Hah... I should explain (Rogue 1 Spoilers) (Gaming)

by Kermit , Raleigh, NC, Monday, March 19, 2018, 13:46 (2445 days ago) @ CruelLEGACEY
edited by Kermit, Monday, March 19, 2018, 13:53

This post is gonna have major Rogue One spoilers...

So, that final scene. On its own, in a vacuum, its awesome. Its the scene every Star Wars fan has wanted to see for 30+ years.

But...

In the context of the greater film, it makes no sense. It comes completely out of left field, builds upon nothing, resolves nothing, develops nothing... it is pure, unapologetic fan service, and absolutely nothing more.

The only reason anyone likes that scene is because of a bunch of other movies that make us feel like Darth Vader is awesome and/or scary, whatever. But that's why I have such a problem with it, and most of R1 in general. It's basically "Fan Service: The Movie". And that scene is the most egregious example.

What makes it so frustrating for me, however, is that it was so close to be genuinely awesome.

About 6 months before the release of the film, I read an interview with one of the producers (can't find it right now, but I'll try to track it down). At one point, when asked about Darth Vader's role in the film, the producer said something to the effect of: It's a small, but significant role. At this point in the story, Vader isn't exactly public knowledge. He's kinda like the boogie man. Nobody in the rebellion is even sure if he's real. So he's basically this shadowy figure looming in the background.

^^^ THIS NEEDED TO BE IN THE MOVIE ^^^

All it would have taken would be a couple lines of dialog at one or two points in the film about some kind of rumors of this dark figure working for the empire... about this masked man who can do impossible things, but nobody has seen him and lived to tell about it. We needed to know that the Rebels don't exactly know who he is or if he's even real. Imagine then how that final scene would hit, with that context created. Not only would it have been a cool action sequence (which is all that it is now), but it would have hit like a truck as the rebels face their true nemesis for the first time, and realize exactly how terrifying their enemy actually is as they just barely escape with their lives.

With that context, the scene is not only cool for star wars fans, but actually means something to the story of the film itself. It becomes a major emotional moment and turning point for the characters involved, rather than just an action set piece. But that context never made it into the movie.

I enjoyed Rogue One for what it was--mostly lost footage in relation to Star Wars (when I say Star Wars I mean A New Hope). There is a question that should be asked about all Star Wars movies now, which is why make them? The one good reason to make a Star Wars movie is to tell a good story, and Rogue One barely passes the test mainly by doing no harm. There are many not very good reasons to make these movies: to make a buck, to provide fan service, or to "update" them with nods to trendy cultural issues. You can accomplish the latter while avoiding the fan service issue with a kind of anti-fan service: just subvert or ignore the timeless mythological elements that made the original movies so good. Did I mention that I saw The Last Jedi again?