One of the larger points towards Rogue One previous to Andor was its first act, in that it was very rushed and a bit clunky. We rushed from location to location and have been tossed into the center of occasions with out a lot context past one thing vital is going on now. I’d say the largest change Andor makes in favour of Rogue One is that it makes the opening a lot extra fluid and pure, particularly the Ring of Kafrene scene close to the start of the movie.
In Rogue One, Cassian Andor meets up with one of his contacts in Noticed Gerrera’s partisan group and is knowledgeable in regards to the Empire’s plans for the Loss of life Star. How his contact happened this info and what it means to the Empire is in the end irrelevant, no less than within the eyes of the filmmakers. We, the viewers, know that the Loss of life Star equals hassle, and we simply roll with it. Because of the ultimate arc of Andor although, we are able to watch this scene with a brand new appreciation.
In Andor‘s closing arc, Luthen learns of the Loss of life Star from Lonni, his ISB mole, however the Rebels doubt the validity of each Luthen as an asset at this level within the timeline, in addition to his supply. However characters like Cassian and Mon Mothma know that if there’s even an opportunity to substantiate this info, which incorporates the key phrases “Jedha, Kyber, Erso”, that Luthen’s closing contribution to the Riot (and the galaxy) will likely be validated. Within the unique perspective of this scene, we by no means actually know or care why Cassian places emphasis on the title Galen when asking his contact in regards to the title of the scientist offering this info, however the urgency of confirming Galen Erso is one thing that feels way more vital and determined now, as if he’s on the cusp of an amazing revelation. Likewise, him studying that the Imperial tremendous weapon that Luthen introduced forth is in reality, a planet killer, solely heightens that sense of doom and urgency. Every part feels extra vital and excessive stakes as a result of of the narrative stakes cooked into the narrative due to Andor. It makes Cassian’s homicide of Tivik that rather more drastic and tragic, as Cassian is aware of he has to get out of there with the affirmation and is aware of that the informant would solely sluggish him down. It’s chilly and callous, however we all know the type of insurgent Andor is now.
That is positively the scene that feels probably the most remedied due to Andor, however there are narrative and mathematical beats that now hit more durable. Chief amongst them is when Cassian tells Jyn about all of the horrible issues he and the opposite rebels have executed within the title of this riot. Earlier than, we didn’t have context, and we needed to take issues at face worth, however we now have a higher understanding of what these phrases imply now, each on a private stage for Cassian in addition to the riot as an entire. The heroes of this story have executed some horrible and shady issues within the title of preventing the Empire, and we all know how soiled loads of their fingers aren’t any,w due to Andor’s narrative. I feel that scene actually hits within the context of Mon Montha’s arc, who was sheltered from the battle till her escape from Corsucant, and she or he witnessed Cassian homicide her driver proper in entrance of her, bringing the horrors of the battle she’s funding into her life.
There’s a couple of issues in Rogue One that you simply both have to simply accept exist as a result of it got here first, or as a result of there’s some character beats which will simply require interpretation, versus taking it at face worth. That features Cassian admitting he’s by no means been in a cage whereas captured in Jedha at Noticed’s hideout. We all know this to be false resulting from season one’s wonderful jail arc, so we are able to take this as maybe Cassian simply touchdown, or the writers didn’t wish to be sure by earlier works. I select the previous. Cassian additionally naturally by no means references or hints at his relationship with Bix, which is rarely actually a giant situation for Rogue One, however the ending of Andor actually makes Cassian’s final destiny that rather more tragic. I favored how she bought to observe the dawn whereas Andor ends his arc on a metaphorical sundown.
Rogue One additionally isn’t with out its faults; its opening twenty minutes or so fly by at lightspeed, with us going from Kafrene to Jyn’s rescue specifically feeling rushed and uneven, and it’s a movie that’s in the end gentle on characterization, which, relying in your tolerance and expectations, could possibly be a fault or a non-issue. Nevertheless it’s a gorgeously shot movie (cinematography from Dune’s Greig Fraser) with some nice motion scenes and a few real stakes. The ultimate act is wildly entertaining, with arguably the perfect house canine struggle within the franchise to this point, and the film simply feels ballsy and never secure when see that every one of the heroes within the movie find yourself dying in an effort to get the Loss of life Star plans to the Rebels. After I first noticed it, I absolutely anticipated no less than one of them to make it out, however nope. This, together with the extra war-story method to the movie, the place assassinations and transmission interceptions are half of insurgent life, helps floor Rogue One right into a extra mature movie. When coupled with two seasons of Andor, which do the heavy lifting for the characterization of each the present’s lead and the world he lives in, Rogue One finally ends up feeling extra full and realized consequently. Because of time, the context of the state of the franchise typically, and Andor’s backstory, Rogue One is a movie that might not be good, however is growing old like nice wine and looks like an earned finale for the Andor present.
