Read on for RetroZap staff reactions and analysis for the Rogue One Olympics Trailer!
For big moments like this, it helps to get a lot of perspectives. So, that is what we’ve done here. For you! Read on for a host of opinions on the new Rogue One Olympics trailer.
Joe Tavano
With Phelps with the Gold and i in my cap, I’d just settled down for a long summer’s nap. Actually, No, that’s not how this begins at all. As Brews and Blasters was about to record, Chris Salton and I saw a tweet from none other than Peter Mayhew. Chewbacca let us know that the Rogue One Olympics trailer was airing! We rushed out of the studio to see it on the big TV, and what I site it was. Rogue One looks to be tough, gritty, action-packed, and full of memorable one-liners from heroes equally as memorable.
The Characters
However, although some have found a way to lend criticism to a movie not yet finished, there’s a lot of heart that’s hinted at in this film, too. Cassian Andor’s devotion to the mission, the team, and to Jyn. Kaytoo Esso’s undeniable charm and mystique. Chirrut Imwe’s absolute, Ghost-Dog-like badass-ery. Baze Malbus and his big gun. And the unflappable Jyn Erso herself, who is a smart-talking rock to which the rest of the action gravitates around.
The Color
Character’s aside, it’s time to start appreciating Gareth Edwards and his use of color and scale. By rights, this could be a dimly-lit, beige-filtered bore fest in the mud; The Thin Red Line without the red. However, there are green and red glows, red and blue scenery, daylight, shadow and all chiaroscuro in between. A flash of bronze metal in Kaytoo stands out against his gunmetal grey body; The red eye of an AT-ACT shines against the play blue of a beachfront battle. Just as with the trails of cloud that follow paratroopers as they descend upon Godzilla, Rogue One looks to have its colors pop. It adds to the wow factor that already exists within the galaxy far, far away.
The Scale
And then there’s Edwards’ preternatural ability to present scale on a screen without losing track of the action. Whether it’s a diminutive Death Star eclipsing the sun of Jedha or a tiny U-Wing drifting through blue mountains or a Coriolis storm engulfing a fighter, the scale that Edwards’ presents the audience is unlike anything Lucas sought to do, and a refreshing visual style.
Yes, I worry a little about the statue-esque Felicity Jones. She is decidedly reserved in her approach to the character, but now is nowhere near a time to level any judgments. Abandon all critique, ye who enter here, for a trailer, and allow it to function as what it wants to be–a short film package designed to excite you. And the Rogue One Olympics trailer very much did its job.
Also–WHY IS THE DEATH STAR UPSIDE DOWN?!
Final thought: Is the bone-white Star Destroyer that color because it belongs to Director Krennic?
Dan Lizotte
After waiting and watching American Olympians dominate the world, I was rewarded with what can only be described as an out-of-body experience. For reasons I have no answer to, I have been looking forward to this movie way more than I was with The Force Awakens.
Right off the bat, the score for the Rogue One Olympics trailer was fantastic. The brief moments shown of the new characters revealed that these characters have very unique pasts. I can’t wait to learn more. The icing on the cake were by far the X-Wings and seeing a glimpse of Vader.
I still do wonder if new or casual Star Wars fans truly will grasp what the main point of this film will be. As for me? I am as happy as can be. It looks amazing. Now time to go into isolation to ensure I make it to December. What a time to be alive.
Mike Audette
I keep saying that I don’t think I can get anymore hyped for this movie than I already am.
However, it seems that every time something new is released, I am proven wrong.
There were so many amazing moments from the Rogue One Olympics trailer.
Jyn Erso showing her strength staring down a TIE fighter.
Cassian Andor with charisma for days. X-Wings.
Saw Gerrera being mysterious as hell.
Baze and Chirrut kicking ass.
Darth Vader.
December.
Mike Harris
The Rogue One Olympics trailer was incredible. It was well worth sitting through a couple hours of “the sports.” Aside from a new overview of the film, what stood out to me were the character moments.
I finally heard from Kaytoo, Alan Tudyk’s droid, and the relationship between he and Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) is something I’m really looking forward to. I got some more dialogue from Saw Gerrara, Baze Malbus, and Chirrut Imwe too, giving me some insight into their motivations for joining the Rebellion.
“All is as the Force wills it”
This trailer emphasized a “Band of Brothers “ feel, so any worries about it being watered down can be dismissed. My favorite part of the Rogue One Olympics trailer, hands down, has to be the score. Although trailer music can be very different from the final score, what I heard felt very Star Wars, but also very unique. I can’t wait for the soundtrack! Star Destroyers, X-Wings, upside down Death Stars!?
Bring on December!
Courtney Martin
“The world is coming undone.”
Rogue One is going to be a Star Wars movie unlike any of the others. The trailers for this film keep getting better and better. Undeniably, this is a war movie. Battles, gritty down-in-the-dirt fighting, and the ultimate good vs. evil showdown.
I love, love how many new shots of Star Destroyers are in the Rogue One Olympics trailer. They’re hovering over a city, coming straight at the screen, creeping through the blackness of space. It really shows how giant–and threatening–the Empire has become. The signature notes of the Empire’s theme play almost throughout the entire trailer. So ominous…it seems the band of Rebels led by Jyn Erso is in for a rough time.
There are so many views of new planets and city-scapes, new heroes and villains (that white cape!), and one huge Death Star revelation – it was upside down! Jyn seems to be one of the most fearless fighters; she is seen walking towards a TIE fighter with just a pistol. Amazing. Chirrut Imwe takes out a multitude of stormtroopers – wow. The crew of rebels in this film are going to be the new form of “squad goals.”
The music throughout the trailer is epic. The two dominant Star Wars themes intertwine beautifully, weaving back and forth from the bad to good melodies. Very powerful. Then, as the Rogue One title pulls up at the end, he’s there. The Dark Lord of the Sith…Darth Vader.
Mic drop.
Dennis Keithly
When I heard that Lucasfilm was making Rogue One, I thought the fans were getting a movie primarily about X-Wing pilots, given the fame of Rogue Squadron. Once it was revealed that this movie was about acquiring the plans to the first Death Star, I was slightly let down. After all, what could they possibly tell us about getting those plans that wasn’t apparent from the opening crawl and first few minutes of A New Hope? Then, Lucasfilm started releasing teasers and trailers for the movie, and the answer to my question is: apparently quite a bit.
What stands out from the Rogue One Olympics trailer is the imagery of what I’m assuming is Jedha. This planet appears to draw inspiration from the Grand Canyon. It is beautiful. Just when I thought they couldn’t come up with another planet that featured a single environment, they seem to have done just that. The city nestled on the edge of the cliff brings to mind the element of whimsy that George Lucas said was an element of his Star Wars films.
Beyond Jedha, this trailer exhibited the differences from the seven saga films. Unique camera angles and shots are at the top of the list. The Death Star, upside down, seemingly in the atmosphere of a planet it is orbiting? Stunning. An Imperial Star Destroyer emerging from the shadows. Ominous. The trailer screams Star Wars while simultaneously promising a new experience. I’m more excited for Rogue One now than ever.
shazbazzar
More people saw Michael Phelps race his way to win the gold Thursday night than ever before as Star Wars fans joined Olympics aficionados watching coverage of the Summer Games in Rio. While earning another gold is big news, the Rogue One Olympics trailer overshadowed jocks as geeks continue our conquest of the world. Undoubtedly, everyone reading this has already seen the latest trailer. Here’s my take on this trailer as it reveals more of what you should expect from Rogue One.
From Saw Gererra’s foreboding statement, “The world is coming undone,” to Chirrut’s optimistic, “All is as the Force wills it,” the Rogue One Olympics trailer gives more insight into the small band of rebels whose mission is to steal the plans to the Death Star. This is a welcome change to the earlier teaser that seemed to many (including my own shazlings) to suggest another movie in the vein of The Hunger Games and Insurgent.
Darkness is evident in the trailer. It’s appropriate during these “dark times” of imperial oppression. Yet, the Star Wars fun and feel shines through when K-2SO promises Jyn Erso not to kill her, and Cassian Andor assures his crew that the droid “means well.”
Star Wars has always had a healthy dose of humor, and this trailer promises the same charming wittiness that has endeared A New Hope to viewers for nearly forty years.
But the Star Wars feel of the Rogue One Olympics trailer shines through in the visuals, as well. From nearly white Star Destroyers to classic TIEs and X-Wings, the screen is filled with iconic images of that galaxy far, far away. Yet, newer designs, like the four-winged shuttles and the much discussed U-Wing merge near-seamlessly into the aesthetic of a movie that immediately precedes the 1977 film.
Trepidation
Several fans have expressed their concerns about previously unseen ship designs disrupting the feel of the original Star Wars. One of my earliest trepidations about this movie was that inserting new elements would dispel the illusion that this movie takes place in the days before I first saw the Tantive IV pursued by Darth Vader’s Star Destroyer. Concept art and pictures of the props did little to calm my fears. However, seeing them in action in brief snippets from the upcoming release proved the filmmakers’ ability to slip them into the movie in a way that seems natural while giving me more of a glimpse of this universe we hold dear.
Certainly, elements of the story are revealed, as well, even while avoiding spoilers. Mon Mothma is once again heard to say, “A major weapons test is imminent.” While I’ve always known this refers to the creation of the Death Star, this trailer shows that the “ultimate weapon” is ready for its first test, with its super laser pointed downward towards the planet below. As the moon-sized creation eclipses the planet’s sun, the fortified city’s doom is foreshadowed.
The results of this “weapons test” is visualized onscreen as the rebels’ U-Wing races to escape a storm of dirt and debris erupting into the sky of the planet after Imperial forces have been evacuated. The reveal of Vader in the final seconds of the trailer testifies to this fact when we see the firing solution plotted on the screen before him in an image similar to what we saw when Alderaan was completely obliterated.
A Different Film
Though I know that the rebels succeed in delivering the Death Star plans to the Alliance, the sense of urgency and anxiety regarding these formerly unknown rebels’ fates has ably stirred the excitement of fans for a “spin off” movie that centers itself outside the Skywalker saga. Rogue One will be a different Star Wars movie, for sure, but the creators seem to have effectively wedged it into the feel of that world that has captured the hearts and minds of a generation.
Taxus
There are moments that literally take your breath away. As I watched the most recent Rogue One Olympics trailer, I realized that I had stopped breathing; consciously willing myself to begin again. After waiting for so long through countless gold-after-gold medals won by team USA, the new trailer had finally arrived! I must say that for the Star Wars starved fans, it did not disappoint. I believe that this was not the same trailer that was released at Star Wars Celebration Europe. However, it was full of great content that allowed me to really understand who these characters are before going into the movie.
Striking Visuals
Some of the things that impressed me were of the level of excellence we have come to expect from Lucasfilm. Especially the opening scene of an Imperial Star Destroyer hovering imposingly over a city on, what I assume, is the planet Jedha. It was a striking reminder of the power of the Empire during this time. This power was reinforced with images of Director Krennic, the Death Star (either upside down or from a bottom perspective) and finally Darth Vader himself!
I finally got a glimpse into the inside of a U-Wing. Later, I saw it threading through some calamitous event (perhaps a failed weapons test…). Rapid fire blaster bursts intermingled with a religious theme of faith in a higher power were presented. They let the viewer know that even though the Jedi are all but gone, the Force and its allies are not.
The scene of the assembled strike team was a wonderful mix of the main characters. The Star Wars red-shirt equivalents teamed with them drove home that this is a personal struggle by putting faces to the rebels.
The detail and thought behind Alan Tudyk’s character K-2SO is not only displayed through the droid’s vocalizations that I finally got to hear, but also in the subtle movement of his eyes as he looks around in the strike team scene above.
This trailer felt like Star Wars. I think Rogue One will be a reminder of the significance of the original trilogy stories. It will breathe life into them anew.