Well, I just came back from a somewhat overdue second viewing of the film and I have a few nitpicks to nitpick.
I actually think the score is fairly good. It’s definitely not as good as anything Williams would have made, but what does that really mean? That it is below the music of one of the greatest Hollywood composers that’s ever lived? Giacchino didn’t exactly leave a lot of room for improvement, and equaling Williams isn’t exactly easy either. Yes, the score lacks a certain amount of memorable moments, but it sounds appropriate for the setting, and it serves it’s purpose. Also I really like the Jedha/Saw theme. It’s very different from what we’ve heard in a SW film before and it’s actually kind of unnerving. It immediately gives you the right idea of what kind of place Jedha is and what kind of people Saw and his men are. If anything, I think that theme alone deserves some praise. I agree that the Rebel theme could have been used a little more, but that’s a little nitpicky I think, especially since this film is about finding that sense of loyalty and hope that we take for granted in the events of the OT, so it makes sense that it would only show up during the final battle of RO. Also I don’t see why the Imperial march should have bee used more than the brief moment that it got. It never appeared in ANH so it would be somewhat inconsistent, and despite its name it really is Vader’s theme. And it does appear very briefly during his second appearance.
Also, when it comes to Saw, I think many people overlook just how mentally unstable he is. The way he talks, his mannerisms, how his mind wonders at times, his mood swings when talking to Jyn. He’s clearly lost his mind over the years. Which makes sense, I mean has’t he canonically been a resistance fighter for nearly 30 years without a break? Not to to mention that there’s very little left of him at all. I don’t agree with the criticism that he just “gives up.” He’s done his fighting, he’s made his sacrifices, and there’s not really any fighting left in him anyway. Keep in mind he doesn’t do any fighting in the film, probably wouldn’t be able to. After all he walks with a cane, has a poorly put together mechanical foot, has serious breathing problems, etc. Unlike Vader he doesn’t exactly have access to a lot of high-tech equipment. He’s barely holding together as it is. He seems to just be a leader at this point in his life.
(I also noticed that he unplugged something from his suit right before he dies.)
And as for the main characters abandoning Saw’s men to die. I noticed while watching the film that all of his men had disappeared to somewhere before K-2SO showed up with the U-Wing.
I was also paying extra close attention to Vader’s speech during his first appearance this time around. I don’t really have too much to add, other than that I personally can’t hear anything wrong with it other than that James Earl Jones doesn’t quite have that extra punch in his voice anymore (which is to be expected at his age). But I honestly can’t find the big flaws in his dialogue or the incorrect voice modulation that some people are talking about. I honestly couldn’t hear it. I’m not doubting that it is ever so slightly different, after all imitating analogue sound editing form the 70’s can’t be too easy, but I fail to hear anything overly wrong with it.
(PS. Most of the redness of his eyes are reflections from the red lights in his lair, not from the eyes themselves.)
I also agree that there wasn’t really much, if anything, that suggested to Vader that the rebel at the end of the hallway had the DS plans. Vader’s only goal was to get into the ship before it escaped.