Rogue One: Many Bothans Died to Bring Us This New Trailer

[Aran nu tasar]

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I also didn't realize until I looked it up that Donnie Yen was the one portraying Chirrut, the Rebel warrior with the big guns who hung out with the blind monk the whole time. It seems an odd part for him, but at least he didn't get typecast.

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Chirrut was the blind monk, not the gunner. Which seems more in line with Yen's past work.

[Dilvish]

Spoiler: Not as bad as you think

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So Leia is sent to fetch Kenobi, and knows where he is. It's totally legit that she jumps to Tatooine, because that's where her objective is. The only issue now is, why was she at the space battle? Best answer I can come up with is her ship was already docked with the flagship when word came that the Imperial base was being raided, Admiral Gung-Ho took the fleet before she could undock, and then they just stayed hidden because they're supposed to be a diplomatic vessel, and openly attacking an Imperial base would strip them of that real quick. When they got the Death Star plans, they bolted, since it was all they could do, and gave the super lame "we're on a diplomatic mission, ignore that we blasted our way past you during a big space battle like ten minutes ago" was the only card they had left to play when Vader called in ANH.

It's not the best explanation, but it has the events in the film make sense.

That is my theory as well. The corvette and passengers found themselves along for the ride when the sortie was ordered.

[Demon 997]

Spoiler: Not as bad as you think

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So Leia is sent to fetch Kenobi, and knows where he is. It's totally legit that she jumps to Tatooine, because that's where her objective is. The only issue now is, why was she at the space battle? Best answer I can come up with is her ship was already docked with the flagship when word came that the Imperial base was being raided, Admiral Gung-Ho took the fleet before she could undock, and then they just stayed hidden because they're supposed to be a diplomatic vessel, and openly attacking an Imperial base would strip them of that real quick. When they got the Death Star plans, they bolted, since it was all they could do, and gave the super lame "we're on a diplomatic mission, ignore that we blasted our way past you during a big space battle like ten minutes ago" was the only card they had left to play when Vader called in ANH.

It's not the best explanation, but it has the events in the film make sense.

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It also fits with what I remember from a ANH, which is that Vader didn't buy the diplomatic mission bit for a second. I agree that it might have been better to have them just sent the info a pure logic perspective, but I think the way they did it was the best for keeping up the tension in Rogue One, and that most viewers don't care.

[hamishspence]

The Visual Guide also shows Scarif as right next door to Tatooine:

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which might explain why Leia didn't suggest undocking the moment the fleet started scrambling - since she was planning on going that way anyway.

[HardcoreD&Dgirl]

so I have a question that isn't really spoilery but the answer is...so

Spoiler: is he force sensitve

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the monk played by donnie yen supposed to be force sensitive? I thought the point was he wasn't... just a priest but the review I saw said he could sense but not effect the force... https://youtu.be/tZxzI_bU7XE

[Olinser]

Saw it last night. It was actually better than I expected from the trailers and information - it looks like the director actually took some of the criticism of the trailers and eliminated some of the more cringe-worthly lines and scenes from the trailers.

Absolutely 100% the best scene in the movie was right at the end with Vader going to town like an absolute BOSS on that squad of rebel troopers. On the big screen Vader finally gets to be the unstoppable badass we all know he is. I'd watch the movie again just for that scene.

Other than that there were some definite plot holes and plot threads that went nowhere (probably got eliminated in the re-shoots), but they werent that critical to the overall story.

The only 2 big things that I actively disliked was:

1) I DEFINITELY could have done without Uncanney Valley CGI Tarkin, everything he said could have been delivered by another person

and

2) STAR WARS HAS TO START WITH SCROLLING YELLOW TEXT. I know thats kind of petty, but seriously, you don't start Star Wars without the explosion of the theme song and giant yellow letters.

I'd give it probably a 7/10, as an overall movie its decent but forgettable, but I'd watch it again just for the Vader scene at the end.

[thorgrim29]

so I have a question that isn't really spoilery but the answer is...so

Spoiler: is he force sensitve

Show

the monk played by donnie yen supposed to be force sensitive? I thought the point was he wasn't... just a priest but the review I saw said he could sense but not effect the force... https://youtu.be/tZxzI_bU7XE

Spoiler: force sensitivity

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He can sense the force, like when he knew that captain whatshisname was about to kill Galen, also like when he fights like Daredevil and senses Kyber crystals.

Anyway, I liked the movie a lot despite not liking the different parts of it weirdly enough...

Spoiler: what I mean

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The plot is pretty barebones. Go there, find the macguffin, then go another place, fail, finally big climactic battle. Most of the characters are paper-thin (except the captain and the droid. I like them) I really don't see why everybody is raving about Jin being an awesome character and a feminist icon or whatever... There's a cool character in there I'm sure, but we never really got to see anything except a few glimpses of a disillusioned child soldier that quickly gave way to a bog standard tough person who gives cliche speeches. Tarkin and Vader are cool but they have all of 5 minutes of screentime or so (though bringing Peter Cushing back to life had to have been incredibly expensive so I give them a pass on that one) and Krennick is nothing special. The blind monk/big gun guy duo and the pilot were pretty cool but again, not enough time to really shine. The battle scenes were really well done though.

[Chromascope3D]

I'll be completely honest, I didn't even notice that Tarkin was CG. I thought that they had just miraculously found an actor that looked just like him, and it wasn't until the Leia reveal that it hit me.

[Demon 997]

STAR WARS HAS TO START WITH SCROLLING YELLOW TEXT. I know thats kind of petty, but seriously, you don't start Star Wars without the explosion of the theme song and giant yellow letters.

I believe this was a very deliberate choice to separate the "Star War Story" movies from the "Star Wars Episode" movies. I kind of agree that it should be there, but if they make a dozen spin offs it cheapens it, especially if some are meh or bad.

Also, not sure we needed the whole backstory infodump that those are for.

[Douglas]

I'm carefully not opening any spoiler blocks here, but I do want one specific spoiler: Do, in fact, "many Bothans die" to acquire the Death Star plans, and is that part better done than its first treatment in the old novels, where it was a briefly shown squadron of Bothan fighter pilots who got blown up in a rather perfunctory manner by (I think) a single missile? As I recall the whole thing seemed mostly incidental to the acquisition of the plans, like the author was just filling in a checkbox because he had to though it didn't really fit his plot.

[hamishspence]

That was only the second Death Star's plans. This is the first Death Star. As far as we can tell, no Bothans died at all.

[Douglas]

Oh, right, that line is from Return of the Jedi, not A New Hope. Oops.

[huttj509]

Oh, right, that line is from Return of the Jedi, not A New Hope. Oops.

No worries, not like you have any thread titles possibly confusing you.

[LongVin]

Spoiler: force sensitivity

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He can sense the force, like when he knew that captain whatshisname was about to kill Galen, also like when he fights like Daredevil and senses Kyber crystals.

Anyway, I liked the movie a lot despite not liking the different parts of it weirdly enough...

Spoiler: what I mean

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The plot is pretty barebones. Go there, find the macguffin, then go another place, fail, finally big climactic battle. Most of the characters are paper-thin (except the captain and the droid. I like them) I really don't see why everybody is raving about Jin being an awesome character and a feminist icon or whatever... There's a cool character in there I'm sure, but we never really got to see anything except a few glimpses of a disillusioned child soldier that quickly gave way to a bog standard tough person who gives cliche speeches. Tarkin and Vader are cool but they have all of 5 minutes of screentime or so (though bringing Peter Cushing back to life had to have been incredibly expensive so I give them a pass on that one) and Krennick is nothing special. The blind monk/big gun guy duo and the pilot were pretty cool but again, not enough time to really shine. The battle scenes were really well done though.

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I'm going to have to disagree about Jyn I think she has far more motivation and plot background than Rey.

Rey is just sort of thrown in there with no explanation about her skills or motivations. She's there to advance plot and show force powers. That's about it. There's no motivation behind anything. At least Jyn has a reason to be mad at the empire and have some of the skills she had.

[LongVin]

I believe this was a very deliberate choice to separate the "Star War Story" movies from the "Star Wars Episode" movies. I kind of agree that it should be there, but if they make a dozen spin offs it cheapens it, especially if some are meh or bad.

Also, not sure we needed the whole backstory infodump that those are for.

It also has something to do with Canon I believe. The star wars stories aren't considered full canon only the main movies are.

So there's no ewok adventure movies being considered full canon.

[The Glyphstone]

It also has something to do with Canon I believe. The star wars stories aren't considered full canon only the main movies are.

So there's no ewok adventure movies being considered full canon.

That is true, but not for that reason. The Ewok Adventure movies aren't canon because they were pre-Disney, and are considered part of the Legends continuity now. Post-Disney material, Rogue One and the Han Solo^2 movie will be as canon as the Episodes., and presumably anything else they make like Rebels.

[druid91]

So, I liked it. Overall. Though there were a few disappointments.

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Namely, the scene at Eadu. When the whole "Rebellion wants to assassinate Jyn's dad." thing came up. I was sure she would turn on them at that point. Jyn rushing onto the scene to grab her dad just in time for Cassian to shoot him. Her having a luke "NO!" moment and opening fire on Cassian. (Thereby making the K-2SO scene earlier on foreshadowing.) The X-wings come in just in time for Krennic to grab her and pull her out of there.

Fast forward to the scene at the tropical place who's name they said 100 times but I forgot. Jyn is with Krennic when the rebels do their thing. Only now Cassian, and the guys from Jehda have to convince her to help. They succeed and bam.

Then end the story pretty much the same way.

K-2SO was gold. And I liked the Gun and Staff pair from Jehda. I also liked that the imperial stormtrooper marksmanship academy was NOT in effect.

I did not like the way they treated hyperspace, or the jumpy nature overall.

[Ranxerox]

So, I liked it. Overall. Though there were a few disappointments.

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Namely, the scene at Eadu. When the whole "Rebellion wants to assassinate Jyn's dad." thing came up. I was sure she would turn on them at that point. Jyn rushing onto the scene to grab her dad just in time for Cassian to shoot him. Her having a luke "NO!" moment and opening fire on Cassian. (Thereby making the K-2SO scene earlier on foreshadowing.) The X-wings come in just in time for Krennic to grab her and pull her out of there.

Fast forward to the scene at the tropical place who's name they said 100 times but I forgot. Jyn is with Krennic when the rebels do their thing. Only now Cassian, and the guys from Jehda have to convince her to help. They succeed and bam.

Then end the story pretty much the same way.

K-2SO was gold. And I liked the Gun and Staff pair from Jehda. I also liked that the imperial stormtrooper marksmanship academy was NOT in effect.

I did not like the way they treated hyperspace, or the jumpy nature overall.

You are the second poster to be upset that the movie didn't go where it it was foreshadowed that it might with Cassian's mission. Isn't it horrible when movies aren't as predictable as we want them to be?

[druid91]

You are the second poster to be upset that the movie didn't go where it it was foreshadowed that it might with Cassian's mission. Isn't it horrible when movies aren't as predictable as we want them to be?

Hope =/= Predictable.

Honestly I knew it wasn't going to go that way for reasons.

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Primarily the fighter squadron. When I heard that, I knew they were going to take the blame off of Cassian, and then from there Cassian would reel her in to helping the rebellion. Also the whole thing with her father being found out by the empire.

[enderlord99]

Spoiler: This is a huge spoiler.

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[Admiral Squish]

I felt like I needed a cigarette after that movie.
It was just so satisfying.
I do hope that, in the future, they'll branch out into Star Wars movies that don't revolve around the main storyline quite so heavily. I loved this but I also think the Star Wars universe has a lot of potential for interesting stories that aren't explored because they aren't directly related to the main characters. I'd kill to see something more like Clone Wars but in movie form with a massive budget.

[Fri]

There are some points I can nitpick, but I love it a lot, because it's a specific premise I really like.

That is, if you don't mind obtuse annoying comparison, story about GM squadron in a Gundam setting.

My friends should know that it's a specific premise I like a lot.

[Ranxerox]

Hope =/= Predictable.

Honestly I knew it wasn't going to go that way for reasons.

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Primarily the fighter squadron. When I heard that, I knew they were going to take the blame off of Cassian, and then from there Cassian would reel her in to helping the rebellion. Also the whole thing with her father being found out by the empire.

Yeah, but you saw it go the other way because of K-2SO's comment, another poster saw it going to other way due that comment and the comment had me thinking it might go the other way too. So if it had gone like that, I think people would be calling it predictable.

Spoiler: The Road Not Taken

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Now had Cassain killed the father, that certainly would have added angst and drama but would it have made for a better movie?

"You killed my father but I forgive you since you were following orders and from a big picture perspective it might have been the right thing to do" just isn't a thing. It is not going to be a thing for Jin unless they write her really poorly and it is unlikely to be a thing for audiences.

Still, I grant you, seeing them try to walk back an unforgivable crime like that would have been interesting, and I can see why would hope they would go that route. However, it is only interesting if they succeed. Anyone can poise a really hard film making challenge and then fail at it, and Gareth Edwards is no Martin Scorsese, so fail they would.

They went the right route by allowing the Cassian, and by extension the Rebellion, to have a conscious and a soul. The K-2SO remark was there to create tension by pointing to another possible plot and it worked in that regard.

[druid91]

Yeah, but you saw it go the other way because of K-2SO's comment, another poster saw it going to other way due that comment and the comment had me thinking it might go the other way too. So if it had gone like that, I think people would be calling it predictable.

Spoiler: The Road Not Taken

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Now had Cassain killed the father, that certainly would have added angst and drama but would it have made for a better movie?

"You killed my father but I forgive you since you were following orders and from a big picture perspective it might have been the right thing to do" just isn't a thing. It is not going to be a thing for Jin unless they write her really poorly and it is unlikely to be a thing for audiences.

Still, I grant you, seeing them try to walk back an unforgivable crime like that would have been interesting, and I can see why would hope they would go that route. However, it is only interesting if they succeed. Anyone can poise a really hard film making challenge and then fail at it, and Gareth Edwards is no Martin Scorsese, so fail they would.

They went the right route by allowing the Cassian, and by extension the Rebellion, to have a conscious and a soul. The K-2SO remark was there to create tension by pointing to another possible plot and it worked in that regard.

Spoiler: The Road Not Taken

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Alternatively, there could be no forgiveness at all. Jyn would join the empire in a moment of passion and anger. Then when she cools down, realize she still has to complete her fathers work by turning over the plans to the death star so that it could be destroyed. Or else their family was torn apart for nothing. Or else her father bowed and scraped for nothing.

While this way certainly portrays the rebellion in a more heroic light. That's someone at odds with Cassian coldly shooting his collaborator in the back at the start of the movie.

[Darth Ultron]

The movie was OK, but not great. I get the feeling that it really suffered from Executive Meddling, Too Many Bosses, Political Correctness and an agenda. The whole movie is built around the Death Star Plans in a very transparent ploy to ''force'' fans to go see it as it reveals ''unknown secretes of Star Wars''. After that ''plot thread'' they just add on the ''needed'' things: Female lead action anti-hero, Diverse cast of good guys, All white bad guys, Space Battles, The Droid, the TV show/video game tie ins and CGI explosions.

Spoiler: Explosions

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When they release this so you can buy it, think the ''special edition'' will add ''donuts of fire'' when the Death Star blows up things on the planets?

So, you get a movie full of the ''things it must have'', but then little else....

Take poor Jyn Erso...

Spoiler: Jyn Erso

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I was very disappointed in this character. She gets introduced with the roar of ''look at her, a woman in a Star Wars movie''.....but then after a couple minutes she is just there for the rest of the movie. She sure gets lost in the diverse group of good guys, evil white guys, and CGI guys in the movie.

I remember watching the trailer were they read her crimes and she answers ''this is a rebellion, I rebel'' and thought she might have been a interesting character. A rouge rebel. A tough, strong, powerful character that does things her own way. But that line is cut from the movie, as is anything close to that character.

It gets worse as she is not even picked as she is ''good'' at anything, she is just picked as ''she knows a guy''.

The ''dad'' plot was a bit weak....but if it is there, why not use it? We missed her big confrontation with Orson Krennic. It would have been great for them to fight and for her to kill him for ''ruining her family''. Or you know, if you did not want her to be that ''dark and tough'' she could have just dropped her blaster and said the old ''I won't do it, I'm better then you'' line.

Spoiler: Darth Vader

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I was not so happy to see him. The pointless bit with him and Krennic is just pointless. And sure Krennic is a dumb, pointless, useless, non-villain who follows Imperial Dumbness by talking back to Lord Vader like it was his first day on the job.

The 20th level Darth Vader vs the zero level mooks was fun to watch....but again pointless. Like everyone knows Vader could wipe out the whole rebellion, someday. But to show it is just dull.

Really....it would have been so much better to have Darth Vader kill off all the diverse characters. Give them better deaths then ''oh a vague explosion'' death.

And right before he got to kill Jyn and her new boy friend, the blast hits! They hug and die, but Vader uses his light saber to make a little bubble shield(you know like he does in Star Wars Commander).

[Peelee]

Political Correctness and an agenda.... All white bad guys

Oh man, tell me about it. I had that same gripe with the original Star Wars movies. And Schindler's List. And Die Hard. Back to the Future. All the Batman movies. The Terminator. Memento. Dr Strangelove. HOME MOTHER****ING ALONE.

Man, that agenda these days.

[Razade]

Oh man, tell me about it. I had that same gripe with the original Star Wars movies. And Schindler's List. And Die Hard. Back to the Future. All the Batman movies. The Terminator. Memento. Dr Strangelove. HOME MOTHER****ING ALONE.

Man, that agenda these days.

If anything all that proves is that Europeans are evil. Not white people.

[Peelee]

If anything all that proves is that Europeans are evil. Not white people.

Well, only in Schindler's List and Die Hard, of my list.

[Razade]

Well, only in Schindler's List and Die Hard, of my list.

The Imperials have a British accent so clearly they're from Space Europe. Strangeglove's Cold War...Russians are Europeans?

[Fri]

Also one thing that many people here apparently hate but I actually like, is the villain. He's just an ineffective middle management paper pusher. I love it. Just with how the heroes are mooks in "main character" story, the villain is also mook if seen from the main character story. His villainy is petty and personal.

Once again, to confirm, this is a premise my friends know I personally love. Mook story in the middle of an existing superhero story. GM and Zaku squad personal story in the middle of Gundam battle. SWAT team or paramedics on the ground while superheroes duke it out in the sky.