it turns Rogue One into the caricature everyone thinks it is - emotionless empty Star Wars-themed action sequences.
But Rogue One IS an empty movie with dumb action sequences that only deliver silly fan service and which is led by emotionless characters 😄 (except the imperial droid)
The point of this edit is to go straight to the point of the main plot: stealing the DS plans. Two third of the movie is useless (and bad) characterization of uninterestig characters. This edit is the best way to link Episode III with Episode IV rather than the theatrical cut (IMHO).
That’s being said, I agree that a flashback structure could be implemented into this edit in order to give a little bit more about the characters, especially Chirrut (just one short scene), nothing more. But this isn’t eldusto84’s plan and there is no real need for this SW short story since the real “main” characters here are Vader (who now opens and closes the short movie), Tarkin, the Death Star, Mothma, Organa, and Leia (and a little bit Krennic’s demise). Erso and friends are not necessary to the myth and are not needed at all for the story of Anakin/Vader.