Star Wars: Rogue One Review - 8 Ups & 2 Downs

by James Hunt

1. Krennic Is Underwhelming And Overshadowed

Star Wars Rogue One Vader Krennic
Lucasfilm

Ben Mendelsohn does a pretty good job with Director Orson Krennic, a snivelling, smarmy member of the Imperial forces who is determined to climb his way up the ranks, hoping to get full credit for his superweapon and impress Lord Vader and the Emperor.

He's fine as just a mid-level member of the Empire, but falls short here when he's supposed to be the primary antagonist for our Rebel heroes. It's hard to buy him as anything more than that careerist, and he's castrated by spending so much time arguing with his fellow officers and being beaten to the punch by the Rebels. And with the presence of Vader and another villain looming large, he doesn't get the chance to make the necessary impact that sells him as the main bad guy of the film. (Of course, it's a bit less of an issue when your other bad guy is Vader.)

All that said, I feel the need to end on a more optimistic note. Rogue One is another stunning entry into the Star Wars saga and, for the future of the franchise outside of the Skywalkers, it gives a lot of... hope.

What did you think of Rogue One? Let us know down in the comments.

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NCTJ-qualified journalist. Most definitely not a racing driver. Drink too much tea; eat too much peanut butter; watch too much TV. Sadly only the latter paying off so far. A mix of wise-old man in a young man's body with a child-like wonder about him and a great otherworldly sensibility.