Friday, April 8, 2016

Star Wars Rogue One - Trailer Review/Recap: Battlefield Star Wars




I’m still calling this a Star Wars Anthology film
The Star Wars Rogue One trailer dropped this morning. First thing first, if you have randomly stumbled upon my video let’s do a public service announcement about this movie.  I saw a bunch of comments today questioning when this movie takes place, if it’s part of the new trilogy, and why is there another Death Star. If you are not a huge Star Wars nut like me then it’s understandable to have these questions. This movie hasn’t been marketed much up until this point, but let the marketing push begin. Rogue One takes place right before the events of Star Wars A New Hope. This is the story about how the Rebels stole the plans to the Death Star that eventually lead to finding a way to destroy it. There is one line of text in the original opening crawl that hints of this story, and I for one am excited to see how the Rebels accomplished this task.
I loved the trailer itself. The tone it set was exactly what I was looking for. A little darker than the normal Star Wars saga films. What really sticks out to me is how much they nailed the look from the original movie. This feels like a period piece with the costumes and sets they were able to get together. It’s like stepping back in time to the 1970’s. This alone caused me to geek out. The shots of Mon Mothma at the base on Yavin 4 and then of Ben Mendelsohn on the Death Star where Tarkin stood just gave me chills. And who is Ben Mendelson playing? I think it’s a Grand Admiral, but not necessarily a certain Grand Admiral from the legend books. We also get the subtle slow Star Wars music in the background which heighted the mood and tone the trailer was trying to set.
Then the klaxons start whaling and we see the Death Star. Yes I realize only two Star Wars movies have been completely Death Star free, but for me this doesn’t matter. I want to know this story, and we are still seeing the original Death Star and not another iteration down the line. Just seeing the scale of the Death Star and the having an old Star Destroyer as a reference was a great touch. The end with the troops running on a beach and the AT-AT firing at them was a perfect way to finish. The only way it could have finished better was to hear Darth Vader breathing at the end and to hear him say “What is they bidding my master.” I probably would have lost my mind if that were to happen. I know we are probably getting Vader in the next trailer, but it would have been another way to ensure people know that this movie is set apart from the new saga films.
Some people said they heard Vader breathing at the end. If he was going to be in a trailer, even his breathing, everyone would know for certain that Darth Vader is in the trailer. Another shot shows a figure in a cape and cowl kneeling with a couple of Imperial Guards in the background. This could be Darth Vader, but I’m not sure it is since he is hooded and we never see Darth Vader with a hood. It could this other figure we see in the trailer for a brief second. Regardless we know we are going to get Vader in this movie, the question is how much and when will he be revealed. I think to distinguish this film it should be sooner rather than later, but I understand other argument to make sure you don’t spoil the movie.
The only part of the trailer that bothered me the first time I watched was Forrest Whitaker’s monologue. I got a brief Battlefield Earth vibe. After I watched the trailer too many times to count today it grew on me and I didn’t mind it, but I did have a reservation the first time I watched it. It’s a very small part and who knows how it plays in the actual movie, I’m sure it will be fine. Nothing else bothered me. The Star Wars machine keeps rolling. I was excited to get my Star Wars episode 7 blu-ray on Tuesday and this was a fantastic way to top off the week. I’m not as hyped for this as I was episode 7, but I’m not sure anything will every top that hype. This was already my most anticipated film of the year, and this trailer only amplified my excitement. Which is what a trailer is supposed to do.
What did you think of the trailer? Was this movie on your radar if you weren’t a major Star Wars fan? Did it confuse you? If you knew about it did it amplify your excitement? Comment and let me know. 

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