"Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" Teaser Trailer Review

So we finally have a teaser trailer for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. But before I delve into it, I have to address the title. I really did prefer the previous title, Star Wars Anthology: Rogue One. Something about "A Star Wars Story" just does not feel right. I understand that Disney really wants to emphasize the fact that this is not part of the new trilogy, but I think "anthology" gets that across well and it sounds better.

We are introduced to Felicity Jones' character as having been captured by the rebels (with a beautiful piano motif of the Star Wars theme in the background). We see that she is a sort of criminal and has a very tough persona. We have not seen a female character like this in a Star Wars movie yet so it will be interesting to see how that goes. What I love about the opening is that we get to see the classic Rebel uniform with the black and white helmet and that we get a good look at the inside of the Yavin base. That is unmistakably the same Rebel base from the end of A New Hope. You can also see an X-Wing in the background, which is always a plus.

Next we get a good look at the war room where all the plans are discussed and a very special treat; Mon Mothma. The actress they have playing Mon Mothma is the same one that was cut from Revenge of the Sith, and she looks identical to the original actress. We then see a bit of Jones' character do some fighting with a droid behind her. We see this droid once more later on but I am very curious about it since I have not heard any details about it until now. This is also where we get a very cheesy line: "This is a rebellion isn't it? I rebel." I really hope it was only cut together that way for the trailer and that the two sentences are actually separate in the film.

Next we see the final stages of the Death Star's construction We see the dish being placed on the massive space station as well as plenty of Star Destroyers. The Star Destroyers look absolutely phenomenal. If you told me those were models and not CGI, I would completely believe you. Whether they are practical or digital, the Star Destroyers have never looked this good. We then get a blaring alarm that will be familiar to fans of the franchise. That classic Death Star alarm is what I like to call, a single note of nostalgia.

Then we see something very interesting. We see a man wearing a grand admiral uniform, which is something that has yet to be depicted in the films. There has been a lot of speculation as to whether or not Grand Admiral Thrawn would make an appearance in Rogue One, and this might be our first clue. I do not think the filmmakers would throw away Thrawn's iconic blue skin and red eyes, mainly because fans would be so outraged that they stripped him of Chiss origins, so I do not think this man is Thrawn. But we shall see.

Next, we are introduced to Forest Whitaker's character who proceeds to narrate the rest of the trailer. He looks like an interesting character, one with a heavy backstory. We get plenty of stormtrooper action as well as some new, black armored stormtroopers. This is the movie the stormtroopers need. We already know that there cannot be a huge victory in this movie because we never see any of these characters again and the Death Star will not be destroyed. This is the film to showcase how deadly the stormtroopers can be and why they are a legitimate threat. I really hope they actually cause significant damage this time around.

We get a glimpse at Donnie Yen's character and it appears as if he will be kicking all sorts of ass throughout the film. Then we get a very intriguing juxtaposition. We have a grand admiral with his back to the camera walking in water to the shore. The trailer then cuts to what I assume is a chamber inside the Death Star where we see a black hooded figure along with two Imperial guards. Then, the black figure kneels. This cannot be the Emperor because he bows to no one. So is it Darth Vader? But then why the hood? Perhaps it is Thrawn. Who knows?

But then we get my favorite part of the trailer. We are treated to a low angle tracking shot that follows some Rebel soldiers running across a beach. The camera slowly pans upwards to reveal a bunch of AT-ATs that are wreaking havoc on the tropical location, which is a nice change of locale. This is such a beautiful shot and really gets across the war-themed feel of the picture. If this were a poster, I would probably buy it. And then we get our final shot. We see Jones' character once more, but wearing an Imperial TIE-fighter pilot's uniform. I am pretty sure she is undercover but perhaps the film will prove me wrong.

So those are my ramblings on the new Rogue One trailer. I dug the hell out of it and found it very satisfying. It gave hardcore fans enough to please them (Mon Mothma, AT-ATs, a grand admiral) but it did not alienate newcomers to the franchise by throwing in too many references. I am surprised we did not get to see anything of Vader, not even his breathing. But I suppose Disney is holding onto that card and will play it when the time is right. This truly feels like a war movie and I love the tone they are going for. December cannot get here fast enough.