One of the most anticipated films of the year, Rogue One: a Star Wars Story, was released just in time for the holidays and it definitely lived up to the hype.

Opening Dec. 16, 2016, in its opening weekend, Rogue One grossed $155 million and over $290 million worldwide (according to boxofficemojo.com/). As of Jan. 3, that worldwide mark has eclipsed a whopping $817 million dollars.

The movie is directed by Gareth Edwards and stars Felicity Jones, Diego Luna and Alan Tudyk. Rogue One is the first in a new line of stand alone Star Wars movies. Rogue One tells the story of a rag tag group of rebels who are attempting to steal plans for the death star, the empire’s super weapon. The rebel team is made up of Jyn Erso (Jones), a rebel soldier and criminal, a swordsman, and other forces to take down the empire.

Disney, which bought Star Wars in 2012, is behind the production of these stand alone Star Wars movies. These movies will stray away from the primary story (Episodes I-IX) and tell the stories of other characters such as Han Solo (2018) and Boba Fett (rumored 2020).

While some fans think the stand alone films are nothing more than “cash grabs,” most fans are excited to see the inclusion of new characters and themes.

Adjua Adama is a diehard Star Wars fan at Rockville and supports the addition of extended universe films.

“This is exactly what the franchise deserves’ The stand alones allow people to explore the universe from various different levels,” Adama said.

If there is one thing that is guaranteed in a Star Wars movie, it is great visuals and great music. The music, per usual, was also amazing. The CGI (computer generated images) that are blended with live action makes action scenes, especially in a surround sound movie theatre, breathtaking. This movie is also able to blend the traditional score with new songs so that the score feels original.

The new characters are very unique and likeable for the most part. Jyn Erso’s character arc was a little forced. For example, she starts off not wanting to rebel then all of a sudden she does. Darth Vader plays a short role in this film but the scenes featuring him were awesome.

The ending was extremely satisfying, especially for those who are familiar with and are fans of the very first Star Wars movie, “A New Hope.” The ending of Rogue One leads up perfectly to the first scene in a New Hope. This was a vital connection that gave Rogue One purpose in the original story.

This movie is not without its flaws, however. At times the story gets slowed down to explain some of the new elements of the universe. The Rogue One team consists of many new characters, therefore some of them were left underdeveloped.

All in all, Rogue One was an enjoyable addition to the Star Wars franchise. It was a fun experience in a surround sound movie theater. I don’t think I would see it again and if you missed it in theaters you aren’t missing out on a vital component of the Star Wars story.