This is the Rogue One trailer that really matters, the one that lets us know there will be an actual story being told on December 16th and not just a campy romp through childhood nostalgia. I will admit my ass got a bit chapped last year watching everyone fawn over Force Awakens despite it almost literally being a remake mash up of A New Hope with a bit of the ending of Empire Strikes Back thrown in. I was ready to write off the entire Disney Star Wars take over as nothing but a cash grab that would inevitably just regurgitate the stories we already knew until our wallets were eventually completely empty.
Then a funny thing happened. A middle aged Australian character actor began to catch my eye during all the propaganda of what was sure to be the coming out party of Rey's mom. Ben Mendelsohn started to steal the show every time I watched a Rogue One teaser or tv spot and then the Official Trailer #2. His character, the quiet and stoic Director Orson Krennic exploded all up in Vader's face screaming about the "Poweahhhhhh!" and I was instantly intrigued.
Sure this is the story about The Empire and their most deadly weapon, how many Bothans died, how a female Han Solo realized she had a bit of Rey in her, how Stormtroopers learned to swim in the Bahamas and how Mon Mothma got her groove back BUT it is also the story of an ambitious outsider climbing the ranks of The Empire, having the balls to stand toe to toe with Darth Vader and let his opinion be heard. He will not stop until his twisted dream becomes a reality. His name is Director Orson Krennic and we have never seen anything like him before.
You can see in the trailer his palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy. There's vomit on his white cape already, mom's spaghetti. He's nervous, but on the surface he looks calm and ready. He has to lose himself in the Poweahhh, the moment. Orson owns it, never can let it go, he only gets one shot, can't miss the chance to blow, this Death Star only comes once in a lifetime you know.
And that kind if gripping drama is why Star Wars: Rogue One actually matters in the Star Wars Universe.
I give this inspiring movie trailer 4 beer cans out of 5.
