rhettjthomas

This show is just unbelievably good writing-no one else knows how to write tension like this. I've watched Star Wars my whole life and desperately craved storytelling like this from it, and now we have it. Let Tony Gilroy cook!! The ability to weave payoff in the midst of so much tension, if I didn't know what characters are in later stories-I still don't know who is safe! And somehow I care about every single one of them. Cassian and Bix are the best romance in Star Wars at this point. Mon Mothma has already been revered for decades as the leader of the rebellion but to watch the cost take its toll on her for two seasons to lead to this episode.... It's just unbelievable how we have this masterpiece of cinema. Not just Star Wars; it's amazing sci-fi without all the decades of storytelling baggage. But because it's Star Wars, it's just... perfect. Exactly what we've desperately craved for years as Star Wars fans!

This is one of the most beautiful, visually-stunning films I've seen in a very long time. The story is deeply character-driven and intimate when the subject material is nonetheless grand and epic-which is exactly the kind of writing I love and live for. The visuals are unbelievable. The emotional arc of this film makes sense-I just would have rated it higher if it didn't feel like the pacing was rushed. Like, this story needs more time to feel perfect, from a narrative perspective. The third act didn't land as deeply as it could have with another hour of runtime, or as a series. If this was a limited series, it would have been perfect; just a little more time with the characters for the relationships to bloom a little more realistically and allegiances to change more realistically, and then that third act LANDS. So, stunning film but it falls a little short of perfection for me because the relationships and writing are wonderfully emotionally-demanding but don't have the time to land as deep as it could. I'll rewatch this film many times I'm sure!

When it comes to worldbuilding and telling a story, Zach Snyder is absolutely fantastic. I'm completely in for this new story-it feels lived in for a long time, the characters are interesting, and he's earned the right to be as extravagant as he wants. This feels like extravagant sci-fi like George Lucas imagined in the 70s. But it doesn't land. Hopefully, doesn't land YET. I'm curious to see how the story continues/ends in Part 2. Maybe it will feel less rushed over two films. Knowing that this was going to be a Star Wars film originally... I kinda wish it was Star Wars. The new IP isn't interesting enough on its own at this point, but imagining it as Old Republic or post-Sequel Trilogy would make this film fit where Zach wanted it to fit, I think. So ultimately, I liked it-I didn't love it-but I'm hopeful the sequel makes it feel complete and doesn't fall as flat as this unfortunately did for me.