Rogue One: A Star Wars Story [Includes Digital Copy] [Blu-ray/DVD] [2016]

I’ve been giving Disney a pass on not releasing 4K Blu-rays but I think that has to end here; especially when I learned that Rogue One was mastered in 4K. This movie is loaded with dark scenes, interiors, and an extended sequence on a stormy planet at night and there is a lot of detail getting lost in that darkness. The film was shot digitally so I can only assume the heavy layer of grain was intentionally added in post to give the live action sequences a more war-movie feel. It’s almost distracting to see the grain-heavy planet-side scenes juxtaposed with the pristine visuals of space battles that are crystal clear. Colors are realistic yet muted, and the only standout visuals of the film are during the final battle, both on the beaches of Scarif and the orbital battle outside the shield portal. Rogue One offers a DTS-HD MA 7.1 track that suffers from some poor mixing levels for the primary dialogue – something I’ve never had issue before in any prior Disney release. When I saw Rogue One in the theater in Dolby Atmos there was no problem, so something is up either with this particular mix or during the mastering process. There were several sequences in the film where I had to hit the CC button just to read what they were saying. If I turned the volume up to where I could understand the dialogue then I was blown away by the music and effects. There is great use of all the surround channels and ample LFE to keep your subwoofer busy during the battle scenes. Hopefully we see an Atmos mix available in the inevitable 4K release. If I were reviewing the movie it would easily get five stars as this is in my top three Star Wars films of all-time. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is a fantastic movie and gives me…err…new hope for the future of these spin-off story films, but when it comes to the home release I would have to advise you to wait. There is almost certainly going to be a deluxe special edition coming soon with commentary and 3D and more bonus features, and for you growing number of people with 4K TV’s and 4K players I’m betting you can get this same movie in 4K by the end of the year. Of course die hard Star Wars fans and those with disposable $20 bills can enjoy this film now and repurchase in a few months.

I like Rogue One better than The Force Awakens (TFA), by a lot. When TFA was re-released in 3D late last year it got rave reviews for it's reference quality 3D. Having and 4K OLED TV and a new appreciation for 3D, The Force Awakens Collectors Edition with a 3D copy of the movie, was an obvious buy. Not to mention I am a long term Star Wars fan and love all of it (Rebels and Clone Wars included). Despite buying the Collectors Edition on it's release day I couldn't bring myself to watch it. I don't really like TFA, and really only bought the movie for the 3D. The original releases didn't offer 4k, 3D, or object based audio, and one of which is required for me to purchase a disc these days. I'd seen TFA twice in 2D at an AMC Dolby Cinema in (alleged) Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, and once more as a disc rental around the original release in April 2016. I still just didn't really like it. (I'll stop here for brevity, about why). But with the 3D release of Rogue One coming out I decided to finally get around to watching the TFA 3D a few days before Rogue's release. I'd also seem Rogue twice in the theater, but both times in 3D. Once at a Dolby Cinema and the second at a new 4k laser IMAX. This made it hard to compare technically to the TFA as I had only ever seen TFA in 2D, and only seen Rogue in 3D. As I sat down to watch TFA in 3D I wondered if it's reference level reviews would keep me from fast forwarding through the stupid parts. It did. TFA gave the best 3D presentation I had ever seen. I was blown away by the levels of depth given to the picture. Hyperspace that appeared to go to infinity. Regular scenes were the foreground felt right at your feet, the mountains miles away, and each object in-between with it's own perfect depth. No pop-up book feel where lazy 2D-3D transfers just bunch a lot of near-objects into the same depth, which can make the 3D feel fake and artificial depending on the scene. This reference 3D actually made me like the movie better. I told a friend it made the movie jump from a 2/5 to a 2.5/5. I had great hopes that this Rogue One Steelbook I was getting the next day would also add that much more, to a movie I already liked. I would be disappointed. Now, Rogue One isn't bad 3D, nor does it detract from the movie. The last act has some very cool scenes where the cameras "attached" to the Xwings in the Scarif battle show a tremendous perspective of the action and the depth of the shield gate, the planet below and all the ships of both fleets circling around. It makes me wonder how good the opening scene of Episode III would look in 3D! However, the range of depth and levels of 3D in the film is nowhere near what the TFA's 3D transfer offers. In fact, in the first 2/3rds of Rogue, I would argue the 3D version is almost pointless. Sure there's some star destroyers, Jeddah long-shots, and Death Star ogling but none of this looks any better than your average 3D film. The pop-up book effect is present in the opening sequence when the Krennic's shuttle glides across a planetary ring. The rings in this scene feel flat and the shuttle seems like a closer flat speck on the screen. A Star Wars shuttle when filmed from most angle, with it's tri-wing design, should feel like a sharp object you can touch. Those rings around the planet should wrap off into the distance. Instead the shuttle felt like a cardboard cutout being hovered by fishing line in-front of a (very well done) high school diorama. Pop-up book. To be fair, it hadn't looked that much better in the theater. TFA was theatrically released in mostly 2D, and the 3D conversion was given a year. Disney had a whole year (or more) to work on the 3D conversion and what they created was a reference level 3D presentation. Rogue surprised many by conversely being a mostly 3D release. (The prior mentioned Dolby Cinemas with their 4K laser projections had only once before shown a 3D movie: 2016's "Jungle Book" which went on to win the academy award for visual effects). Rogue had notorious rewrites and re-shoots which meant a time crunch for 3D conversion before release. This showed in the 3D transfer that was released in the theater, and I'm not sure anything was done further for the disc release. Where TFA had a year to perfect their 3D master, Rogue seemed to have a month. I still like Rogue better than TFA as a film, but if I am craving some 3D Star Wars, Rogue is not the disc I am going to choose.

Usually before I go see a Star Wars film. I prepare by watching the prior films due to the new film's connection. However, this film is a standalone in the franchise, so I went into this film blind. However I did play Battlefront, not in preparation but because it's a fun game. After seeing the film, it was the best way to prep. Rogue One is actually a War film. I'd pretty much say it's the more Warsy of Star Wars film than any other feature. The focus is more on those enlisted in the rebellion rather than the Jedi. The film takes place before the events of the New Hope and details how the plans for the Death Star was stolen. Garett Edwards is a good director, I liked his prior films. I also like the change in pace of this film. I appreciate the slow build of the first half. In the beginning the film 'spacetrot' to different planets. I felt that we've visited more planets than any other movie. I like how vastly different each planet looked. The characters I liked were Donnie Yen, who always plays a blind warrior. In this film he's a true believer of the force. However, the film leaves a mystery as to whether he possessed the power of the force. I did appreciate that aspect of his character. The Cgi is perfection, I remember watching an interview where someone once said "the technology will one day be perfected to the point where you can bring actors back from the dead". Wow it is evident in this film, Peter Cushing is back in this film (I don't feel this is a spoiler since he's a major character in the plot line of the Death Star). The Cgi is perfected to the point, where there is no uncanny valley. People will watch this and either wonder who is the actor they got or will be dumbfounded in thinking that Peter Cushing is still alive. The action scenes were great, it definitely captures how brutal this mission was in order to get the plans. The Scarif battle definitely shows how outnumbered the rebellion was against the Imperials. My problem with this film would be the main characters. I didn't find myself emotionally attached to Jen Erso, trying to find her father. I didn't care for Diego Luna's character. They aren't as exciting as the characters in the previous films. Now before you say that's because these characters are new in comparison to other characters who've been in Star Wars existence for 40+ years. I like the characters like Poe Damron, Finn and Rey. I instantly like those characters and could identify their traits from watching the Force Awakens at the theater. However the two leads are somewhat bland and by the numbers. The rebel with a past, the devoted rebel captain who will stop at anything to complete the mission. I understand this film went in a more serious route in story. However they could at least given some appeal to the two leads. Alan Tudyk work for the droid K-2 is good, his character is hilarious as the dry-witted droid. Ben Middleson does a great job at portraying the pompous villain Krennic. However I wasn't as invested in Jen Erso and Captain Andor. That's a problem when you have a story that every Star Wars fan will know how it's going to end. We all know they succeed in stealing the plans. However it depends on how fun the journey is and if youre going to introduce new characters at least make them enjoyable. This film definitely feels like a Star Wars film, I heard a lot of people say that it doesn't have that feeling. However, the music, atmosphere and call-backs will remind you. My only worry is the over saturation of this franchise. Star Wars is known for taking 2 years or more before introducing a new film. Which explains why even the prequels made money despite being bad movies. The franchise knew how to wait and build up the excitement and anticipation for a new film. Star Wars is an event film, which is evident how this film had me confused in how to prepare for it. I'm sure I'm not the only that has a prep for these films, however since it's a standalone and we just had a Star Wars film come out last year. It left me confused which is why I came into this movie with an open mind. Which is unusual for a Star Wars film because, all fans have build up anticipation and preconceived notions after a couple years of waiting. I just hope the day will never come when the most beloved franchise will end with fans going through Star Wars fatigue.

Honestly. "Rogue One" is a movie answering a question nobody cared about, since "A New Hope" already told the gist of it. The cinematography, while muted in saturation, is rather good. The characters are a lot more bland, and K-2S0 is no replacement for C-3P0 either. Your experience may vary, but I didn't get emotionally connected to anyone in this movie. Except for Tarkin and Leia. And that's where the fun begins. Both of them are CGI creations. Tarkin sounds right, near perfect, but his movements were stilted - proving CGI is still not perfect. But his presence DOES add a lot to the film. Overlook the stiltedness in the same way you saw the AT-AT walkers in "The Empire Strikes Back" and it becomes a non-issue. Leia, on the other hand, despite being given the OK to animate by Carrie Fisher (who also lent her voice to the production) - despite an otherwise flawless and graceful fluid movement, she doesn't blink once and it's jarring (and creepy). The movie goes back and forth between locations way too quickly. Metaphorically speaking, it's like having a bunch of ferrets and them drinking red bull before letting them out to play. Kids not caring for all the details will like the fast paced, jostled action (which almost seems to do more to hide possible plodding). But in terms of narrative, anyone older than 25 who isn't Sheldon Cooper or Commander Data will have to jot down notes to keep referring back to. Minor potential spoiler alert follows in this paragraph: And that Darth Vader squirrelly fighting scene adds the biggest discontinuity going into episode IV where he's a lot calmer, less hyper, more poised and graceful fencing, strangling people from afar with collectedness. Does the Empire have better mental health care than the Rebellion? Just too many aspirations make this one-off fall flat. Of all the areas to shove in a prequel based mostly on secondary characters and cannon fodder, "Rogue One" was ideal. But it's less than the sum of its parts. No amount of effects, experimental or otherwise, could improve on that and Tarkin and Leia are EXCELLENT overall. Go see "The Last Jedi" instead. It has more characters one is emotionally invested in and is an all-round better story. And underrated, given the hatred of it when the same claims can often be applied to the other trilogies at near or same level.

If you are like me, and you skipped the release to theaters, but are unsure whether this film is worth the purchase, rest at ease - it is. The hype behind this film was almost unreal, with many people saying that not only was this the best Star Wars since Empire, but that it is the best Star Wars film. So much of this film was unexpected, beginning with the opening of the movie. It broke away from the traditional Star Wars prologue rising on screen to inform the viewer of the events leading up to the film's beginning. That was absent from this film, creating an euphoric feeling that I was watching something new, something with original thought behind it instead of something trying to appeal to the older films. This was its own film and it sent that message from the very opening, with a jagged sound ripping away from the dark background of space, just when I was expecting the letters to appear on screen moving upwards. The first act, sets up the female protagonist and her story, and here you will need to be patient for the pay-off. I found the hype to be too much during the first act - I did not think it was a special film. But as the film progressed, it grew on me. I met new characters, with quirky charisma and they created a sense of closeness with this Star Wars' citizenry - they are not predestined for unique positions of power like the Jedi, Sith, and political elites of other Star Wars films. They are ordinary citizens of the Empire, with little else than their will to direct change in their world, and the willingness to sacrifice all they have in the struggle against the Empire's dominion over them. This is the first time that this is captured in a Star Wars film. However, the final act is indisputably the gem of the film. The ending is atypical, not a heroic triumph in the usual sense, but a more realistic outcome for a band of disadvantaged rebel fighters taking on a hegemonic galactic empire, who nonetheless provided the most significant contribution to the later Star Wars saga through their wills alone, and their sacrifice - literally. Seeing Darth Vader was also a welcome surprise, but I think I have written enough to give a feel of the film. I was pleasantly surprised that I liked this Star Wars film when it ended, because I bought it on an impulse. For once, the hype behind a popular film was justifiably acceptable - this is definitely the best Star Wars movie.

"It is a period of civil war. Rebel spaceships, striking from a hidden base, have won their first victory against the evil Galactic Empire. During the battle, Rebel spies managed to steal secret plans to the Empire's ultimate weapon, the DEATH STAR, an armored space station with enough power to destroy an entire planet." It is with these words that the original Star Wars introduced fans to a galaxy far, far away nearly forty years ago; despite the nearly four decades between then and now though, those words couldn't be more relevant today. It is in these two short, but descriptive sentences that one can understand the basis of where Rogue One comes from and its relevance in setting up the dots that will be connected throughout the original trilogy of films. For a Star Wars fan, this is nothing if not incredible-that the smallest of details from within the universe can be fleshed out so as to expand upon the rich layers of the world George Lucas created all those years ago seemingly opens up endless possibilities. For writers Chris Weitz (About a Boy, Cinderella) and Tony Gilroy (Michael Clayton) though, one could see how this might be more than a little intimidating to take on. As one might be inclined to do in such a situation Weitz and Gilroy have more or less crafted an old school genre film out of a franchise brand that has more or less become a genre of its own. And so, Rogue One is a genre film executed in a film universe that has defined the science fiction blockbuster genre since its inception forty years ago. That may sound inherently disparaging, but it really isn't. Rather, adjusting the Star Wars universe to fit that of a "(wo)man on a mission" template is rather inspiring and director Gareth Edwards (Monsters. Godzilla) has skillfully adapted the rich and textured aesthetic of 1970's sci-fi to this story that takes place just before Princess Leia sent her trusty droids to seek out an old Jedi friend. Though Rogue One may not ultimately break any new barriers and will undoubtedly serve more as the rule than the exception when it comes to this new breed of Star Wars stories we'll be receiving consistently for as far as Disney's bank accounts can go (hint: they go really far) it is still a more than competent action/adventure story that introduces a few new memorable characters, worlds of which we've never seen before, and a narrative that despite every single person in the audience knowing where it's headed still manages to keep us on the edge of our seats.

How high praise can I give Rogue One: A Star Wars Story? How about that as a HUGE fan of the Original Trilogy of Star Wars films (Episodes IV - VI)...I now consider it to be the Original Quartet of films...Rogue One, A New Hope, Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi. I found the story of Rogue One to be a great and seamless plot that only built up Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope and made those events even more significant, knowing the cost of obtaining those Death Star plans and how tenuous a position the fledgling Alliance was truly in. If I had any complaints about the film it would be that one character in particular had too much CGI treatment for my taste. I think the CGI work was well done and I like how the character was used to further tie Rogue One and A New Hope together. I'm just not sure if recreating deceased, great actors via CGI is true, honored tribute...or an unintended announcement that we don't need those actors anymore. This is something I wrestle with personally. I do not believe that Rogue One or its creators think the latter. But on to the great... Just like in most of the Star Wars films there is humor, but thankfully to this viewer, it was less slapstick than we've seen in the recent additions of films and more witty dialogue. K-2SO steals the show in this regard, though there are plenty of gems to be found from the other characters. The special effects, music, and beautiful landscapes are just as we've come to expect from a Star Wars film. I found the acting to be of a quality higher than we saw in the prequels with deep lead characters growing with the events of the story. And the "Seven Samurai" or "Magnificent Seven" collection of heroes is a fun and engaging cast. Oh...and the "Easter Eggs" sprinkled throughout the movie...ties to other films...appear endless. Every time I watch Rogue One I see something I missed before. I really can't say enough good things about Rogue One. If you are a fan of the Original Trilogy of Star Wars films, you DEFINITELY need to add Rogue One to your collection! Enjoy!

Anyone who has read the previous "expanded universe" novels or dabbled with the Star Wars roleplaying game know that entertainment comes from more than just recognizable names in this venerated series. This movie is testament to that. While at times Jones's Jyn Irso felt flat to me, the robust supporting cast was AMAZING. Truly, this review would be too long to list how each character added to the story. And the way it ties into the original trilogy... I still get chills thinking about it. If you're a Star Wars fan, you're going to buy this. If you're not or a casual fan maybe it won't appeal as a standalone experience but I recommend you give it at least one watch. The product is great with Blu-ray, DVD and digital copies in one really nice "steelbook" package. The artwork on it- of Deathtroopers- I found kind of bland (why doesn't it have the characters or their ship or something more pertinent?) but a nice piece of Star Wars nevertheless. The reason I docked a star has to do with Best Buy. I ordered my copy online to be picked up in the store. I did and found when I got home that the hinges inside the case had snapped off completely. I heard them rattling around as I opened it. The discs were undamaged but the case is shot on the inside. the DVD "page" in the center now loose and moving around. Maybe I'm asking too much but the blue shirt at Best Buy should have noticed it and not put it up for me to pick up. Worst case, it was noticed and it didn't matter. That aside, I prefer this steelbook product to a standard case. One other caveat which may be only a personal preference: tell potential buyers what version of digital copy is being given! As someone deeply entrenched in Apple's ecosystem I want the iTunes digital copy. PLEASE, put in the description which digital version it is! Fortunately, most production companies offer a choice (as this one has) but it'd be nice to know when considering purchasing. In no write up on any site, even on the package itself, does it give this info.