Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)

Rogue One is a standout Star Wars film and the best since 1977, a real war movie with textured characters, meticulous world-building, emotional depth and bold risks that grips despite known outcomes.

Edwards opts for a slow-burn approach over whiz-bang spectacle, delivering a visually stunning and quietly radical film that explores grey areas between good and evil. The third act builds to spectacular set pieces while counting the human cost of war in an unrelenting, dirt-smudged human drama.

The film is an almighty triumph and the best-constructed, most fun Star Wars entry since The Empire Strikes Back, with seat-gripping action set pieces and a palpable grit to its visual palette. Felicity Jones leads a strong cast as a feisty, understated heroine in a straightforward plot that fits neatly into the saga timeline.

The film is a genuinely thrilling Star Wars entry that captures the spirit of the originals as a prologue to A New Hope, with superb performances across the board and an exciting third act.

Gareth Edwards delivers a satisfying, gritty Star Wars prequel with gutsy rebels, a snarling villain and nostalgic pleasures amid murky shades of grey. It is an imperfect but bold film that grows more exciting in its final act.

Justin Chang calls it an uneven but thrilling addition to the Star Wars mythology that feels both casually diverting and hugely consequential. He singles out the dynamic action sequences and moments that ascend to classic status for praise.

Rogue One delivers offbeat new characters, first-rate visuals and a truly ballsy third act as a World War II-style mission movie in the Star Wars universe, though it is dark and earnest with an uneven middle.

The critic finds the film a convincing spin-off that blends 1970s nostalgia with modern CGI, bridging old and new Star Wars eras effectively. They single out the diverse cast's performances and the focus on character faces amid war-movie action for praise.

The critic describes the film as action-packed and engaging, praising director Gareth Edwards's spontaneous shooting style that keeps energy high and the large-scale third-act battle sequences.

A.O. Scott finds the film a thoroughly mediocre entry with a hackish script that leaves viewers wanting both more and less from its characters and story. He singles out the cast, particularly Felicity Jones as Jyn Erso, for praise amid the overall lack of ambition.

The critic finds Rogue One a dull and oppressive corporate product that never comes alive, with none of the characters properly developed and a formulaic adventure.

The critic finds the film an earnest but lacklustre exercise in franchise engineering that raids the Star Wars archive without recapturing the splendour of earlier entries. Characters are unmemorable and the narrative feels annotated into the doldrums, flattened by a mundane sensory style.

The critic finds that the film attempts independence through its focus on individual characters and actions but is frequently undermined by corporate demands for fan service and reintroductions of franchise elements.

Richard Brody deems the film lobotomized and depersonalized, a lifeless product of the franchise that fails to bring characters or effects to life. He singles out the flat script and constrained direction for the lack of emotional or visual impact.

Rogue One is the best popcorn war movie since Saving Private Ryan and the only great blockbuster of the year, a brutal and consequential film about sacrifice, loss, and the costs of rebellion that feels timely and powerful. Director Gareth Edwards delivers visually ambitious, massive-scale filmmaking focused on vulnerable heroes in a realistic war context.

Pete Hammond is surprised by how much he likes the first standalone Star Wars film and calls it possibly his favorite in the franchise. He singles out its gritty war-movie tone, hand-held camerawork, and appealing ragtag team of new characters as standout elements.

It is largely a success as a solid, enjoyable film that takes some risks with the Star Wars universe while remaining on familiar ground, though it is not quite a great movie due to some fan service and thin characters. The critic singles out the spectacular, epic third act as a tour de force of action and suspense that brings the film to a rousing finish.

It is a far more interesting film than The Force Awakens and a thrilling, ultimately emotional addition to the Star Wars canon despite some flaws and a convoluted first half. The critic singles out Felicity Jones’s terrific performance as Jyn and the exhilarating second-half CGI action and high-stakes drama.

The film pushes the franchise into darker, more nuanced territory with a sophisticated lens on the Rebellion-Empire conflict and strong visuals, but suffers from plotting issues, abrupt narrative, and underdeveloped characters. It ultimately succeeds in delivering a new perspective that encourages future Star Wars stories beyond Skywalker saga tropes.

Alonso Duralde dismisses the film as little more than fan-fiction overburdened with references and shout-outs to the original Star Wars. He criticizes the lack of character, plot, and story while noting a few solid action sequences and one empathetic speech.