In the Milky Way galaxy on planet Earth a group of about 45 people gathered at The Harbor Theatre in Boothbay Harbor, Maine to see “Star Wars: Rogue One.” The mesmerizing special effects and riveting action kept us audience members well-entertained. There are a lot of new planet and moon names I can't begin to recall, but here we go ...

A former Imperialist research scientist, Galen (Mads Mikkelsen) Erso has been in hiding with his family, wife Lyra (Valene Kane) and 6- or 7-year-old daughter Jyn (Felicity Jones) from the Imperialists for whom he was developing a weapon so powerful it could destroy entire planets … the Death Star.

One day he tells Lyra and Jyn “It's happened. He's come for us.” The 'he' Galen tells Jyn and Lyra to run from is Orson Krennic (Ben Mendelsohn), the director of advanced weapons research for the Imperial military. Krennic arrives with a band of stormtroopers to force Galen to finish work on the Death Star. The Imperialists are also not happy about Galen having told the rebels about the Death Star.

Lyra prepares her daughter to flee without her and fastens a crystal necklace around Jyn's neck and tells her to “trust the force.” But this isn't a quartz crystal, it's a Kyber crystal. What's the big deal about that? Well, I'll tell you. Kyber crystals were used in the light sabers used by the Jedi. Now her mother's words make more sense, don't they?

Lyra comes out of her hiding place to save her husband — and attempts to kill Krennic, but the stormtroopers kill her as Jyn watches in hiding. Lyra does, however, manage to shoot Orson in the shoulder. Orson then orders the troopers to find the child. They do not. Jyn is rescued, and raised, by Saw Gerrera (Forest Whitaker), a resistance fighter and former leader of the Onderon rebels, on the moon Jedha.

Fifteen years to Jyn as an adult being transported to an Imperialist prison, one assumes, since she is in handcuffs and her feet are chained. She holds her necklace in her hands and remembers those last precious moments with Lyra and her words “trust in the force.” Rebels attack the vehicle and take Jyn to rebel leader General Draven (Alistair Petrie). Draven wants to use Jyn to force Saw Gerrera to aid the rebels, but in fact they want to use her to get to Galen and kill him before he finishes the work he is being forced to complete on the Death Star.

Cassian Endor (Diego Luna) of the rebel forces and his (opinionated) droid K-2SO are assigned to accompany Jyn. At around the same time, Krennic's superior, Imperial Governor Grand Moff Tarkin (Peter Cushing — yes he's still alive) tells Krennic he isn't pleased with the progress of the Death Star project and its potential. To prove the power of the weapon to the governor, Krennic uses the Death Star to demolish the capital city of Jedha. Jyn, Cassian and the droid are there at the time as Jyn is trying to convince an ailing Gerrera to help them find her father. Jyn and company narrowly escape with the help of a rebel pilot who brought a hologram message from Galen to Gerrera. Hologram Galen tells Gerrera and Jyn that when he built the Death Star, he created it with a flaw. Galen proceeds to tell them how to destroy the weapon.

Jyn realizes that Cassian is really there to kill her father as the forming rebel alliance has requested, not to bring him before the Senate for trial (for working with the Imperialists even if he was unwilling).

After Jyn sees the hologram, she realizes that Cassian's real mission is to kill her father. She tells Cassian about what her father said. They go before General Draven and Jyn tells him about her father's message — and her plan: to steal the plans for the Death Star and destroy it.

Cue Star Wars' “The Force Theme” ...

A fascinating character in “Rogue One” is a blind monk and martial arts master (wait til you see him in action), Chirrut Imwe (Donnie Yen), whose mantra is “I am one with the Force, the Force is with me.” He is. And “it” is. Chirrut isn't a Jedi, but he can definitely wield the Force. Turns out, he is “Force-sensitive” and a guardian of the … kyber crystals. OK, I looked that part up — I was curious ... the first time we see Chirrut he is sitting in a Jedha outdoor marketplace and he senses Jyn and calls out something to her as she passes. Curious and surprised, she begins to speak with him until Cassian grabs her by the arm saying there isn't time to make new friends ... A few minutes later, Jyn's “new friend” is protecting them and fighting 15, 20 stormtroopers, just him and his wood staff.

And Lord (Darth) Vader is here, voice (and heavy breathing) by James Earl Jones, physically by Spencer Wilding. Vader is as sinister as ever in the few scenes he appears in — the best of which is the bit where Krennic is reporting on the progress of the Death Star. Vader is not impressed by Krennic's attitude and lets Krennic know by causing him physical torment telepathically. Vader's message was most definitely received.

This film has the classic spaceship battle scenes, the flying in and out of tight spots that Star Wars fans love to watch. The planets and moons are intriguing — some resemble what we envision the world would look like after a nuclear event (think Mad Max), others are tropically lush or harsh frozen tundra. The ground battle scenes are equally as gripping as those in space, particularly the scene in which Jyn is trying to save her father — and Cassian trying to kill him (but does he?) — at Galen's research lab. Climbing the rocky terrain with the rebel forces flying their spacecrafts in to assist — the good fighting evil, the people fighting oppressors ... “you say you want a revolution, well you know ...” Or as Saw Gerrera says, for what may have been his final words, “Save the revolution! Save the dream!”

This stand-alone film, directed by Gareth Edwards, is based on characters created by George Lucas. It provides back story for the “Star Wars” film that started it all, that blew us all away back in 1977 and keeps us coming back for more ... for going on 40 YEARS!

“Star Wars: Rogue One” is playing at The Harbor Theatre through the New Year at 7 p.m. No matinee on Christmas Day, Sunday, Dec. 25. Closed Monday and Tuesday. New Year’s Day at 2 and 7 p.m. For more information, call 633-0438 or visit www.harbortheatre.net.