Directed by Gareth Edwards (Godzilla; Monsters) and starring Felicity Jones (The Theory of Everything; Inferno; The Amazing Spider-Man 2; Hysteria; Albatross), Mads Mikkelsen (Doctor Strange; A Royal Affair; The Three Musketeers; Casino Royale; Clash of the Titans), Forest Whitaker (Arrival; The Last King of Scotland; Platoon; Rogue One: A Star Wars Story; Southpaw; Where the Wild Things Are) and xxx ()
Science fiction, 133 mins, 12+
Another chapter in the pop culture phenomenon that is Star Wars, Rogue One can be chronologically positioned between the events of Revenge of the Sith and immediately before the original Star Wars film; it tracks how the Rebel Alliance steals the plans for the Death Star.
Rogue One starts with Galen Erso (Mads Mikkelsen), formerly a weapons designer and now content to farm an almost barren land with his wife and young daughter. However, the Empire tracks him down and kills his wife, but his daghter disappears. She is rescued by Rebel extremist Saw Gerrera (Forest Whitaker) and, almost 20 years later, Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones) is liberated from capture by the empire after an Imperial cargo pilot who defects brings news of her father and they believe she is the only one who can get to him and to help get the plans of a new super weapon, the Death Star, with a view to destroying it. She is startled to learn that he is still alive and goes in search of him.
The 2-hour film - like all the other Star Wars films - has a basic storyline and lots of action and incredible CGI. While much of the action is shot and created in studios, and there is much space and flight action, the locations used are simply stunning. The barren land scenes were shot in Iceland, with the battle scenes on Scarif being shot in the Maldives, and Jordan is used to represent Jedha.
Rogue One is the first in what is known as the Star Wars Anthology series (spin-off series), with other films in the series expected to focus on Han Solo and Boba Fett.
