After having watched the Blu-Ray a few times this week, I think a solid edit of the first act should be re-ordered and cut down to:
-LFL/Long Time Ago…
–===Crawl===–
ROGUE ONE
Terror! The Galactic Empire’s grip on the galaxy has never been tighter. Those who stand opposed to their tyranny, the Rebel Alliance, have learned the Empire has developed a new SUPER WEAPON under the guidance of scientist Galen Erso.
In a race against time, the Rebellion has sent their best spy to find the scientist’s lost daughter, Jyn Erso, in hopes she can provide them with information on his work.
Following the murder of her mother by DIRECTOR KRENNIC, the young Erso was raised by the the extremist Saw Guerrera. The Rebellion must convince Guerrera to help reunite Jyn with her father as the information he has may be their LAST HOPE…
-Starfield faded to Tie-Fighter streaking across screen with Tarkin/Krennic/Death Star cone scene
-Wipe into shot of Saw’s robotic foot and the scene of Bodhi being brought before Saw
-Wipe into Wobani prison camp and Erso being rescued
-Wipe Jyn on Yavin
-Wipe into Bodhi having his mind probed
-Replace Coruscant dream sequence with one that features Jyn running while Krennic’s shuttle flies overhead, her hugging her father, her mother giving her the crystal, her mother being murdered with Jyn waking up on her way to Jedha as Galen says '…I do it for you, Stardust…"
I struggle with removing Cassian’s scene in which he learns about the Death Star and then murders one of Saw’s men but I think that all the information we gain from that scene (aside from his willingness to murder anyone) is learned in the briefing room on Yavin. It also cuts down on the planet hopping. If you were going to re-insert it, I would make it the second scene between Tarkin and Bodhi being brought before Saw.
Thoughts?