Star Wars: Rogue One brought a darker, more mature tone to the live-action Star Wars films and, in turn, paid off Star Wars: The Force Awakens' opening scene. The opening to J.J. Abrams's The Force Awakens was a surprisingly gritty war sequence with various elements adding to the realism of the moment, from the immediate and forceful landing of the stormtrooper ships on the sands of Jakku to the close-up, shaky-cam shots of the transport interiors beforehand. The dust-filled, explosive firefight only made it better, helping to immerse audiences into the action and see the true brutality of the First Order.
Part of the problem, however, is that while The Force Awakens began the Star Wars sequel trilogy well, the rest of the film felt largely different from its opening scene. It often shifted from humorous moments to more serious ones rather quickly, confusing viewers in what the correct tone was supposed to be. On the other hand, Rogue One set a serious tone from the beginning and carried that same mood for the entirety of the film. The characters were evidently on a suicide mission, and there were many challenges for them to overcome and sacrifices to be made. It made sense for the movie to keep a constant dark and gritty feel.
The Force Awakens' Opening Is Great (But Completely Different In Tone)
In many respects, the opener to The Force Awakens was a highlight. As Kylo Ren and his First Order stormtroopers decimated the Jakku natives and set the village ablaze, the scene had a more serious and scary feel to it. At first hand, the First Order truly seemed like a menacing threat, and the trailers for The Force Awakens often used clips from the opening battle, giving the impression that the entire film would resemble its tone.
Instead, the opening scene promised something that the film didn't deliver on. The tone of the movie was more lightweight and cheerful, celebrating the small victories that Rey and Finn achieved when escaping the enemy and taking out troops along the way. There were jokes mixed in, and while that's not to say that The Force Awakens was bad, it's important to note that it also relied too much on nostalgia to make it exciting.
How Rogue One Finally Paid Off The Sequel Trilogy's First Scene
Rogue One was serious until its very ending, representing a bold new direction for Star Wars. Rogue One started with Jyn witnessing her mother's death and her father being forced to work for the Empire, leaving her parentless. It was evident that the Empire would go to extreme lengths to get what it wanted, no matter the cost, and that in itself brought a very somber mood to the film.
It maintained that same tone throughout, unlike the brief suggestion of it in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Part of its moral complexity was clear in Jyn constantly questioning if Rebel spy Cassian Andor, who'd been covertly ordered to kill her father, was on her side or not. In the end, Star Wars: Rogue One's seriousness meant it was able to show to the extent its characters would go to achieve their goal, which unfortunately came at the great cost of losing their own lives.