Witty, Guileless, Deadpan K-2SO Firmly Takes Things in Hand in 'Rogue One'

BY VW

"DID you know that wasn't me?"

It is one of numerous memorable lines uttered by the android, K-2SO (Alan Tudyk), in "Rogue One: A 'Star Wars' Story" and the primary reason I pronounced the film amusing when asked my impressions by a colleague.

That colleague, I and the few other souls at a screening of the film a few days ago, I wager, are among the vast minority in the United States that had not seen it.

"Rogue One" is set immediately before the original "Star Wars," "A New Hope." It opens today in China. It opened several weeks ago in the United States and other countries. The film has made a gazillion dollars.

"Rogue One" is also the name of the ship that necessity dictates be parted from its rightful, reluctant Imperial owners. It is needed to transport the rebels/terrorists/freedom fighters to the planet housing a weapon of mass destruction known as the Death Star. Not surprisingly, it has the power to destroy an entire planet.

It was built under protest by Galen Erso Mads Mikkelsen, the research scientist father of Jyn (Felicity Jones), the female protagonist of "Rogue One." In an act of defiance, Galen embeds a defect that can disarm the Death Star.

The film is an account of a motley crew's – led by rebel captain Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) and including K-2SO and Jyn – efforts to disarm/destroy the weapon. I don't give anything away by saying the mission is successful.

Though I am predisposed to like "Star Wars" and all of its sequels and anthologies, I had only seen the original and "Return of the Jedi" before "Rogue One." To that end, I viewed the latter as a standalone film. It is on this basis that I find it amusing, thanks mainly to two characters. The aforementioned K-S2O and that of the warrior, Chirrut (China's leading action star, Donnie Yen).

Baze Malbus (Jiang Wen) and Chirrut Îmwe (Donnie Yen) are brothers in arms in "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story." Photo courtesy of Lucasfilm Ltd.

Chirrut is a marvel. How anyone can perform the death-defying feats he does is indeed – to invoke a much overused word – amazing! Incredible! Unbelievable! Or, because he is blind, all can be explained by his mantra: "I am with the Force and the Force is with me."

But it is K-2 who has the best lines in the film and steals the show. A bald, black, brilliant gangly affair more than 7 feet tall, he is patterned in part on Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew) in ferocity and as a sort of protege to Cassian as Chewbacca is to Han Solo (Harrison Ford). If you, like me, are such a one who prefers a little bit more dialogue, however, you will yearn for the merest utterances from K-2.

Directed by Gareth Edwards, "Rogue One" is almost wall-to-wall action. My estimate is that it is 94 percent action and 6 percent dialogue. Quite spectacular action really. And inspired sets.

Of course, the "Star Wars" movies are known for their engaging androids. Yet K-2 has a certain je nais sais quoi. Further, because there is such a vast difference in the action-to-dialogue ratio in "Rogue One," when anyone talks, especially K-2, you will listen.

His best line is something like, "I just rescued you." It comes after he gives Jyn a smackdown, a lightning-quick response to her escape attempt from the captors who will soon become her allies. It is really quite funny.

The occasions on which he discloses the percentage probability of success or failure of any given element of the mission are usually smirk-worthy.

When K-2 calculates the probability of the crew surviving in space in the event of a crash, he asserts matter-of-factly to the cabin at-large that no one will survive, "except for me. I can survive in space."

It is he who commanded my attention during the film. K-S2's observations were something to look forward to; a respite from the monotony of the action sequences.

"Rogue One" does end on a surprising note, which is especially relevant now. I won't give it away, except to say it has nothing to do with K-2 and is of royal proportions.

"Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" is rated PG-13 for extended sequences of sci-fi violence and action; visit www.starwars.com/rogue-one/ to learn more about the film.

War of Nitwits in 'The Place Beyond the Pines'

IN case you did not get the memo, crime does not pay.

This premise is played out in the long, drawn out psychological thriller, “The Place Beyond the Pines,” which also means Schenectady in a native American dialect. High-wire motorcycle stuntman Luke (Ryan Gosling) learns this firsthand after he runs afoul of the law and into a game of wits with ambitious and possibly unscrupulous police officer Avery Cross (Bradley Cooper).

The film, which had its world premiere at the Toronto Film Festival, opens in very limited release today in the United States. (See video above.)

Luke’s heart is in the right place when he quits the circus life for a day job at an auto repair shop. He now has a family to support, he learns when he returns to Schenectady in upstate New York and looks up ex-girlfriend or friend with benefits Romina Eva Mendes). She’s had his kid, a boy.

Luke is on the straight and narrow until his boss Robin (Ben Mendelsohn) sees something in him: possibly a sap with a couple of useful skills that he can entice into the bank robbery trade. They throw in together and have some pretty incredible successes. Soon enough, though, the law comes calling.

The rest is a fair to middling story.

“The Place Beyond the Pines is rated R; visit http://www.focusfeatures.com/the_place_beyond_the_pines to learn more about the film

Setting Things to Rights Mob-Style in 'Killing Them Softly'

TYPICALLY, anywhere from about late October through the 31 Dec. calendar year deadline is the period when production companies with Oscar pretensions commence to getting their product to the U.S. marketplace, particularly the Los Angeles County part of it. 

One doesn’t want to be too early and risk being forgotten in the frenzy of Oscar campaigning. In just the last few weeks titles expected to be in the Academy Awards sweepstakes have opened. They include, “Anna Karenina,” “Cloud Atlas,” “Flight,” “Hitchcock,” “Life of Pi” and “Lincoln.”

The latest to join this lot is “Killing Them Softly.” Brad Pritt and a formidable cast of acting talent star as mob types tasked with seeing that justice is done. It opens today in the United States, as well as Brazil, Finland and Iceland. See video above … More shortly.