The Star Wars Prequels...

**CrazyCoder** · 10-24-2010, 06:32 PM

Episode 1 is underrated. All people talk about is JJB but it's actually an entertaining film and has a few great set pieces. I wasn't too keen on the whole midichlorians idea, but apart from that storywise it's solid and the acting is decent. Remember too that it's looking at Anakin as a child so is deliberately played at that level.

Episodes 2 and 3 on the other hand are cringeworthy because it's more "adult" subject matter, so should be more convincing dramatically in comparison to other adult dramas. The acting is terrible from the people who matter (or there's no chemistry). If only Heath Ledger hadn't turned down the role.

**Josias** · 10-25-2010, 05:41 AM

Don't think it's one I'll end up seeing at the flicks. Probably pick up on DVD if it's any good.

Back on topic, my favourite prequel is Revenge of the Sith. It just has all the elements of a rip-roaring Star Wars film in spades, and nothing seems to get in it's way. The CGI is really at it's absolute peak here too for me. I still feel though, that ultimately George should have had someone else direct the films. That way we might have seen better performances. There's definitely an argument that GL is only at his best when directing action and explosions, and isn't so good with actors (witness the love scenes in AotC - sheeesh). Still, the inner kid in me still gets a kick out of finally seeing Yoda wielding a lightsaber!

**duschee** · 10-25-2010, 01:30 PM

QUOTE=revolver44;25430026

Negatives -
Chewbacca impersonating Tarzan (that was RofJ)
Haydenson as Skywalker/Vader
The completely naff love story - ZERO chemistry
The Queen dying of "a broken heart"
Vader's Dale Winton-esque "Noooooooooooooo!" (whatever anyone else says about this ..... this was a PERFECT response!!!)

And everything else.[/QUOTE]

**fcjgfckgc** · 10-26-2010, 02:57 PM

Looking back now, my initial reactions when seeing them are pretty close to how I feel now. I saw both Ep1 & Ep3 twice, but Ep2 just once.

I like Ep1 and wasn't that dissappointed with it. Looking back now I really like it, even JJB! It has the right mix of sillyness and action without becoming too much of a parody. The 2 scenes which stand out are the pod race and the Darth Maul duel. Duel of the Fates has to be one of the most increadible parts of a cinema score ever. I think GL made a huge mistake losing Darth Maul so early on in the trilogy. He could have been as powerful a villian as DV was in the original films.

Ep 2 has very few redeeming features other than the inclusion of Jango Fett. For me the Count Dooko / Yoda duel was comical at best. The less said about the love story the better.

Ep 3 started brilliantly and almost managed to pull off the descent of Anakin to the dark side, but it needed a bit more, such as Anakin believing Padme and Obiwan were at it! The final duel needed to be better than the Darth Maul duel, but it wasn't.

Overall, I think the biggest issue was the over-relliance on CGI. It no doubt effects actors' performances and no matter how good it is, it can't be a substitute for practical effects in all cases. Peter Jackson showed in the LotR films how to blend the two. GL has no doubt changed the way films are made and how the film business operates, and I think the majority would say the change has been for the better.

**Lainie** · 10-26-2010, 04:45 PM

Let's be honest, Haydenson bleeding ruined it. Just thinking of him now getting stroppy with Obi like some spoilt teen, I just want to shove a light saber up his arsehole.

**Jango** · 10-27-2010, 04:19 AM

IMO the prequels were one big lesson in HOW NOT TO DO CGI, the battle scenes were a mess and the chrachter based scenes relied far too heavily on blue screen.

As for claiming that WETA Digital rode on the back of what ILM did, I'd say it was exactly the opposite; as I understand it WETA developed their own systems to make the battles in Lord of the Rings look far more realistic than anything Lucas was doing, and Jackson knew that hand-made REAL sets would do a far more powerfull job than anything CGI based when doing closer shots, making the LOTR trilogy seem so deep and rich in comparison to the shallow, plasticy look of the Star Wars prequels.

I'd say all the effects on all the Star Wars prequels were bettered, many times over, by just about everything in the Lord of the Rings series, and that's before we even get on to the subject of quality writing, acting and directing.

And on this subject I think all fans of Star Wars, and film in general, can stand united.