Now, I'm going to be honest upfront: I didn't really like ROGUE ONE. It wasn't a bad movie by any stretch of the imagination, as I enjoyed a lot of individual elements of it. But some wonky plotting and relatively weak characterization kept it from greatness in my opinion, and placed it neatly in the "eh, it was okay I guess" category for me.
I bring this all up, because one of the things that is undeniably great about the film were the amazing visuals. Whatever faults director Gareth Edwards may (or may not) have as a storyteller, no one can deny his gifts as a visual stylist. And what really helped the gritty wartime feel Edwards was going for, were the real locations he shot in. Everything felt so tactile and lived-in. It also felt distinctly like STAR WARS, with the Stormtroopers, lasers, X-Wings, and such, while at the same time feeling much more personal and real than ever before.
Anyway, Disney has just released a new featurette, focusing on the location shooting. Let's have a look:
Pretty cool stuff! My apathy for the film aside, it's nice to know it was a fun set and that Gareth Edwards seems like a chill dude (though, considering how much turmoil there was vis-a-vis the massive reshoots, this could also be PR fluff. But I choose to believe). There's also quick shots of Alan Tudyk in an uncomfortable TRON-looking mo-cap suit, and some stuff that seems to have been in an earlier cut (i.e. MINOR SPOILERS Jyn Erso on the ground fighting on the beach, which I don't think she does in the film).
Anyway, I always like behind-the-scenes stuff, even if it's short and shallow like this. You mostly always learn something new. Hell, even if not, they are usually fun, and this one is no exception.
Meanwhile, ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY is currently in theaters. Check it out! Or don't. I can't tell you what to do with your life.