Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Kompozinaut

Sylph Sword
I'm a little surprised at how well this trailer jump started my excitement. Maybe Disney just knows how to manipulate my nostalgia.
 

Johnstantine

Skibbidy Boo Bop
Looks great. JEJ is still alive, so maybe Vader will be in this movie. It would be a shame if he wasn't.

Also, the cinematography looks amazing.
 

Griffith

With the streak of a tear, Like morning dew
Looks mediocre. The oldskool Star Wars stuff like Mon Mothma was a nice callback and cool for nostalgia's sake, and it would indeed be awesome if Vader plays a prominent role (though it's also a TRAP that could backfire horribly), but the whole vibe of this rouges gallery of a team just doesn't fit and clashes with that feeling. From the start where they're reading her criminal record it sounds like it's from any bad present day action movie where you're setting up the badass anti-hero. It just felt tacked onto Star Wars or vice versa, like new Special Edition footage with an ill-fitting Forest Whitaker and some fake samurai guy added in (isn't that supposed to be the Jedi in Star Wars? Are they trying to pander more directly to specific demographic of dorks? Was that Hanzo steel ya think!?). Anyway, by it's nature this isn't supposed to be anything special and I doubt it will be from the look of it.*


*Reserving the right to completely change my tune when they do the big Vader reveal trailer, and of course flip-flop again when the movie sucks and it's just another embarrassment to the character. =)
 

Aazealh

Administrator
Staff member
Meh.

Griffith said:
From the start where they're reading her criminal record it sounds like it's from any bad present day action movie where you're setting up the badass anti-hero. It just felt tacked onto to Star Wars or vice versa, like new Special Edition footage with an ill-fitting Forest Whitaker and some fake samurai guy added in

Yeah that's also how it felt to me. That scene where she's riding in the helicopter too... I don't know, so far I'm just not excited about it at all. Maybe it's because it's a side story that also lacks any prominent character from the main one.
 

Griffith

With the streak of a tear, Like morning dew
Aazealh said:
Meh.

Yeah that's also how it felt to me. That scene where she's riding in the helicopter too... I don't know, so far I'm just not excited about it at all. Maybe it's because it's a side story that also lacks any prominent character from the main one.

Well, at least the people that complain about the focus on the Skywalkers will be happy just for the sake of it, which I've always found kind of curious since they've always been the main characters. It's like complaining about how turtles-centric the Ninja Turtles series is.

Walter said:
Looks fine. Hardly anything to get thrilled over, though.

The whole endeavor was pretty uninspiring from the outset: a completely disposable story about a bunch of nobodies in a prequel concerning a very specific event of little dramatic importance and of which we already know the outcome. Are you thrilled yet? It's basically aiming as low as they can and seeing if they still make a billion dollars on what should rightfully be a three episode arc of Rebels. Can't wait for the sequel about the Bothans; finally, we'll know how and how many really died! "A Star Wars Story."
gutsbarf.gif
 
When I first saw the trailer I wasn't a big fan of it because it didn't feel like a Star Wars film, but having watched it again just now I'm warming up to it. It's nice seeing AT-AT Walkers again considering a lot of the Star Wars tech was missing from The Force Awakens.

It personally doesn't bother me that we already know the outcome of this event. If the movie ends up being really well-made and doesn't hurt the Star Wars world (hopefully adding to it), does it matter?

I'm not entirely convinced we know the outcome though. Unless Bothans end up being humans from the planet Both/Botha, this group might not even succeed in getting the blue prints. This could be the failed attempt before the Bothans' success or that helped them succeed. It's a bit of a stretch, I know, but still possible.

Outside of the movie just being a giant steaming pile, I think the thing that would kill it for me is if they change the natural understanding of what Mon Mothma said in Return of the Jedi like Lucas did with a lot of what was said about pre-Star Wars events in the original trilogy. For example, Mothma is clearly saying that the Bothans undertook the successful mission, losing a lot of lives in the process. If this movie changes it to say that this group of humans were the ones who successfully completed the mission with the Bothans dying, directly or indirectly, because of the group's actions, I'd be pretty upset.

Anyway, all in all, I'm not getting my hopes up entirely yet. I need to see more first. But I don't dislike what I see so far.

ETA: I do agree that the trailer itself is pretty bad/unoriginal, what with the listing of crimes and the siren/horn effect that's been overdone to death since Prometheus and Inception did it.
 

Walter

Administrator
Staff member
The "many bothans died getting us this information" line is actually in reference to the second Death Star's plans in Jedi. These are the plans Leia gave to R2 in New Hope.
 
Walter said:
The "many bothans died getting us this information" line is actually in reference to the second Death Star's plans in Jedi. These are the plans Leia gave to R2 in New Hope.

Oh wow. I don't know why I thought the movie was about the Bothan's mission. I guess I just assumed. They're really running with what was literally one line and a side comment from Star Wars' opening crawl.

Well I guess the good news is if this movie does blow we can shrug it off as part of the prequel trilogy since it takes place before A New Hope, eh? :)
 

Walter

Administrator
Staff member
I guess what bothers me about this project (and "bother" is too strong a word, given my current sense for this thing) is that it's the first time I can remember a Star Wars movie not being an event. It's the proper beginning of the annualization of the property. In other words, it's all downhill from here :sad:

Tangentially, I guess I'm interested in learning who the Grand Admiral will be in this. But even that's just merely satisfying a curiosity more than excitement.
 

Griffith

With the streak of a tear, Like morning dew
Walter said:
I guess what bothers me about this project (and "bother" is too strong a word, given my current sense for this thing) is that it's the first time I can remember a Star Wars movie not being an event. It's the proper beginning of the annualization of the property. In other words, it's all downhill from here :sad:

Yes, this movie is the flipside to The Force Awakens, which was like some sort of attempt at religious revival as much as franchise reclamation project. This is strictly in the latter category and basically the McDonaldization of Star Wars films, and of all the stupid anthology concepts out there this one is definitely off the value menu. Next up: a movie about the factory droids that manufactured Luke's torpedo that blew up the Death Star. Fascinating stuff! Although I still think they could strike gold with one of these at some point, if it allows some singular auteur to create a risky, transcendent new take on Star Wars that would never be allowed in a main Episode entry. This sure looks like it ain't it though and if they do too many of these "budget" Star Wars movies they won't even have the cachet to attract such talent. Can you imagine the Han Solo movie coming out like it's Ant Man or something? Ugh.
 

Oburi

All praise Grail
Walter said:
The "many bothans died getting us this information" line is actually in reference to the second Death Star's plans in Jedi. These are the plans Leia gave to R2 in New Hope.

I remember playing Dark Forces back in the day and thinking it was awesome how that game's storyline tied into the movie (I can't remember if it had to do with the first Death Star or the second) and it fit nicely. Now they're trying to get me excited about a whole movie event that's basically the same idea. It just feels like video game territory.

Now that i think about it, I'd rather play a new Dark Forces Rogue One than go watch it in a theater. :serpico:
 

Walter

Administrator
Staff member
The first mission in Dark Forces (the demo/shareware level, actually) was about stealing these plans. As I recall, it involved shooting a bunch of dudes in the face with a blaster and then hitting a big button.

HTML:
<iframe width="480" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jgu8LJ75SBM?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

It was pretty fucking awesome back in 1996 :serpico:
 

Oburi

All praise Grail
YES! They should have just used this for a movie. Kyle Katarn was a good Expanded Universe character. The Duke Nukem of Star Wars.

Dark Forces was so fucking awesome.
 

Griffith

With the streak of a tear, Like morning dew
Oburi said:
I remember playing Dark Forces back in the day and thinking it was awesome how that game's storyline tied into the movie (I can't remember if it had to do with the first Death Star or the second) and it fit nicely. Now they're trying to get me excited about a whole movie event that's basically the same idea. It just feels like video game territory.
Walter said:
The first mission in Dark Forces (the demo/shareware level, actually) was about stealing these plans.

Finally, the big screen adaptation of the first level of Dark Forces we've all been waiting for! :ganishka:

Man, that fact sums it up perfectly.

Wenliinvictus said:
I wanted some Vader, gimme my Vader fix trailer.

Well, so as not to be a total hater on all new things Star Wars, if that's what you're looking for, like me, Vader is a pretty big part of Rebels, and not some knock off either, he's voiced by fuckinhg James Earl "Darth Vader" Jones himself (he's not as intimidating as he was in his prime, but neither is anybody else):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uJxNd3LMHQ

So yeah, that was unequivocally better, right? Anyway, again, I really don't see the point of this movie if Vader isn't heavily involved, which would naturally segue into his efforts to retrieve the plans in Episode IV. But that also goes to my suspicion that this whole movie is basically going to be an overblown Rebels finale, but probably with way worse characters and a super generic non-Star Wars heist plot.
 
Walter said:
I guess what bothers me about this project (and "bother" is too strong a word, given my current sense for this thing) is that it's the first time I can remember a Star Wars movie not being an event. It's the proper beginning of the annualization of the property. In other words, it's all downhill from here :sad:

Griffith said:
Yes, this movie is the flipside to The Force Awakens, which was like some sort of attempt at religious revival as much as franchise reclamation project. This is strictly in the latter category and basically the McDonaldization of Star Wars films, and of all the stupid anthology concepts out there this one is definitely off the value menu. Next up: a movie about the factory droids that manufactured Luke's torpedo that blew up the Death Star. Fascinating stuff! Although I still think they could strike gold with one of these at some point, if it allows some singular auteur to create a risky, transcendent new take on Star Wars that would never be allowed in a main Episode entry. This sure looks like it ain't it though and if they do too many of these "budget" Star Wars movies they won't even have the cachet to attract such talent. Can you imagine the Han Solo movie coming out like it's Ant Man or something? Ugh.

Keep in mind we're talking about a film franchise that includes the Star Wars Holiday Special. The bar's not very high for non-numbered, canon Star Wars films. :ganishka:
 

Griffith

With the streak of a tear, Like morning dew
Skeleton said:
Keep in mind we're talking about a film franchise that includes the Star Wars Holiday Special. The bar's not very high for non-numbered, canon Star Wars films. :ganishka:

Oh, there's a good argument to be made that there's really only two truly good Star Wars movies anyway and a half dozen decent books and games to compliment them out of thousands of licensed properties that are mostly garbage through and through. Though, to your point and ours: the Holiday Special is infamously one of the worst pieces of media ever produced (and it's technically the direct sequel to one of the most important films ever made)! The prequels are also legendarily bad to the point people really never stopped talking about them. So, good or bad quality aside, it's going to be a little sad when Star Wars films don't stand out any more than those crappy EU stories, because they're all just going to be EU stories essentially. Compared to the Episodes this is merely going to be small time, pointless, disposable, and quickly overlooked except by those that covet such traits, "Oh man, this meaningless franchise cash grab was so cool it had a samurai in it! I like that there were no Skywalkers around! It's more gritty and realistic! I think this might be my favorite Star Wars movie because it's so different [read: I'm so different]! Give me more mediocrity by design please!" Ok, the first and last one were just to make a point, but you know a lot of people will be parroting those middle sentiments.
 
According to Bloody Disgusting,
the bad guys for this film are going to be a group of bounty hunters hired by an Imperial officer. This group will essentially be the bounty hunters from that one scene in The Empire Strikes Back where Vader hires a group to get Han Solo, give or take a bounty hunter or two. So essentially it'll be Boba Fett and crew. The (to me) awesome news is that one of the bounty hunters is supposed to be Cad Bane(!), the badass western-influenced bounty hunter from the Clone War animated series. Also, Darth Vader is supposed to appear in a "supporting" role.

I'm not sure I like this new info. Who knows if any of it will end up being true though.
 

Kompozinaut

Sylph Sword
Skeleton said:
This group will essentially be the bounty hunters from that one scene in The Empire Strikes Back where Vader hires a group to get Han Solo, give or take a bounty hunter or two.
You mean I might get to finally see my boy, Bossk, in action (honorable mention to IG-88, who was a total bitch to fight in Shadows of the Empire)??
 
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