Review Detail

Really solid first-time effort by Lantern51, creating a modernized version of A New Hope which would be, I think, mostly recommended to those who want to watch the saga in episode order. Coming from the prequels, some viewers might feel disappointed by the original film's lack of lightsaber play and the one duel included being kind of stale. So the use of the Vader scene from Rogue One and the SC38 fanfilm does bridge both styles nicely. Those wishing to watch in release or Machete order, or skip the prequels, would probably be better served by either the reconstructed theatrical or Adywan's version, though, since the original opening is so iconic and SC38's camerawork is too different from the rest of the film.

Otherwise, the new scenes were very well integrated. I particularly liked the way the Rogue One Leia scene was cut short: the deepfake only really goes to Hell in the part of the shot that was removed, and the terribly on-the-nose "Hope" moment of fanservice is thankfully gone. The added grain is a very welcome addition that greatly helps the material blend in.

The only downside for me is that it includes quite a bit more Special Edition footage than I would have wished. Fortunately Han shoots first and we're spared the Jabba scene, but those 90s CGI shots are still a complete eyesore for me, not to mention that they feel way more dated than the timeless practical work from twenty years prior. Still, the editor has stated that if the HD version of the Adywan cut had been available he'd have used that as his source, so I won't be holding this against him. And this edit is the one thing remotely similar to the SE that I'd be willing to rewatch anyway.

Great audio and video quality, and just as great technical editing. The Force is definitely strong with this one!