I actually meant it when I said "maybe". An argument may be made that they're shallow or poorly developed, but it's a 'Dirty Dozen' war flick; taking that context into account I'm not expecting nuance and depth, to be honest.
The crew in Rogue One had one job: get the plans, get killed.
I do think there are definitely worse characters across eleven films even when you take context into account. Characters that were meant to be more complex, or sympathetic, or significant...that either behaved inexplicably, did nothing to further the plot, took us out of the film completely or whom we just didn't care about.
Star Wars is littered with those characters, to your last point. It's a bunch of very expensive B movies with questionable writing.
I think that is a good point. I mean ultimately, most of Star Wars is guilty pleasure, so reviewing these movies on a basis of being a quality movie could be somewhat futile.
The ESB might be the one movie that probably is a 'good' movie. It isn't pandering or filled with fan service or dumb action beats. It evolves its characters in complex and unpredictable ways. Their feels like real losses when it happens. The acting is solid. The tone at times feels lighthearted, but there is a current of darkness and dread in the background. The action feels well choreographed, and done in interesting ways.
Rogue One to me is like an unoriginal war movie. Nothing I haven't seen a dozen times. The problem is the characters are not memorable. So the only thing I am left with is some ships and weapons that look like Star wars. It just is executed so poorly, even if filmed competently and the CGI good.
If it took real chances, or built some strange and driven characters, I would be signing up for it. Without characters, or purpose, or concern or fear, I have no interest in rewatching the movie.
Chances, that is what is needed. Mandalorian started exploring that. But I am worried season 2 will be adding Boba Fett and Tusken Raiders, and we lose the stepping stones of EXPANDING the Universe. Not recycling the same 20 things over and over again.
It is like in another 5 years we get a new Star Trek movie, and they have Khan as the villain. It is like can we explore other things, or go to a new place? Maybe I am asking too much from corporate popcorn with artifical flavoring, which I agree is probably true as well.