Character development =/= backstory.
For what it’s worth, I don’t think they needed to develop every single character. I just wish at least a few were more focused. It’s tricky when you have so many characters with so many different elements. The Krennic/Erso friend/foe dynamic hinted at but that never goes anywhere. The Saw Gerrera/terrorist aspect of the Rebellion of which is clearly there but otherwise completely unexplored. Jyn’s on-again, off-again rebellion and risking everything for the greater good (and how that relates to Galen) which is there but basically brushed over. The Cassian conflict which is very solid but doesn’t have any sort of meaningful resolution in regards to the moral dilemma of a violent Rebellion. Bodhi Rook and his connection to Galen/why he defected. Chirrut and Baze and anything about their religion/trust in the Force beyond what we can assume based on prior knowledge of the concept. These are all interesting things but far too unexplored. Some scenario in which many arcs are tied together with some thematic coherence would have been best route.
I do too think the film could have been longer. Team based war films often reach near 2 and a half hours and this had the leeway to do so as a standalone.
Exactly. Character wise this film is indicative of the PT in that the characters and their interactions could have been so much better if a couple of things had been different. Though I like that Rogue One sets up other films to have characters do morally ambiguous things as that’s something the films have been needing for a long time. I just hope the rest of the ST can do it better.