Mr. Piglet's Review of Rogue One

[Cerez]

Warning: (Major) spoilers!

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJgfxlgUIZY

 

Also, warning: This review will offend your sensibilities... or shake some sense into you, and cure you from being desensitised...? Can't remember which one, now... XD

[Kualan]

Eh, not a great critique in my opinion. His main point seems to be that the film should 'tell' more and 'show' less, which is arguably exactly what you should try to avoid when writing.

 

There are things that Rogue One didn't get right, sure. But I think this reviewer has missed the mark a bit.

[Cerez]

Hmm... Telling more would mean describing very little from the character's point of view. Telling is what Rogue One did, technically speaking -- a whole bunch of events played out without due emotional, or character involvement. Character dialogue is usually not telling, it's depth of story.

 

In literature, this is telling:

 

Valek was angry.

And this is showing:

 

Yelena averted her eyes from the flickering light as she was led down the main corridor of the dungeon. Thick, rancid air puffed in her face. Her bare feet shuffled through puddles of unidentifiable muck.

 

Or in the case of use of dialogue:

 

Telling:

 

Valek poisoned Yelena's drink with Butterfly's Dust.

 

Showing:

 

"While we're waiting, I though maybe you could use a drink." Valek handed me a tall pewter goblet filled with an amber liquid. Raising his own goblet, he made a toast. "To Yelena, our newest food taster. May you last longer that your predecessor."

 

My goblet stopped short of my lips.

 

"Relax," he said, "it's a standard toast."

 

I took a long swig. For a moment, I thought my stomach was going to rebel. This was the first time I drank something other than water.

 

"What does it taste like?" Valek asked.

 

"Peaches sweetened with honey."

 

"Good. Take another sip. This time roll the liquid around your tongue."

 

I complied and was surprised by the faint citrus flavor. "Orange?"

 

"That's right. Now gargle it."

 

"Gargle?" I asked. He nodded. Feeling foolish, I gargled the rest of my drink and almost spat it out. "Rotten oranges!"

 

He laughed. "Correct." He opened my folder and picked up his pen. "You just had your first lesson in food tasting. Your drink was laced with a poison called Butterfly's Dust. The only way to detect Butterfly's Dust in a liquid is to gargle it. That rotten orange flavor you tasted was the poison."

 

Source: http://www.mariavsnyder.com/advice/showvstell.php

[eezstreet]

Eh, not a great critique in my opinion. His main point seems to be that the film should 'tell' more and 'show' less, which is arguably exactly what you should try to avoid when writing.

 

There are things that Rogue One didn't get right, sure. But I think this reviewer has missed the mark a bit.

Ironically this is something he critiqued in Episode 3 (or 2? I can't remember) as being a problem.

 

Hmm... Telling more would mean describing very little from the character's point of view. Telling is what Rogue One did, technically speaking -- a whole bunch of events played out without due emotional, or character involvement. Character dialogue is usually not telling, it's depth of story.

 

In literature, this is telling:

 

 

And this is showing:

 

 

Or in the case of use of dialogue:

 

Telling:

 

 

Showing:

 

 

Source: http://www.mariavsnyder.com/advice/showvstell.php

I think you've got the right idea, but the example you used here isn't a great one.

 

Showing vs Telling is all about what's appropriate for the situation. Showing is more appropriate when we're talking about the relationships between the main characters, major plot points, etc. that are incredibly pertinent to the main story. Telling is more appropriate with side characters or when the information is too complicated to explain by showing.

 

I think a better example would be something like this (using Ep1 as an example):

 

"Senator, you must help us," Padme pleaded, "Our people are dying."

vs, a much better approach:

 

Padme walked through the ornate Theed streets. These once-beautiful roads were now lined with the disheveled, waiting for food rations. "Senator...you must help us."

 

[the_raven]

didn't yet see Rogue One, but I do have to say - canned laughter is always so much funnier when it's not in any kind of comedy

 

as to the review, I agree with some things, but since i didn't yet see the movie, i couldn't agree with everything.

 

Ironically this is something he critiqued in Episode 3 (or 2? I can't remember) as being a problem.

probably because that's how contemporary movies are, so it's only to be expected

[Cerez]

A little more insight into Rogue One character development (or total lack of) and (major) storytelling flaws (WARNING: major spoilers ahead!):

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3gf6qyAHOw

[the_raven]

A little more insight into Rogue One character development (or total lack of) and (major) storytelling flaws (WARNING: major spoilers ahead!):

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3gf6qyAHOw

holy cheeses, 24 minutes of a whinny girl! sure, she makes some points (and some jokes), but no spoilers are worth it in my book

 

[Cerez]

holy cheeses, 24 minutes of a whinny girl! sure, she makes some points (and some jokes), but no spoilers are worth it in my book

Yeah, don't watch this before you watch the film. I'm leaving warnings in CAPITALS and bolds for a reason.