Lucasfilm finally decided to create a standalone Star Wars movie, and it has been a huge success. “Rogue One” has filled up theaters throughout the country over the past week and will continue to do so going into Christmas. It scored one of the top debuts in history, starting off with a tremendous $155 million premiere. It has gained even more prominence across the globe by reaching foreign markets such as China and South Korea. Disney had been downplaying the prosperity of the film due to it being the first movie separate of the main 7 movies. They bought Lucasfilm for $4 billion and weren’t sure if this movie would attract the normal crowd of fans. The risk paid off big time as “Rogue One” is creating buzz across the country and has led to Disney breaking a box office record in 2016 for their movies.
The latest Star Wars classic is about a group of people who come up with an idea to steal the plans for the Death Star, which is the Empire’s secret weapon of destruction. The 134-minute movie includes ordinary people coming together to do something incredible to help save the rebellion. It is highly respected on movie review sites such as IMDB, who gave it an 8.2 out of 10 and Rotten Tomatoes, where it was given a 84% out of 100%. The success of this movie proves just how dedicated Star Wars fans are and how they will always show up to watch the films. It was also perfectly positioned as the holiday season coincided with the release of the movie. There are more movies like “Rogue One” that are separate of the Skywalker story coming later with a Han Solo based movie that is in the creation process.
This movie has also been popular among the Cathedral Prep community as numerous students have seen the movie so far and decided to share their thoughts with The Rambler.
Senior Kyle Burger: “The Darth Vader scenes were by far the best. I’m still not sure how I feel about how the plot was kind of thrown at you without much character development. However, for a standalone movie in the series, I enjoyed it, especially due to the action that took place during the entire movie.”
Senior Jed Bartos: “It was an overall good experience, with Darth Vader’s reappearance making the whole movie worth it.”
Senior Kevin Bello: “I thought ‘Rogue One’ was a fun movie that fits into the Star Wars universe very nicely. I enjoyed deviating from the Skywalker story and seeing all the new characters. I loved it and would highly recommend it to anyone.”
Senior Kyle Wagner: “I saw ‘Rogue One’ opening night, first showing, and it was awesome. As a lifelong Star Wars fan I feel this movie was the prequel the franchise never got. This film gave a deeper look into the war and went deeper into the part the rebellion played. This was also a Star Wars film that was darker and not as lighthearted as the others, and they did it just right. I extremely enjoyed the cameos of past characters and the references made from the past movies. The CGI that was incorporated was phenomenal. At some points I couldn’t believe that it was not real. All around it was an incredible film and a perfect fit for where the film takes place in the timeline. It is a must see movie, and I encourage all to see it.”
Senior Peter Bloomstine: “I thought ‘Rogue One’ was just the reboot that the Star Wars franchise needed. The reviews for the prior movies 1, 2, and 3 did not receive the great reviews as they had hoped for. ‘The Force Awakens’ also did not receive the reviews it hoped for, and it was highly criticized. ‘Rogue One’ patches the hole and the poor reviews from the newer movies to the older movies. It had the perfect match of old and unique scenes tied into one great movie. It also focused on the aspect of the wars in Star Wars. The movie was fantastic with action always around the corner, and the movie constantly driving you in. Also, the ending is one of the best endings in any movie that I have ever seen. Ever.”
This is extremely high praise from some of the students at Cathedral Prep. Whether you’re a Star Wars enthusiast or not, based on the popularity of the movie not only at Prep, but also around the country, watching “Rogue One” would be a great Christmas present for all this holiday season.