People still argue about it. Honestly, if you walk into any cantina—or, you know, a Reddit thread—the rating of Star Wars Rogue One is basically a litmus test for what kind of fan you are.
Critics gave it a solid nod back in 2016, but fans? They treated it like a religious experience. Even now, in 2026, with the dust settled on the sequel trilogy and Andor having changed the TV landscape, Rogue One stands as this weird, gritty pillar of what Disney-era Star Wars can actually achieve when it stops trying to sell toys for five minutes.
The Numbers: Breaking Down the Rating of Star Wars Rogue One
Let’s look at the raw data because the spread is actually pretty telling. On Rotten Tomatoes, the movie sits at an 84% critic score. That’s a "certified fresh" badge, sure, but it’s not exactly "masterpiece" territory. However, the Audience Score usually hovers around 87%, and if you dig into the user reviews on Metacritic or IMDb, you see a 7.8/10 that feels much higher in the hearts of the hardcore crowd.
Why the gap?
Critics at the time, like Mick LaSalle from the San Francisco Chronicle, called it a "downer." They weren't wrong. It’s a war movie. Everyone dies. For some reviewers used to the "pew-pew" optimism of Luke Skywalker, the moral ambiguity of Cassian Andor shooting an informant in the back was a bit much. But for fans, that was exactly the point. It felt real.
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How it compares to the rest of the pack:
- The Force Awakens: Higher critic rating (93%), but felt like a remix.
- The Last Jedi: Massive critic/audience split (91% vs 41%).
- Rogue One: The "Goldilocks" zone. High enough for both, but beloved by the base.
Why the "Boring" First Hour Doesn't Kill the Rating
You’ve probably heard the complaint. "The first half is slow." "I didn't know the characters' names."
Basically, the movie spends a lot of time jumping between planets like Jedha, Eadu, and Yavin IV. It’s a lot of setup. Director Gareth Edwards was trying to build a sense of scale, showing us that the Empire isn't just a group of guys in plastic suits—it’s a galaxy-strangling bureaucracy.
If you're looking for a tight, character-driven drama, the first sixty minutes might feel like a 6/10. But then Scarif happens.
The third act of Rogue One is arguably the best thirty minutes of Star Wars ever filmed. Period. The rating of Star Wars Rogue One sky-rockets the second those X-Wings drop out of hyperspace over the tropical beaches. It’s a tactical, coherent space battle that actually makes sense, which is a rarity in modern sci-fi.
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The "Vader Factor" and Technical Wizardry
We have to talk about the hallway scene. You know the one.
Even the harshest critics admitted that the final moments of the film—where Darth Vader turned into a horror movie slasher—were incredible. It didn't just pad the runtime; it connected the movie directly to the first few seconds of A New Hope.
Technically, the film was a beast. It snagged Academy Award nominations for Best Visual Effects and Best Sound Mixing. The use of "Deepfake" technology to bring back Grand Moff Tarkin (Peter Cushing) was controversial in 2016 and remains a talking point today. Some find it "uncanny valley" creepy; others think it’s a miracle of digital resurrection. Either way, it pushed the medium forward.
Is it Still the Best Disney Star Wars Movie?
Most people would say yes.
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While Andor (the prequel series) has arguably better writing, Rogue One has the "Big Cinema" feel. It’s got the AT-ACTs stomping through palm trees and the haunting imagery of the Death Star eclipsing a sun. It treats the Force as a religion rather than a superpower, thanks to Donnie Yen’s Chirrut Îmwe. That nuance is why the rating of Star Wars Rogue One stays so high. It respects the audience's intelligence.
It isn't a perfect movie. The pacing is weird. Jyn Erso’s transition from "I don't care" to "Rebel Leader" happens a bit fast. But in a franchise that often feels like it's repeating itself, Rogue One felt like a desperate, beautiful suicide mission.
Actionable Takeaways for Your Next Rewatch:
- Watch Andor First: If you haven't seen the Disney+ series, watch it before a rewatch. It turns Cassian from a "cool spy" into a tragic hero, making his end on the beach hit ten times harder.
- Look at the Lighting: Greig Fraser (who later did Dune and The Batman) shot this. Notice how much grittier it looks than the shiny, flat lighting of the prequel or sequel trilogies.
- Skip the "Cameo Hunting": Don't worry about the guys from the cantina showing up. Focus on the cost of the war. The movie is better when you treat it as a standalone war drama.
If you’re looking to settle a debate, the consensus is clear: Rogue One is the high-water mark for modern Star Wars. It’s a 9/10 for the fans who want "Wars" in their Star Wars, and a solid 8/10 for everyone else.
To get the most out of your Star Wars experience, try watching Rogue One back-to-back with A New Hope. The transition is seamless, and you'll never look at the opening crawl of the 1977 classic the same way again.