Wednesday, December 21, 2016
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story Adoption Movie Review
The evil Galactic Empire has created a powerful weapon that
can destroy entire planets. The Rebel Alliance has learned that there is a
fatal flaw in the weapon. To create the chance for safety in the galaxy, they
must obtain the plans to the weapon and get them into the right hands.
SPOILERS AHEAD THE REST OF THE WAY
The Adoption
Connection
There is some adoption relevance here. A young girl sees her
mother killed and is separated from her father. She is raised by another man,
who functions as an adoptive parent to her, but he abandons her. Later, she
must advocate for her father’s character to people who intend to kill him, and
although she is an effective advocate, her father does die in her arms.
Here’s a more specific explanation, but feel free to skip it
if you don’t want a full plot summary before seeing the film: The Galactic
Empire has conscripted the services of the brilliant engineer Galen Erso. He
does not believe in the Empire’s goals, but he is coerced into service. As his
young daughter Jyn watches, Galen’s wife is shot and Galen is apprehended;
soldiers are sent to find Jyn, but she escapes, and is later rescued and raised
by Saw Gerrera, a radical opponent of the empire. Fifteen years later, Jyn has
been left by Saw and captured by the Empire. The Rebel Alliance frees her in the
hopes that she will lead them to her father, Galen Erso. They believe her
father to be primarily responsible for the creation of the powerful Death Star
weapon, and hope to find him and kill him to prevent the weapon from being
finished. Galen has sent a secret message, however; he is covertly working
against the Empire and has created a fatal flaw in the Death Star. Only Jyn
knows that her father has done this; the rest of her compatriots believe him to
be a villain. She eventually convinces some of her band of his innocence, but
her traveling companion Cassian is assigned to assassinate him. The would-be
assassin has second thoughts and does not assassinate him, but Galen is wounded
in a bombing raid and dies in Jyn’s arms. Jyn and Cassian develop feelings for
one another. Jyn confronts Saw for abandoning her after raising her.
Strong Points
Jyn’s father is thought to be a villain, but he is secretly
a good man. I like that this film gives hope that there can be redeeming qualities
in long-lost relatives, even if those around you believe them to be all bad.
A character wisely implies that true peace cannot be won
through compelling others into submission through fear.
Although Jyn was not able to say goodbye to her mother, she
was able to say goodbye to her father.
Challenges
Jyn sees both of her parents die; as a young girl, she sees
her mother murdered by a government official, and as a young adult her father
dies in her arms after being injured in a bombing raid. As a young child, she
also runs from soldiers who intend to abduct her. She feels abandoned by a man
who has become like an adoptive father to her.
The heroes try to use Jyn in order to lead them to her
long-lost father. They lie to her about their purposes; they intend to
assassinate him.
In a very short scene, a young child screams in terror; Jyn
saves her and returns her to her mother.
An Imperial official orders the execution of several
innocent engineers.
Recommendations
Rogue One seems likely to appeal to many kids but might be
best suited to kids ages 12 and up. While kids 8 and up will likely enjoy it, the
scenes in which Jyn’s parents are killed, and the concept that Jyn’s father is
separated from her and badly misjudged, could be triggers for young kids. It
should be safe for most kids ages 12 and up, and even then parents should watch
it alongside their kids. After watching the film, consider inviting them to
share their feelings about family members from whom they’ve been separated. If
there are unhelpful and untrue negative beliefs, consider helping your child
work through them. There’s also a particularly good line about people carrying
their own prison with them – this could lead to an interesting talk about the
power of forgiveness.
Questions for
Discussion
One character said that there are “more than one type of
prison,” and tells another character, “you take your prison with you wherever
you go.” What does that mean? What do you think about that?
Have you ever misjudged someone’s motives? Have you ever
been misjudged?
Who were the most trustworthy people that Jyn met?
What do you believe about your birthparents?
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Adoption at the Movies! http://www.patreon.com/user?u=4057141
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