Blu-ray Review Rogue One: A Star Wars Story Blu-ray Review (1 Viewer)

[Josh Steinberg]

I got my BD of RO from Target. Haven't watched it yet, but from the outside packaging alone, there's no indication there's a Target extra. Granted, I bought the standard edition, not the collectible packaging, but frankly, if I have to buy the collectible packaging to get the extra, after Dr. Strange, I do not want it.

Edit: No extras on the DVD at all. And no Target exclusive on my BD.

(Interesting that CGI Tarkin is not featured on ANY of the package or disc art. He was a major character).

Update: Returned my set to Target and got a replacement. It seems the bonus disc was simply missing from my set.

All versions include the movie on BD, a second BD with bonus features, and a DVD copy of the movie, for a total of three discs. The Best Buy steelbook includes all of that, plus a 3D BD, for a total for four discs. The Target limited edition with special packaging includes the movie on BD, a second BD with bonus features, the movie on 3D BD, a DVD copy of the movie, and an extra DVD with the exclusive bonus features, for a total of five discs.

Only the Target set in collectible packaging includes the additional, exclusive DVD bonus disc.

For what it's worth, I absolutely loathe the packaging, but I hate steelbooks too and I was only interested in a 3D release of the movie. Since they were priced about the same, I went with the Target for its extra features.

 

[Carabimero]

I'm not a fan of stacking discs on top of each other in a case, so after I got my replacement set that had the feature disc stacked on top of the bonus disc, I transferred the outer sleeve to a 3-disc blu-ray case and moved my discs over.

They are much happier. And I will sleep better.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

I'm watching it now and one thing that immediately jumped out at me was the first Cushing scene. When I saw it in theaters, I was almost convinced by the illusion. On the disc, it just looks animated to me.

 

[Tino]

Just finished watching it with the wife.

She hated it. Thought it was a pointless mess. She's tough.

I thought the disc looked great like Crawdaddy said. I too watched it on my OLED. Looked amazing.

3D was same as it was in the theater. Just ok. And the cgi Tarkin and Leia really looked worse on video.

Still feel the same about the film. Messy first and second acts with a terrific third act.

 

[Johnny Angell]

I'm still on the fence, hoping there'll be a 4K and 3D set. Who am I kidding, Disney would never treat the customer that well. If I buy this 3D, there'll be no 4K.

 

[TravisR]

I'm watching it now and one thing that immediately jumped out at me was the first Cushing scene. When I saw it in theaters, I was almost convinced by the illusion. On the disc, it just looks animated to me.

To me, it was the same as the theater- I bought it in a medium shot but it looked like CG in the close-ups.

 

[Osato]

Picked up rogue one at barnes and nobles today. I had a $25 gift card, 25% discount took it to $5.

They are crazy expensive!

Looking forward to watching it!
I saw it in 2d twice theatrically. I love the film. I was a bit confused during the first act the first time I saw it.

 

[dpippel]

I picked up the Target exclusive and watched the 2D version this afternoon. I found that liked it much more on the second go-around. My theatrical viewing was meh, but it connected with me better this time. Not great (Forrest Whitaker!!) but pretty entertaining. The Vader bits are still awesome.

 

[Carabimero]

There are moments when Tarkin almost looks believable, and then there are certain moments, especially in his final scene with Krennic, when Tarkin's eyes are just not right. Not even close to believable.

Leia to me looks better than Tarkin but IMHO the lighting on her is right for episode IV and wrong for Rogue One.

 

[Dave Moritz]

When and if Disney finally releases the 4K UHD version you can bet that it will only include the standard 2D blu-ray and no 3D version. As far as audio goes I do not care if it is DTS-X or Dolby Atmos and if nether at least a 7.1 lossless track will be just fine.

 

[Osato]

Great review.
The extras are weak.

http://www.thedigitalbits.com/item/rogue-one-star-wars-story-bd

 

[Robert Crawford]

To me, it was the same as the theater- I bought it in a medium shot but it looked like CG in the close-ups.

I thought the CGI faces looked better in my home viewing than when I viewed it in the movie theater.

 

[Joseph Bolus]

I agree with Robert.
I just finished a viewing on my front projector system and felt that the CGI -- especially for Tarkin -- seemed more effective at home than in the theater.

The movie remains as a very strong entry into the Star Wars EU for me; and I actually enjoyed this viewing more than my first two theatrical viewings.

 

[TravisR]

Regarding the special features on the disc, of course there's stuff that I wanted to see more of (deleted scenes) or know more about (although no current movie is going to talk about its reshoots) but I thought what was there was actually pretty good. The reality is that special features are basically dead and I can't think of the last modern movie that I bought that even had 80 minutes of special features. Given that, the special features aren't really that lacking in my opinion.

 

[Brian L]

All versions include the movie on BD, a second BD with bonus features, and a DVD copy of the movie, for a total of three discs.

Dang! I had not idea the two BR's were stacked. I don't think I have ever had a BR release come that way before. I guess I would have discovered it when I got around the playing R1, but it would have been a total surprise.

 

[John Sparks]

Ordered it from Target with a delivery date of 4/4, then 4/5 and now 4/6-4/10. Should have just bought it at the store.

 

[Carabimero]

Dang! I had not idea the two BR's were stacked. I don't think I have ever had a BR release come that way before. I guess I would have discovered it when I got around the playing R1, but it would have been a total surprise.

I actually moved my discs to a 3-disc BD case and transferred the sleeve. There is no universe in which stacked discs are acceptable to me, and to have Disney do it in a major release is appalling.

Regarding the special features on the disc, of course there's stuff that I wanted to see more of (deleted scenes) or know more about (although no current movie is going to talk about its reshoots) but I thought what was there was actually pretty good. The reality is that special features are basically dead and I can't think of the last modern movie that I bought that even had 80 minutes of special features. Given that, the special features aren't really that lacking in my opinion.

It's not that the special features were bad; in my opinion they were all superficial and surface. I didn't really learn much. And I'm not sure it's true to say no current movie talks about its reshoots. The special features on THE HOBBIT trilogy are hours and hours (and hours!), and they go beneath the surface where everything is not rosy. The fact is, the RO bonus features might have been 80 minutes, but to me, it's not length, it's quality. They were vanilla. And I doubt I'll ever watch them again.

On another subject, one of my problems with the ending is when Vader is on his Star Destroyer and the general says that the rebel's flagship ship is damaged and received transmissions from the planet. Vader should have simply destroyed the ship. He outgunned it 20-to-1. But since they couldn't do that for obvious reasons, they needed a bit of dialogue to explain. Something like this would have worked nicely.

"Should I destroy the ship, Lord Vader?"
"No. Leave them to me. Prepare a boarding party."

That's all it would have taken. Let Vader's ego be the culprit, not bad writing, which, sadly, plagued so much of this movie--and, like the above example, could have been so easily fixed.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

With respect, this has been a standard packaging configuring for several years - Disney has put out titles in this format since at least 2012's set of "Marvel's The Avengers". Warner has put out titles in this format since at least 2013's set of "Man Of Steel". "The Force Awakens" was also delivered in the same type of plastic case for the initial BD+DVD pack.

Blu-ray discs have a scratch resistant coating on the surface that should make the stacking a non-issue. I have several DVD releases also in this packaging configuration, and those discs don't include extra scratch coating and are still fine. When I worked at a small home video label, I discovered that the replicators/manufacturers also stack discs in this fashion when they come off the line and are waiting to be packed into cases. When discs are pressed, they're put onto spindles stacking them like these hubs, and they'll stay that way until the manufacturer needs to assemble more sets. Weeks, months, years, before being placed into cases.

I don't mean to be disagreeable or to argue for the sake of arguing, but for me, this style of packaging is a non-issue.

 

[Carabimero]

With respect, this has been a standard packaging configuring for several years - Disney has put out titles in this format since at least 2012's set of "Marvel's The Avengers". Warner has put out titles in this format since at least 2013's set of "Man Of Steel". "The Force Awakens" was also delivered in the same type of plastic case for the initial BD+DVD pack.

I have bought every release you mentioned, and none of my sets had stacked discs, until RO. And while I realize BDs are scratch resistant, they should not be stacked. Period. If for no other reason, they make them hard to get to.

 

[Johnny Angell]

I have bought every release you mentioned, and none of my sets had stacked discs, until RO. And while I realize BDs are scratch resistant, they should not be stacked. Period.

Stacking sucks, if only for the inconvenience.