Rouge One: A Star Wars Story ** (2016)

The first of the spin off films to the Star Wars franchise is a dreary and occasionally entertaining entry into the series.  Set before the events of the 1977 original film, Rogue One follows the group of rebels who stole the plans to the Death Star, the plot point that drove the original film.  For starters, these characters simply aren't that memorable, they are fighters and warriors and most of their dialogue simply advances the plot.  Felicity Jones as Jyn Erso, the orphan leader of the band, completely lacks personality and dimension. Action takes precedent over character development much to the film's detriment. The jokey charm of the George Lucas films is almost totally absent.  I understand that the creators are trying to expand the universe and add more depth to Star Wars, but for the most part Rogue One plays as above average fan fiction. It was well publicized that Disney ordered re-shoots and that's never a good sign. The editing gets rather jerky as they hop from planet to planet.  There are a couple memorable moments, but those are references to the previous films.  Darth Vader appears and has one great scene, but the rest is mediocre Star Wars.