Went to see Rogue One at midnight Wednesday evening. It’s the first film I’ve watched in a long time that has got my heart rate up. The final act is an adrenaline rush!
The fact that Jyn is wearing eyeliner is a small irritant, a sign that apparently we still can’t quite let go of society’s expectations of a woman’s appearance in a blockbuster movie even though a woman in her position would have no need for, or even access to, make-up. But hey-ho – the diversity is improving, but there are still far more men than women in the film.
Anyway, that aside – don’t want to spoil anyone yet, realise it’s still early days of its release, but for the first time a Star Wars film has given me a genuine sense of fear. I wouldn’t want to be there. It resonates with both recent and current events in the world we live in, of war and terrorism; you feel the resentment and horror of being caught up in the fight, a sense of being powerless and of, at times, being unable to distinguish between which side of the war is the “good” side. Horrific events have of course happened in most of the Star Wars film, but it feels so real in this one.
The film also clearly demonstrates how frighteningly good the technical wizardry of the industry is becoming with the resurrection of some classic characters. And that itself is, of course, exhilarating – and yet also opens a massive ethical debate.
Must see it again. Great movie. I’ve missed my imperial scum.
Seconded on the women-to-men ratio (there were like, three named women in this entire film!) and also on the eyeliner. That eyeliner really annoyed me.