Oh great, another absolutely hilarious video that people will link instead of actually discussing the film
/S
-
Hey Guest. Check out your NeoGAF Wrapped 2025 results here!
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story |OT| They rebel - SPOILERS
- Thread starter Quick
- Start date
- Status
Oh great, another absolutely hilarious video that people will link instead of actually discussing the film
"But have you seen the RLM reviews?"
Lifejumper
Member
Its kinda hard to disagree with this statement. Godzillas best moments were also action moments and not character moments.
Still enjoyed the movie, but im a bit baffled when people say R1 -> TFA. Wasn't the franchise all about characters?
They like the new characters in TFA. They're engaging and make you want to see where they go next. I think it's as simple as that.
I gave up on it once they started talking about the last two minutes being embarrassing and a masturbatory wankfest, to be honest. I do think that's there's plenty of room to debate what those minutes were - I thought they were a pretty brilliant piece of connective tissue, but can see the argument otherwise - but by that point in the review it was pretty apparent there was nothing there for me.
I loved the Death Star shots, personally. It was great seeing it from different angles - and I know that sounds like a fanfic comment, but I meant that like seeing it from the viewpoint of being squarely in the laser's sights on the ground has actual value. Stuff like that did a great job of making it really feel like an enormous station in the sky, and not just some ball floating out in the blackness of space. But yeah, to each his own.
I can't remember the GoPro shots, but I'll probably see it again at some point and I'll keep an eye out for them.
GotchaForce
Member
Why did Cassian shoot that one guy fighting the storm troopers with the grenade?
Back-In-Black
Banned
I've addressed this in my prior posts, I felt that TFA was derivative and at best fan fiction. It didn't expand the universe, it just wallowed as much in nostalgia as possible. And, while I thought the new characters were alright they had problems (Rey da GOD and Finn goofiness). Rogue One was more in line with what I wanted, an expansion and not nostalgia fan fiction. Also, while I would agree that the characters are thin there was still enough there for me to get attached to such that I really felt many of their deaths.
So yes, to me RO>>>TFA.
The Elite
BOSS
I wasn't too clear on this either. I assume he wanted the grenades to drop right there or something. Looked like a dick move.
because he would have blown up the armored transport that Jyn was using for cover - likely killing Jyn.
Back to the Future I don't think is a good example because the self-referential jokes are partially used not just for self-reference but also with the whole time repeats itself. Marty being woke up by his mom (or similar looking lady) wasn't done purely to reference the first film but also show how things can repeat in different timelines or eras. It was a timeline thing as well. For Indy, his fear of snakes is a well known part of his character so it's again less referential and more about it just being part of his character.
I certainly don't think throwing things in purely to please fans is a good approach to take nor should it be encouraged. Vader massacring people is definitely for the fans but it also fits the mythos and justifies why he's so feared. It's fanservice that expands the universe instead of contracting. Seeing Buttface Alien on Jedha is exactly the sort of thing Lucas would have done as it contracts that universe. The R2D2/C3PO shot was just lazy. Yes they should be on base but they're just thrown into a random frame with no lead-in or reason that they should be in said frame.
Anybody can throw some halfassed reference to another movie into their own. What should matter is the execution and how they do it. Do they work it in or is it a reference purely for the sake of being a reference? If it's the later, how can someone consider that to be noteworthy when even some hack can do that in a fan film?
DorkLord54
Member
One thing I find maddening is that, even after leaving Scotland Yard after having an indirect hand in Sherlock's suicide, Anderson's still an asshole even after moving to a galaxy far, far away.
bishopcruz
Member
More or less, had to stop the review for a bit, but I think their points are vilid, I just found myself liking this film a lot more than TFA. My issue is that TFA had a lot of charisma, and not a whole lot else. The characters were likable, but the story was ass. Here there were issues, but I didn't feel I needed to get to know the trope characters that much, because it was a straight up action film at the end. I do think that a lot of Jyn and Saw's characters in particular were left on the cutting room floor.
Back-In-Black
Banned
It took me a while to get this reference. I only now just realized he was in this movie.
Honestly, I should have expected such a reaction from them, especially Mike as his tastes are consistent. After all, he liked Age of Ulton WAY more than Civil War precisely because Ultron was pure schlock where as CW tried to dip its toes into serious waters in a universe that has a guy with a magic hammer and an android with a jewel in his head. He likes his schlock to be schlocky and his serious, serious; he doesn't want serious in his schlock and Star Wars is good schlock.
Fixed2BeBroken
Member
I usually like RLM's stuff but yea this review was just super overly-cynical and basically made me glad I am not cynical as them.
Glass Shark
Banned
I still watch them, but I've been really disappointed with how they've handled issues like diversity and gender lately. I think they honestly have good intentions, they're just really misguided. If they continue down this road I'll have to give up on them...
If it helps your bafflement, I found R1 very easy to like because R1 didn't crap all over the previous movies like TFA did.
If TFA is about the characters then it's about how all the characters were complete failures for ~20 years after they had that nice party with the Ewoks, resulting in the death of millions.
One thing I wanted to mention is I think Tarkin taking command of the Death Star from Krennic and literally firing on the planet where Krennic was is so badass.
Like what an evil fucking move on Tarkin's part. Stealing Krennic's toy and attempting to kill him with it. Such an "Empire" thing to do, I love it.
Like what an evil fucking move on Tarkin's part. Stealing Krennic's toy and attempting to kill him with it. Such an "Empire" thing to do, I love it.
Fixed2BeBroken
Member
Because he was about to throw the grenades at the tank that Jyn was taking cover behind.
I liked TFA, but the way it aggressively returns to the status quo of the beginning of Episode IV by blowing up the entire New Republic in a single scene was stupid and lazy beyond belief, and it makes the victory over the Empire and the celebration at the end of Episode VI look kind of useless and empty.
The First Order should not be as powerful as it is on TFA, or at least the New Republic shouldn't have been destroyed only to pander to OT nostalgia by having Leia as the leader of a ragtag group of rebels like 30 years ago.
The First Order blowing up like 5 planets at the same time, eliminating the New Republic's HQ was a completely unnecessary reboot of the franchise, in my opinion.
I enjoyed the movie, but yeah my overall feeling was kinda "eh..it was okay, but overall skippable" when I really thought about it. Watching the recent RLM also highlighted that even tho I don't really care about the criticism of fanservice (altho yeah, it was really distracting at some point. Especially the C3PO and R2D2. A narrator going "REMEMBER THOOOOSE ?" over it would've had the same effect)
Basically, boils down to "fun romp, but absolutely no interesting character except for maybe the robot and donnie yen". Speaking of, I thought Donnie Yen was criminally underused. What's the point of having a master martial artist if you're gonna show him off for a tiny bit of the movie....
Everyone else was just kinda there. None of their sacrifice were impactful except for the robot, a bit and the movie just flew by. At the end of the day it just stands out as a parenthesis, an anecdote with no real meat. TFA had also problems but at least characters I enjoyed which is what should carry a star wars movie.
Basically, boils down to "fun romp, but absolutely no interesting character except for maybe the robot and donnie yen". Speaking of, I thought Donnie Yen was criminally underused. What's the point of having a master martial artist if you're gonna show him off for a tiny bit of the movie....
Everyone else was just kinda there. None of their sacrifice were impactful except for the robot, a bit and the movie just flew by. At the end of the day it just stands out as a parenthesis, an anecdote with no real meat. TFA had also problems but at least characters I enjoyed which is what should carry a star wars movie.
"Little kids don't care about diversity" is something Mike said in the Plinkett TFA review. It's such an absurd statement cause he's a mid to late 30's guy that grew up loving Star Wars and made a name for himself critiquing the prequels. If he thinks Luke/Han played no part in that adoration he's kidding himself.
Like I have a friend that said they teared up seeing Chirrut in some scenes cause it meant so much to them having Asian representation in Star Wars.
SuperStiltzkin
Member
White guy says diversity isn't important? Okay. Go ask a non-white kid about diversity.
I mean, i get where RLM is coming from, but - blaming a movie that is basically the extension of a previous movie for "references to said other movie" is a bit ... weird.
It's fanservice if they add Legolas to the Hobbit, but having star destroyers, x-wings, ATATs, famous rebel as well as imperial leaders in a movie that is set at a certain time and place within the star wars universe ...
(except for the cameos of MosEisley cantina thugs, and maybe R2 and C3PO) - but everyone else is simply an important figure of that time and that war. I don't blame any WW2 movie for having Churchill, Eisenhower, Stalin and Hitler.
Sure, blame it for setting it then and there ... but blaming it for using Star Wars 'assets' from that era is like blaming any movie that is set in the 80s for using 80s movies, neon lights and shitty fashion.
It's literally a "movie set in the Star Wars 70s" - moustaches and all.
I feel really blessed so far that i'm someone who was able to thoroughly enjoy both TFA as well as RO, and that's not due to having low standards - i mean, i'm not one of these crazypeople who claim RotS to be better than anything that isn't Attack of the Clones
My girlfriend clearly liked TFA a lot more, so there's certainly something to be said about the nostalgia bonus lifting up RO a bit. (unless you're allergic to nostalgia / fan service)
And i feel that, whenever fanservice happens to have people in the cinema literally clap and cheer, i guess that makes you cringe even more. That doesn't happen in Europe, so i guess that's why we are often less appalled by that kind of 'nostalgia pandering'? because there's no "I know this thing and hence i shall display my knowledge by clapping and snickering in acknowledgement"
It's fanservice if they add Legolas to the Hobbit, but having star destroyers, x-wings, ATATs, famous rebel as well as imperial leaders in a movie that is set at a certain time and place within the star wars universe ...
(except for the cameos of MosEisley cantina thugs, and maybe R2 and C3PO) - but everyone else is simply an important figure of that time and that war. I don't blame any WW2 movie for having Churchill, Eisenhower, Stalin and Hitler.
Sure, blame it for setting it then and there ... but blaming it for using Star Wars 'assets' from that era is like blaming any movie that is set in the 80s for using 80s movies, neon lights and shitty fashion.
It's literally a "movie set in the Star Wars 70s" - moustaches and all.
I feel really blessed so far that i'm someone who was able to thoroughly enjoy both TFA as well as RO, and that's not due to having low standards - i mean, i'm not one of these crazypeople who claim RotS to be better than anything that isn't Attack of the Clones
My girlfriend clearly liked TFA a lot more, so there's certainly something to be said about the nostalgia bonus lifting up RO a bit. (unless you're allergic to nostalgia / fan service)
And i feel that, whenever fanservice happens to have people in the cinema literally clap and cheer, i guess that makes you cringe even more. That doesn't happen in Europe, so i guess that's why we are often less appalled by that kind of 'nostalgia pandering'? because there's no "I know this thing and hence i shall display my knowledge by clapping and snickering in acknowledgement"
Lifejumper
Member
Deathtroopers. The Navy Team 6 of the Stormtroopers.
Killer Queen
Banned
They're called death troopers
Death Troopers. According to the visual guide they're an elite Stormtrooper group named after the rumored zombie troopers created by Imperial experiments with necrotic tissue (which, according to the canon mobile game Star Wars Commander, actually did happen but the Empire covered it up because it was a secret project that went awry).
Film was okay leaning towards pretty good. The beginning was a bit scattered with planet hopping and I wish the heist was more detailed. The best part of heist films is the planning. I like that everyone died. It's the only way it would make sense. It's weird they didn't have the two leads do anything more than embrace each other at the end. Still very unsexual.
I thought Forrest Whitaker was outstanding. Classism was also great.
I'm still a bit freaked out by all the actors pulled back from the dead or CGI'd into the film.
The movie definitely felt closer to the prequels than the Force Awakens. It was like the prequels if they were made by someone with a firm grip on story structure. There were also some great real shots in this film.
I thought Forrest Whitaker was outstanding. Classism was also great.
I'm still a bit freaked out by all the actors pulled back from the dead or CGI'd into the film.
The movie definitely felt closer to the prequels than the Force Awakens. It was like the prequels if they were made by someone with a firm grip on story structure. There were also some great real shots in this film.
Sure they are, just ask Disney's marketing team: "What if they were black and looked badass?" "I'll buy two!"
EDIT: Well people already looked up Wookiepedia already.
Lifejumper
Member
Is the visual guide any good? Thinking about getting it.
I'm going off of things people have been posting about it on TFN'S Lit board but it seems to be pretty full of interesting stuff.
PeskyToaster
Member
That stuff matters to kids, just in a different way than it does to adults.
The visual dictionaries are always good. One of my favorite things to read as a kid. The original OT one is very interesting to read now. It's like a frozen in time history of Star Wars before the prequels filled in backstory. There's some big differences.
The visual dictionaries are always good. One of my favorite things to read as a kid. The original OT one is very interesting to read now. It's like a frozen in time history of Star Wars before the prequels filled in backstory. There's some big differences.
WadiumArcadium
Member
Yeah, if you like the others you know what to expect. It's got the cross-sections in it as well.
A ship that appears to be the main ship from Rebels appears in one shot during the Rebel attack on the fleet, at the end of the movie.
Also, I think the captain of the Rebels ship is mentioned by last name on one scene.
bishopcruz
Member
Only issue I had with diversity in Rogue One was that the empire was totally white. Like completely, it was just odd. I mean, yeah, they were lily white in Episode IV, but so was the Rebellion. It really stood out when Cassian wore the officer's uniform. He completely stood out the entire time. Not only because of his race, but his beard and haircut too. No way he didn't get stopped.
I wouldn't have said this was odd in the old continuity, but it is kind of weird since the new canon has been throwing non-white, non-male Imperials at us all over the place. Edwards probably just didn't want to make it stick out compared to the OT though.
TheOfficeMut
Unconfirmed Member
I know. So perhaps he was a little older and survived. Either way I am just speculating as to what his past may be.
PerezDeCorcho
Member
This was more enjoyable than EP7. The visual design is much more diverse and interesting; it feels more inspired.
Vader's... *final* appearance... was packed with ten times more menace than anything Kylo Ren did in TFA.
My gripes with the film have to be the messy plot and undercooked characters, however. What kept me going was the general premise, as I wanted to see how the mission would unfold. Also, some of the battle sequences stretched on for too long, in my opinion. I probably would have enjoyed this more if they trimmed out some of the excess fat and reduced the film to a solid 90 or so minutes.
Vader's... *final* appearance... was packed with ten times more menace than anything Kylo Ren did in TFA.
My gripes with the film have to be the messy plot and undercooked characters, however. What kept me going was the general premise, as I wanted to see how the mission would unfold. Also, some of the battle sequences stretched on for too long, in my opinion. I probably would have enjoyed this more if they trimmed out some of the excess fat and reduced the film to a solid 90 or so minutes.
I thought this was pretty good, much better than TFA for me.
One thing is that yes, this has a ton of callbacks, but they work better for me because this movie is directly connected to ANH, where TFA is supposed to be many years later and yet all the same people and events keep happening.
I did think the first Vader appearance was pretty bad (the dialogue just didn't work for me, maybe I'm nuts but Vader punning about strangling a guy seemed off), and the C3PO thing seemed out of place. The CGI Tarkin/Leia were also terrible.
I think the main thing is that the climactic battle of this movie worked for me where TFA just didn't. In many ways, I actually like the new characters in TFA more, but the build of the story just didn't work for me, and that movie really fell apart on subsequent viewings. Maybe this will too, but I think I like it more than TFA's first viewing.
One thing is that yes, this has a ton of callbacks, but they work better for me because this movie is directly connected to ANH, where TFA is supposed to be many years later and yet all the same people and events keep happening.
I did think the first Vader appearance was pretty bad (the dialogue just didn't work for me, maybe I'm nuts but Vader punning about strangling a guy seemed off), and the C3PO thing seemed out of place. The CGI Tarkin/Leia were also terrible.
I think the main thing is that the climactic battle of this movie worked for me where TFA just didn't. In many ways, I actually like the new characters in TFA more, but the build of the story just didn't work for me, and that movie really fell apart on subsequent viewings. Maybe this will too, but I think I like it more than TFA's first viewing.
I enjoyed Rogue One more than Episode 7, primarily for being more unique and not feeling like a reboot.
Some thoughts:
+ I really enjoyed the last 30 minutes and the entire battle scene. The space battle and ground battle affecting each other. It felt like a real suicide battle and they didn't back out of that. I actually loved how they basically all died.
+ The most interesting look at the Imperials yet. I really enjoyed Ben Mendelsohn's character.
- I still have an issue with the tone of this film and episode 7. The weird mix of comedy and forced nostalgia within such serious and dire circumstances seems in bad taste. I just don't think they should approach comic relief in these films as relaxed as they do in the Marvel films. It's hard for me to invest in the world and characters when it feels like a cartoon. I get that the old star wars films were campy, but it just doesn't apply here.
- Which brings me to my annoyance with the robot AI character everyone seems to love. The audience loved him too. I felt his level of sarcastic comedy went too far, and it's completely unbelievable. I get that these are kids movies, but the robot character's comedic lines weren't very smart or ironic, it was just bad comic relief.
- I really can't stand the speeches about hope. It's so force-fed. There's just no way these actors can make it engrossing or believable when it's so poor.
I feel like if Star Wars continues with the tone of Episode 7 and Rogue One, it will lose me. I was really hoping the Rogue spinoff would be darker and grittier, which is was, but still not enough. The tone of these new Star Wars just feels so off to me, like they are trying to appeal to nostalgia above literally all else.
Some thoughts:
+ I really enjoyed the last 30 minutes and the entire battle scene. The space battle and ground battle affecting each other. It felt like a real suicide battle and they didn't back out of that. I actually loved how they basically all died.
+ The most interesting look at the Imperials yet. I really enjoyed Ben Mendelsohn's character.
- I still have an issue with the tone of this film and episode 7. The weird mix of comedy and forced nostalgia within such serious and dire circumstances seems in bad taste. I just don't think they should approach comic relief in these films as relaxed as they do in the Marvel films. It's hard for me to invest in the world and characters when it feels like a cartoon. I get that the old star wars films were campy, but it just doesn't apply here.
- Which brings me to my annoyance with the robot AI character everyone seems to love. The audience loved him too. I felt his level of sarcastic comedy went too far, and it's completely unbelievable. I get that these are kids movies, but the robot character's comedic lines weren't very smart or ironic, it was just bad comic relief.
- I really can't stand the speeches about hope. It's so force-fed. There's just no way these actors can make it engrossing or believable when it's so poor.
I feel like if Star Wars continues with the tone of Episode 7 and Rogue One, it will lose me. I was really hoping the Rogue spinoff would be darker and grittier, which is was, but still not enough. The tone of these new Star Wars just feels so off to me, like they are trying to appeal to nostalgia above literally all else.
WadiumArcadium
Member
That's the thing, though. They legit liked TFA and thus you could tell the Plinkett review had to struggle to find things to whine about because people expect them to savage these movies.
And that is how we ended up with the real awkward rants about diversity and sex.
Tizoc
Member
Oh sure like these guys CAN'T be any more evil looking.
PerezDeCorcho
Member
Some things are better left on the drawing board.
- Status