BLU-RAY REVIEW: ROGUE ONE
04/02/2017

OVERVIEW: The Star Wars Show and StarWars.com, “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” will be coming home on Digital HD on March 24th and Blu-ray on April 4th. This news comes on the heels of the start of production announcement of the untitled Han Solo Star Wars Story. “Rogue One” has established its place within the Star Warsuniverse and the hearts of moviegoers, becoming the seventh highest-grossing film of all time in the U.S.

Arriving early on Digital HD and Disney Movies Anywhere on March 24, and on Blu-ray™ Combo Pack, DVD and On-Demand on April 4, the release includes never-before-seen “Rogue One” bonus material that will take fans behind the scenes with the movie’s diverse, dynamic cast and inspired team of filmmakers. An intimate collection of stories reveals how the film came to life, as well as hidden Easter Eggs and film facts that audiences may have missed in the theater.

SYNOPSIS: From Lucasfilm comes the first of the Star Wars standalone films, “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,” an all-new epic adventure. In a time of conflict, a group of unlikely heroes band together on a mission to steal the plans to the Death Star, the Empire’s ultimate weapon of destruction. This key event in the Star Wars timeline brings together ordinary people who choose to do extraordinary things, and in doing so, become part of something greater than themselves.

FILM REVIEW:

Jyn Erso: We have hope. Rebellions are built on hope!

YES! It's back and more is good, very good, just what I had HOPED for. Ah hope, a key word in this film and pretty much throughout the Star Wars story. Even though we were just treated to Episode VII recently, I had just as much excitement for this film as I did for just about all the others. Why? Star Wars is getting what it deserves . . . expansion. The franchise is too big to be limited to a few episodes. For the first time we get a live action film outside of the central episodes that brings detail, fills in the blanks, answers questions, and satisfies fans. This film demonstrates that the sky's the limit with the Star Wars saga. There is so much story to tell and so much potential. I mention live action film because of the hiccup in the Star Wars franchise that is the animated Clone Wars film. I reviewed that film and I will never forget referring to it as blasphemy, reducing Star Wars to a cartoon is just wrong, BUT, I still enjoyed the film because if that was the only way I was to get more of the Star Wars story outside of the episodes then so be it. The release of Rogue One now makes Clone Wars that much more silly. Again, this is what Star Wars deserves. Yes, as you can tell, I am a big fan. You can even say I'm biased, sure, I'll admit it. I will also proudly date myself in admitting that I grew up on this stuff. I was there when it all began and I know first hand how Star Wars affected not only the cinematic world but the world in general. Bring 'em on, all of them, because if you make them, we will watch them.

Saw Gerrera: The world is coming undone. Imperial flags reign across the galaxy.

Mon Mothma: [to Jyn Erso] Our Rebellion is all that remains to push back the Empire. We think you may be able to help us.

This film is exciting and thrilling, it is intense and full of conflict. The action is quite good and the story is even better. I mean we already know what the story is, but the way it was presented was top notch. We also get a modern look at the old story. What I mean by that is it is today's movie making technology and such (cinematography, special effects, etc.) on the part of the story that in our cinematic chronology ties in just before Episode IV A New Hope which is the oldest of the movies. Obviously Episodes I-III also fall into that category but there is more distance in the timeline between III and IV of course and this one is the equivalent of an Episode III.9. One of best aspects of this film is how well it ties into the series, down to some of the smallest of details. If you are a Star Wars fan and have seen them all, you are really going to appreciate how true to the series it really is. This film transports us back to that galaxy and we are in for a hell of a ride. To help us along this journey we are accompanied by a mostly new and diverse cast which as a whole did a great job in keeping this fantasy very much alive. I for one am liking this female in the lead role thing going on lately. Felicity Jones was very well cast and does a phenomenal job at being a small beacon of optimism in the midst of such darkness. Diego Luna was also effective and Donnie Yen was one of my favorites. Alan Tudyk however was a scene stealer as K-2SO. His character is funny yet powerful and one of the most entertaining droids ever. This new array of characters further enhanced the Star Wars universe without taking away from or distracting you from the focal point which is that this is all still part of the Star Wars universe. A large part of the underlying theme in the Star Wars series is struggle and sacrifice. Well these guys demonstrate that theme very well. Kudos to Director Gareth Edwards for not only keeping the dream alive and strong but also successfully expanding its horizons.

Review By Cine Marcos 
cinemarcos@smartcine.com

BLU-RAY: The film is presented in widescreen in a 2.39:1 aspect ration preserving its theatrical format. The picture is just flawless. Not only the picture looks great in this release, also the sound it is good, a 5.1 Dolby Digital in English that provides a good complement to the picture. It also includes  English subtitles.

VIDEO:
Widescreen (2.39:1) 16x9

AUDIO:
English 7.1 DTS-HDMA, English 2.0 Descriptive Audio, French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital Language Tracks DVD = English, French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, English 2.0 Descriptive Audio Language Tracks

Subtitles - English SDH, Spanish and French

SPECIAL FEATURES:

Blu-ray™ unleashes the power of your HDTV and is the best way to watch movies at home, featuring 6X the picture resolution of DVD, exclusive extras and theater-quality surround sound.

DVD offers the flexibility and convenience of playing movies in more places, both at home and away.

DIGITAL HD with UltraViolet™ lets fans watch movies anywhere on their favorite devices. Users can instantly stream or download.

A Rogue Idea – Hear how ILM’s John Knoll came up with the movie’s concept – and why it’s the right film to launch the Star Wars stand-alone films.

Jyn: The Rebel – Get to know Rogue One’s defiant, resourceful survivor, and hear what it was like for Felicity Jones to bring her to life onscreen.

Cassian: The Spy – Diego Luna shares insights into his complex, driven character, who becomes a hero through selflessness, perseverance and passion.

K-2SO: The Droid – Explore the development of this reprogrammed Imperial droid, from initial pitch and character design through Alan Tudyk’s performance.

Baze & Chirrut: Guardians of the Whills – Go deeper into the relationship between these two very different characters, with Chinese superstars Jiang Wen and Donnie Yen.

Bodhi & Saw: The Pilot & The Revolutionary – Forest Whitaker and Riz Ahmed reflect on Saw Gerrera, the broken Rebel leader, and Bodhi Rook, the Imperial pilot who defects.

The Empire – Meet a dangerous new Imperial adversary…and cross paths once more with the most iconic villain of all time.

Visions of Hope: The Look of “Rogue One” – The filmmakers describe the challenges and thrills of developing a bold new look for the movie that can fit within the world of the original trilogy.

The Princess & The Governor – See what it took to bring the vibrant young princess of “Star Wars: A New Hope” – as well as one of her most memorable foes– – back to the screen.

Epilogue: The Story Continues – Filmmakers and cast celebrate Rogue One’s premiere and look forward into the future, to the Star Wars stories yet to be told.

Rogue Connections – Uncover Easter eggs and film facts hidden throughout the movie that connect “Rogue One” to the Star Wars universe.