All 11 Star Wars movies ranked from worst to best
By Josh Baggins
2. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
Sure, we love the sprightly tone of the first Star Wars space opera, yet Rogue One shows sci-fi enthusiasts that adventurous stories can also be told with an advanced level of maturity and gravity while zealously incorporating the same amount of heart that made audiences fall in love with this universe. The key is the storytelling quality and Tony Gilroy, of Jason Bourne fame, delivers his best screenplay yet with Rogue One.
Rogue One does not need to be overly complex to lay out an exceptionally arranged narrative. The plot details the protagonists’ mission to acquire the Death Star plans. Along the way, we are treated with great dialogue, world-class acting, and an incredible blend of practical effects and CGI, as well as just the right amount of comic relief (any scene with K-2SO).
The most substantial aspect that makes Rogue One incomparably magnificent is the film’s many tensely constructed sequences. A great example is Krennic’s Death Star “test” that destroys Saw Gerrera’s base of operations, applying pressure on Jyn to flee as she was receiving vital information about her father’s Death Star fail-safe. There is also apprehension surrounding Andor’s clandestine mission to assassinate Jyn’s father, the entire sequence leading up to the good guys killing Galen is inspired filmmaking.
And last, but definitely not least is the ending… and what an ending it is. The Rogue One squadron sacrifices themselves one at a time to retrieve the schematic and send it up to the rebels, only for Jyn and Andor to be obliterated moments later. Did this actually happen? And was it really followed by a final effort by Vader to strike down any and everyone who stands in his way from reclaiming the secrets of his battle station’s vulnerabilities? This extended cameo appearance could not have worked better – when handled by Gareth Edwards and his crew, the inclusion of Vader plays like the antithesis of fan service.
The combination of the devastating demise of Jyn and her entire team with Vader chasing down the plans until it is safely delivered into the hands of Leia skyrockets Rogue One as one of the best movie endings of the century. If there is any Star Wars film that can compete with Rogue One’s breathtaking, exhilarating climax, it is the top film on our list…