[Watch our review above or read it below.]

Rogue One and Godzilla director Gareth Edwards has put together a striking sci-fi film that plays more like a war drama than a typical genre outing. It’s serious, often bleak, and carries a surprising emotional weight beneath the spectacle.

The film imagines a future shaped by the rapid rise of artificial intelligence. It’s not just about machines, though — it also turns a lens on human nature, particularly our patterns of conflict and division. There’s a clear critique here of the U.S.’s global influence too, particularly on how certain agendas are brutally rolled out under the guise of righteousness.

Some of the themes are familiar, and the film can lean a little too hard on them at times. But even with that, there’s something satisfying in how it all comes together. The world-building is rich, the characters feel lived-in, and the emotional beats hit more often than not.

The structure does repeat itself a bit — location, battle, loss — and then again. But it’s well handled, with direction that keeps things engaging. The final act, in particular, worked for me. It pulls together the emotional and narrative threads in a way that lands. It’s also visually stunning, with top-tier cinematography and effects work.