Opinions on the Star Wars prequels

[CyberCubed]

Given all the hype about the new movie I don't think we've had a discussion here on the prequel trilogy, I'm honestly curious to see what people thought.

I actually think Episode 3 was almost as good as the original trilogy. Its of course the best of the prequels by a longshot, but I also think even ignoring that its a pretty good movie on its own. There are a lot of cool moments in this film and the acting is a large step above the previous.

Episode 1 I have a soft-spot for because I saw it back in 1999 when I was a kid. Back then I didn't realize what was bad about it, I just liked it because...Star Wars. That being said it has two great characters Qui-Gon and Darth Maul that makes me come back to it more often than not. I also think the climax 3-way battle is pretty cool.

Episode 2 is of course the worst of the bunch. Very boring movie besides the final action scene. I think if it wasn't for Episode 2 the prequels wouldn't be as hated as they were.

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

Given all the hype about the new movie I don't think we've had a discussion here on the prequel trilogy, I'm honestly curious to see what people thought.

I actually think Episode 3 was almost as good as the original trilogy. Its of course the best of the prequels by a longshot, but I also think even ignoring that its a pretty good movie on its own. There are a lot of cool moments in this film and the acting is a large step above the previous.

Episode 1 I have a soft-spot for because I saw it back in 1999 when I was a kid. Back then I didn't realize what was bad about it, I just liked it because...Star Wars. That being said it has two great characters Qui-Gon and Darth Maul that makes me come back to it more often than not. I also think the climax 3-way battle is pretty cool.

Episode 2 is of course the worst of the bunch. Very boring movie besides the final action scene. I think if it wasn't for Episode 2 the prequels wouldn't be as hated as they were.

You shoulda posted this yesterday, CC. You're a day late. :tcry:

[Candy Kappa]

Not a fan, not at all.

[CyberCubed]

Not a fan, not at all.

Any particular thoughts on each? Did you like any part of them at all?

[Candy Kappa]

Not really, the plot is not very impressive, Anakin was horribly portrayed, bad cinematography and the fighting was just performance theater that had no emotional impact.

The only things I do like are Mace Windu, who sadly got axed way too early. Darth Maul who was "killed" in the first movie. There's other ideas I liked from the clone wars show, but from the movies, that's about it.

[plastroncafe]

No where near as good as the animated series that followed.
Maybe those movies should have been animated instead.

[TheBlueTurtle1]

Episode 1, My fav movie out of all 6. Qui-Gon is the best Jedi and Darth maul the second best bad guy. And yes I don't mind Jar Jar. Love the under water city scenes, and the 3 way dual at the end is the best scene out of all 6 films, had me on the edge of my seat.

Mistake was killing off 2 of the best characters.

Episode 2, I enjoyed very much, I like Hayden as Anakin, and his chemistry with Obi wan was great.
It was interesting seeing the the big battle scene in Geonosis.

Just wish Qui-Gon had made it in this movie, and Darth maul had evolved in character to actually do everything that Dooku does in this film.( No need for the character Dooku whatsoever)

Could have had Anakin Kill Qui Gon at the end.

Mistake- No yaddle:lol:

Episode 3, Nothing major to fault in all honesty. Great Lightsaber battles, and a great set up to a New hope.

Mistake- 4 way battle with Mace and co vs Sidious, should have been epic.
Kit Fisto got 2 clashes or so, and was out. The other 2 looked they were were taking a dump.

All in all, these films are great, and people hate them just becuase it's cool to do so.

[Allio]

I like them, but I'm not the biggest fan of Star Wars, so it may be a mute point

[CyberCubed]

I'm not a huge Star Wars fan either, I've never got into the comics or any of the expanded universe, but the movies are all I really got into.

I think a lot of hardcore fans also had some preconceived notions of what they wanted the prequels to be like before they ever came out. A lot of people hated the Battle Droids because they wanted to see Storm Troopers, or hated the ships because there weren't any X-wings or Tie-fighters.

I can understand the complaints about the wooden acting though. Its surprising Natalie Portman didn't do a better job, she's a good actress in most of her other stuff.

[Cure]

No where near as good as the animated series that followed.
Maybe those movies should have been animated instead.

Do you mean the CGI (THE Clone Wars) one or the Genndy 5 minute one? I haven't seen all of THE Clone Wars, but I liked the short 5 minute ones a lot. Grievous was more interesting in that show than in the movies.

[plastroncafe]

Do you mean the CGI (THE Clone Wars) one or the Genndy 5 minute one? I haven't seen all of THE Clone Wars, but I liked the short 5 minute ones a lot. Grievous was more interesting in that show than in the movies.

I meant the cg one, because this might be my first time hearing about the Genndy five minute one.

[Cure]

I meant the cg one, because this might be my first time hearing about the Genndy five minute one.

Whaaaattttt look it up, that show is awesome. 5 minute episodes take some getting used to, but it's neat.

[sdp]

I generally like them, they're alright in my book. My opinions on them have changed slightly recently though, I'll post more about them later but they definitely don't deserve the hate that they get.

I think Episode I is the best followed by 2 and 3 being the worst.

[Jephael]

I'm probably one of the few people who actually liked Jar Jar Binks. I'm somewhat of a kid at heart and I could tell right off hand that he was clearly he was meant for the younger audience. Looking back though I can definitely see how he didn't fit in with the tone of the sequels.

[GoldMutant]

Besides the look of the films, some nice action, awesome soundtracks from the master John Williams and some of the actors Ewan McGregor says hi, I honestly can't enjoy the prequels. They lack heart compared to the original trilogy, suffer from wooden performances, terrible screenplays, and just don't feel as fun in my own opinion. I also rank the prequels as this:

1. Revenge of the Sith (though I still don't like it, it's the best of the trilogy by far with an AMAZING soundtrack and Ewan McGregor finally getting to shine as an actor)

2. The Phantom Menace (Fun ending fight and beautiful looking film, just needs a better script and stronger performances)

3. Attack of the Clones (I don't even need to say anything, all has been said about it in the past)

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

Besides the look of the films, some nice action, awesome soundtracks from the master John Williams and some of the actors Ewan McGregor says hi, I honestly can't enjoy the prequels. They lack heart compared to the original trilogy, suffer from wooden performances, terrible screenplays, and just don't feel as fun in my own opinion. I also rank the prequels as this:

1. Revenge of the Sith (though I still don't like it, it's the best of the trilogy by far with an AMAZING soundtrack and Ewan McGregor finally getting to shine as an actor)

2. The Phantom Menace (Fun ending fight and beautiful looking film, just needs a better script and stronger performances)

3. Attack of the Clones (I don't even need to say anything, all has been said about it in the past)

Ewan MacGregor is good in "The Island" and Liam Neeson killed it as R'as al Ghul. That's the closest I've ever come to the Star Wars prequels. :tlol:

[GoldMutant]

Ewan MacGregor is good in "The Island" and Liam Neeson killed it as R'as al Ghul. That's the closest I've ever come to the Star Wars prequels. :tlol:

Ah, Batman Begins, good times. :) Looks like I have a new movie to watch then with The Island in the near future.

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

Ah, Batman Begins, good times. :) Looks like I have a new movie to watch then with The Island in the near future.

The Island is an anomaly in that it is the ONE good Michael Bay movie ever created. I'm still not convinced he really did it... :tshifty:

[plastroncafe]

Whaaaattttt look it up, that show is awesome. 5 minute episodes take some getting used to, but it's neat.

Please don't take away any of my geek cred!
Please!

[GoldMutant]

The Island is an anomaly in that it is the ONE good Michael Bay movie ever created. I'm still not convinced he really did it... :tshifty:

Insert Egoraptor's brain exploding here.

This, I have to see then.

[CyberCubed]

I meant the cg one, because this might be my first time hearing about the Genndy five minute one.

You really never knew about the cartoon prior to the CG one? It was heavily promoted because it was the first Star Wars TV show in...ever.

[Cure]

Please don't take away any of my geek cred!
Please!

Haha, it's cool. I'm not that type. Speaking of...

You really never knew about the cartoon prior to the CG one? It was heavily promoted because it was the first Star Wars TV show in...ever.

If she says she hasn't, she hasn't, man. No big deal.

[Slade]

I liked them all, with 2 being my least favorite. I'm not that big a Star Wars fan to begin with. It's fun stuff though and I love Vader.

I've always wondered if people would hate episodes 4-6 if they came out last?

[shuriken]

Whaaaattttt look it up, that show is awesome. 5 minute episodes take some getting used to, but it's neat.

Those were pretty great. Was never a fan of the CGI clone wars TBH
I liked Revenge of the sith the best just hated Padme's "you're tearing me apart" and "she no longer had a will to live" ugh. Anikan's transition to the dark side was kinda half assed but whatevs. That aside great battles great interaction and great setup to New Hope.

Attack of the Clones was cool, hated whiny Anikan though. Do not remember much about it other than Mace killing Jango Fett.

Phantom Menace was ok. Take out the final battle and it's just kinda boring to me. you could tell it was setting things up for later sequels.

So they got better with each one I guess? I didn't like that Padme wussed out in the end. She was awesome in the beginning and middle though.

[Jester]

No where near as good as the animated series that followed.
Maybe those movies should have been animated instead.
They weren't? ;)
Do you mean the CGI (THE Clone Wars) one or the Genndy 5 minute one? I haven't seen all of THE Clone Wars, but I liked the short 5 minute ones a lot. Grievous was more interesting in that show than in the movies.

I meant the cg one, because this might be my first time hearing about the Genndy five minute one.

Whaaaattttt look it up, that show is awesome. 5 minute episodes take some getting used to, but it's neat.

Please don't take away any of my geek cred!
Please!
Here ya go, Plastron.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c__EdPiU0No
Someone edited them into a feature length movie. I've only seen it once when some friends and I marathoned the Star Wars flicks (and some other SW themed stuff) back in college.

[Peanut]

I've got a bunch to say. Gosh. Buckle in, I guess. After some very recent discussion I think I've realized I dislike Episode I and II about equally and III less so, but I think they're all OK movies. I love them because they're Star Wars and I love Star Wars, but I have major issues with all of them.

Episode I - I think it showed pretty clearly that Lucas is awful and him having full control over every facet of a film is the worst possible thing.

A lot of the characters are awful. Nearly everyone from principle characters like Anakin and Jar Jar to Naboo fighter pilots have cringe worthy dialogue, annoying accents, awful line delivery, or wooden acting. I think Neeson and McGregor (who I personally think is the best thing about the entire prequel trilogy) are great, but they're two standouts in what seems like a cast of amateurs. There are so many poor deliveries in the movie I can just start popping them off one after another in my head non-stop. The scene where Anakin is trying to get his pod racer to work is pure gold in this regard, as the entire thing is a f*cking train wreck.

Anakin should be the linchpin of this movie (and, indeed, the trilogy,) but instead he's obnoxious as all hell. Every time he speaks it's like watching a 1st grader in a school play. The only scene he's in that I can stomach involves the pod racing, because he doesn't speak at all. Even then, you have the obnoxious commentary (though I love Greg Proops,) which feels like it's completely out of place. Everything to do with Anakin accidentally starting the Starfighter, accidentally flying away, then accidentally blowing up the droid control ship is awful, including every line he says along the way.

Because Anakin completely f*cks up the space battle, though it's pretty bland and boring to begin with, we're left with the lightsaber fight and the f*cking Gungan/Battledroid CG sh*tfest. I hated the land battle as a kid and now that the CG looks awful I hate it even more. It's hokey and the Gungan are awful. The lightsaber duel is, of course, the best part of the movie. The music is incredible, the fight is fun and you don't hate everyone involved. I do think people are nuts when they say killing Qui-Gon and Maul was wasting the two best characters in the film, though. 1) Qui-Gon needed to die to push Obi-Wan and make him more stubborn in regards to training Anakin and 2) Darth Maul wasn't a good character. He was a a generic villain who looked neat and did a few cool things, but there was zero characterization.

With that, I think this movie feels a bit more like Star Wars than the other two. It's a bit more simple and focuses very clearly on a few places at a time, where as II and III feel far busier. Also, MIDI-CHLORIANS ARE STUPID AS ALL HELL!

Episode II - I think this one is perhaps the hardest for me to watch, because so little of it is funny-bad the way Ep I is, but instead straight up bad. I think the payoffs are better than Ep I and there are whole sections of this movie I can watch and enjoy, which is a step up, but unlike Ep I there are entire sections of the movie that have zero redeeming value.

Everything, and let me stress everything, to do with Anakin and Padme is anime Jigglypuff-level sleep inducing. You get what had the potential to be an awesome scene, where Anakin embraces the Dark Side for the first time and slaughters the Sand People, but it's ruined not only by the coincidence that Anakin managed to turn up at just the moment his mother died, but by Hayden Christensen's delivery of the "I hate them!" line. Speaking of Hayden, he's a disaster. Not on the level of lil' Ani, or Jar Jar, but he's awful. He's so bad he retroactively ruins Darth Vader for me and in my mind I've created this very clear line where Anakin-Vader lives and "real" Vader lives, so as not to destroy how I feel about the character in the OT.

And where all that sh*t (and the majority of the political nonsense) is awful and un-watchable, you have the great stuff with Obi-Wan on Kamino, which is great. Watching a Jedi actually go about his business in a fashion that doesn't involve jumping headlong out of balcony windows is something of a novelty in the the PT, so I appreciate it even more now. You get Boba origins, a unique fight between Obi-Wai and Jango, info on the clones and some decent cloak and dagger stuff involving the plot to overthrow the Republic, which are actually the coolest parts of the PT to me. I should also mention how McGregor really starts to channel Alec Guinness in this one, further cementing him as the best part of the trilogy to me.

I think the coliseum stuff sucks, though there's some decent Jedi stuff in it, it just doesn't feel like Star Wars to me. Yoda finally dropping the mitts was probably the highlight of the movie, because Yoda is awesome and seeing him pulling off cool sh*t was a novelty back then, but now it's not so great. Dooku is a much better villain than Maul, but he's underutilized and obviously entirely worthless come Ep III. Also among the awful sh*t is the entire sequence with C-3P0 (who is absolutely abhorrent in almost every way in the PT) in the factory. This is also the start of R2 having all kinds of whizbang gadgets that are nowhere to be seen years down the line (story wise) which always really f*cking bugged me.

Like I said at the beginning, recent conversations have led me to reevaluate Ep II quite a bit and I've settled on it being just as bad as Ep I for a lot of reasons. Nothing in Ep I is as good as the Kamino stuff and nothing is as exciting as Yoda fighting, but Ep II also has a lot of legitimately awful stuff in it that isn't even entertaining for laughs, which makes it way harder for me to watch than Ep I. It gets extra points for essentially making Jar Jar the one who sets the rise of the Empire in motion.

Episode III - This is easily the best of the trilogy, but it also has a ton of issues, including the absolute worst scene/line delivery in the entirety of Star Wars, the biggest logical fallacies and the lamest explanations for the few burning questions remaining in the lore. I'm gonna break this one up a little more strictly into good vs bad, because there's a lot to this movie and I'm getting tired of writing and kinda wanna go watch them lol.

So, first thing is that it has the best battle we never got to see in a Star Wars movie, which was the Battle of Kashyyyk. I got chills the first time all those Wookies lept up and started bellowing, unfortunately we didn't get to see much of if it. It also has what I believe to be the best scene in the trilogy, which is Order 66. Specifically, the scene of Yoda being overwhelmed by the awful sh*t taking place got me legit shook and I'm not gonna lie that I teared up in the theater watching it. I also like more of Obi-Wan getting stuff done on his own, even though Grevious was sh*t fight for him. The stuff at the end is also pretty ace. You get to see the Tantive IV in all it's old school glory and see Luke delivered to his aunt and uncle on Tatooine, which is a great ending.

Outside of that stuff it starts to get iffy. CG clone troopers with live action heads. Why? Padme dies from what...a broken heart? OK COOL, GEORGE! R2-D2 just killing droids with all his crazy spy car gadgets, but in the OT the most he can do is zap an Ewok ass. "Noooooooo!" etc.

The biggest f*ck you from this movie is for sure 100% Vader. Anakin's entire turn and his unshakable belief in everything Palpatine tells him is so unbelievable and bad that it's impossible for it to be anything but a let down. Palpatine convincing Anakin to execute Dooku in about 15 seconds. Stupid as f*ck. The comma inducing opera scene. Good lord that opera scene. Then, we get to the pinnacle of the horrendous story telling, which is not only an awful scene because it's entirely unbelievable, but because it's the worst acted scene in any of the movies by a mile. It's also super frustrating because it is THE MOST PIVOTAL SCENE IN THE ENTIRE TRILOGY! This is supposed to be THE moment. Anakin finally makes the leap and becomes Vader. It should have been movie magic. Instead we get McDiarmid absolutely sh*tting the bed and Anakin just flipping a personality switch. It's a joke and it destroys any worth the entire trilogy has for me. Seconds after Palpatine melts into the very vision of a Sith Lord, then outright tells Anakin he doesn't actually know **** about saving lives, Anakin goes ahead and murders children. Sidious admitted he lied to him, in a room where he had just murdered a bunch of Jedi masters (while making the dumbest facial expressions of all-time) and Anakin just bends the knee and says "OK. I'll do whatever you say from now on, master." It's THE WORST! Even putting aside the fact that Windu dies like a total b*tch (he sucked anyways, but seriously?) and "No, no, no! YOU WILL DIE!" is the worst line/delivery in the history of huge movies, the very core of this scene is a cluster f*ck. The entire purpose of this trilogy, the rise and fall of Anakin Skywalker and his transformation into Vader, is flaming car wreck of twisted half-logic.

Now I'm worked up about Ep III. F*ck that sh*t. F*ck all these movies.

[NinjaPug]

Damn Peanut. Great job summing up the shortcomings of the PT. Like you, I still like them because I simply love Star Wars but the PT was such a huge missed opportunity. Lucas really **** the bed with the Anakin-Vader transformation. I had been fantasizing and theorizing about that and the Clone Wars in my head for years leading up to the prequels and couldn't believe that is what was put on screen.

[Brodie]

You really never knew about the cartoon prior to the CG one? It was heavily promoted because it was the first Star Wars TV show in...ever.

What? You must mean first good Star Wars TV show. Because there were two others prior to it.

[Peanut]

I will defend Droids and Ewoks to my dying breath.

[MsMarvelDuckie]

What? You must mean first good Star Wars TV show. Because there were two others prior to it.


Darn, you beat me to it.

[plastroncafe]

They weren't? ;)

Not well they weren't. Animation was all...stilted and choppy. And don't even get me started on the voice acting.



Here ya go, Plastron.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c__EdPiU0No
Someone edited them into a feature length movie. I've only seen it once when some friends and I marathoned the Star Wars flicks (and some other SW themed stuff) back in college.

This is why you're one of my favorites.

[sdp]

Decided to bump this since we're talking a lot about the prequels in the Ep. VII thread. As I re-watch them I'll be posting what I don't like about them but for the most part I do like them as I mentioned but not as much as I used to, I think the internet had a lot to do with that, they sucked the fun out of them. My main complaints about the prequels is the timeline, all these events happened way too close to Ep. IV and make many things from the OT no longer work as well. In my headcanon I like to think of the prequels as taking place many years before they're stated to.

[BabyTurtles]

I liked them....I mean I can't remember hating them.

I liked the fights ^_^ and I liked Anakin and Obi-wan~

[ssjup81]

I liked them ok and never found Jar-Jar annoying, but they lack rewatch value for me. I can watch the original trilogy without getting bored.

[Martian_Turtlesaurus]

How were the Sith supposed to defeat the Jedi order if they were just a master and an apprentice? And if the traditional Sith ritual of passage is for the apprentice to kill his/her master why would a Sith lord get one to begin with? And even worse why would Sidious scheme to recruit Luke? My theory the emperor had a death wish...
Also Darth Sidious seems to recruit Siths on that galaxy's Craigslist as there is always another one available as soon as they die (or even before)

Leia was an adoptive princess her mother having a royal or senatorial title is totally unnecessary. She could have been a peasant, a Jedi or a Hutt it makes no difference at all.

On the ruined editions Luke has no way to recognize the Jedi ghost next to Yoda and Kenobi. That's really awkward...

Twenty some years of isolation and some subsequent madness give Yoda more personality and sense of humor than he ever showed in the prequels. Also he looks way more believable

Midichlorians suck. The force was a philosophy or and old forgotten religion, of an exterminated order it was not a genetic gift. So Leia being Luke's sister was a messy and half baked twist as Vader would have noticed at the beginning of a new hope. And Leia mentioned to remember her mother which was impossible (as the most poorly programmed medical robot in the galaxy let her die while giving birth) and that only shows how unnecessarily creepy the added incest to the love triangle between Luke, Leia and Han is.

Also droids seem more cost effective than clones or the federation of commerce wouldn't use them for their army.

Uncle Owen apparently met Obi Wan and Anakin (?)
Obi: "I have something here for you. Your father wanted you to have this when you were old enough, but your uncle wouldn't allow it. He feared you might follow old Obi-Wan on some damn fool idealistic crusade like your father did."

Obi Wan: "I don't seem to remember ever owning a droid." He had a R4 unit or maybe it was rented or Tatooine suns are very bad for your long term memory.

Also Tatooine clothes became Jedi uniforms retro actively. Nice way to blend and hide old Ben Kenobi.

The Jedi council refuses to let Anakin become a master when he already had a padawan in the clone wars

All I have left to say was expressed with impressive eloquence in the cheesy and immortal first word of Darth Vader "NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"

[sdp]

How were the Sith supposed to defeat the Jedi order if they were just a master and an apprentice? And if the traditional Sith ritual of passage is for the apprentice to kill his/her master why would a Sith lord get one to begin with? And even worse why would Sidious scheme to recruit Luke? My theory the emperor had a death wish...
Also Darth Sidious seems to recruit Siths on that galaxy's Craigslist as there is always another one available as soon as they die (or even before)

This is all explained in the book "The Rule of Two", which I guess is now non-canon. And while the rule of two does seem to have some very big holes the EU/Legends explains it pretty well. Something that the movies or now canon material doesn't. I personally choose to just enjoy the SW stories that exist and don't care if they are "legends" or "canon" so IMO that is still canon in my book. You really need to read the book to understand it but a quick summary, Sidious beleives he's too powerful to ever be topped by Luke or Vader, he just wants the best apprentice and that's how all sith masters think, they get cocky and eventually one day the apprentice becomes better than them which is fine because that means each generation of sith is more powerful than the last, it's the only way to rise instead of having hundreds of average siths, having two is far better. As a general rule one sith can easily kill hundreds of Jedi, exceptions would be master Jedis like the ones on the council.


Leia was an adoptive princess her mother having a royal or senatorial title is totally unnecessary. She could have been a peasant, a Jedi or a Hutt it makes no difference at all.
This is true but her being a royal/senator doesn't really affect it negatively so whatever.


On the ruined editions Luke has no way to recognize the Jedi ghost next to Yoda and Kenobi. That's really awkward...
As a kid I didn't think the ghost looked like the bald scarred helmetless vader either we only saw for a few seconds. So yeah I don't have strong feelings either way on this either.

Twenty some years of isolation and some subsequent madness give Yoda more personality and sense of humor than he ever showed in the prequels. Also he looks way more believable
I do think the prequels kind of ruined Yoda for me, we're to believe that for 800 years he was like that but 20 years later he's totally different? Like Peanut said, watching Yoda use a lightsaber in Ep. II was great when it came out but seeing superhero Yoda in all of the prequels after that ruined it for me.

Midichlorians suck. The force was a philosophy or and old forgotten religion, of an exterminated order it was not a genetic gift. So Leia being Luke's sister was a messy and half baked twist as Vader would have noticed at the beginning of a new hope. And Leia mentioned to remember her mother which was impossible (as the most poorly programmed medical robot in the galaxy let her die while giving birth) and that only shows how unnecessarily creepy the added incest to the love triangle between Luke, Leia and Han is.
I understand the Midichlorians argument somewhat but not fully. Yeah some people are born with a genetic gift for something but that doesn't mean others can't achieve that high level either through effort or that people who are naturally skilled are automatically the best at something, this is true in real life as well. Leia being Luke's sister is indeed messy but even back in the OT. The PT could've handled it much better but it was still given a difficult task by the OT.


Also droids seem more cost effective than clones or the federation of commerce wouldn't use them for their army.
Clones are more expensive but are superior in battle to droids so it's about strategy, a numbers game or skills game, the Separatist chose a numbers game with far more droids while the army inherited clones which were lower in numbers but better at their jobs.

Uncle Owen apparently met Obi Wan and Anakin (?)
Obi: "I have something here for you. Your father wanted you to have this when you were old enough, but your uncle wouldn't allow it. He feared you might follow old Obi-Wan on some damn fool idealistic crusade like your father did."
Owen did meet Obi Wan and Anakin in the PT and he probably found out what happened when Luke was given to him. This isn't a big problem.

Obi Wan: "I don't seem to remember ever owning a droid." He had a R4 unit or maybe it was rented or Tatooine suns are very bad for your long term memory.
Yeah all of this could've easily been avoided with slight changes int he OT. The solution is he never owned a droid, the other ones were property of the Jedi Order or the Republic so yeah they shouldn't have had Obi Wan have so much dialog with his robot units int he PT.

Also Tatooine clothes became Jedi uniforms retro actively. Nice way to blend and hide old Ben Kenobi.
They became Jedi uniforms since Episode V though, since Yoda and then in Ep. VI you see Anakin's (original) ghost also with the Tatooine clothes/Uniforms. At least I don't think you see this outfit being worn by a lot of people in tatooine.

The Jedi council refuses to let Anakin become a master when he already had a padawan in the clone wars
This is very silly and the way Anakin is mishandled in the PT, apparently all of this is fixed int he Clone Wars cartoon which I'm watching right now, we'll see..

All I have left to say was expressed with impressive eloquence in the cheesy and immortal first word of Darth Vader "NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"
I don't thave a problem with this Noooooo. The one they added in RoTJ I can definitely agree with.

[Leo656]

They treated me fine. It's one of those things where I see the same bad stuff as everybody else, but for whatever reason it doesn't bother me as much as it seems to bother them. I'unno.

[CyberCubed]

Let's hope the new movie is better than these, judging by the trailer they probably will be, although there's always a chance the movie could have some rage-inducing stuff given how little we know of the plot.

[chrisdude]

They're just as good, to me. But I didn't grow up with Star Wars, like a lot of people, and I was never really blown away by it, and I didn't hold much sacred, going into the prequel trilogy. Episode 3 is definitely my favorite of the six, and I really enjoyed watching Anakin grow.

[Leo656]

It seems like it might in some small part be influenced by how old a person was when they first got into Star Wars. I grew up "liking" it without having actually seen a lot of it, but I don't think I ever sat through an entire movie until I was like 12, when they re-released the originals on VHS and I borrowed them from my friend and watched them all. It kind of seems like if you were younger when you first saw them, you take it all more seriously and have more strict standards for them, and if you got into them around the age I did you're a little more loose with it. Not universally, just in general.

Like I see the stuff that's not great bout the Prequels, but I think when people obsess over it, they kind of willfully ignore how much stuff isn't great about the originals. There's good and bad in everything.

[sdp]

I was still a kid when I watchedThe Phantom Menace: The most hated and controversial movie ever right? Well not only did I like it as a kid but I still do and I also think it's the best prequel. It gets a ton of undeserved hate and stupid little things are nitpicked and reacted as if they were this huge deal. Jar Jar Binks? I don't mind him too mucch, in fact I like his Goofy-like clumsyness in certain parts of the movie. Young Anakin? Great, I love the idea of this little boy being Darth Vader. Midichlorians? When I originally watched the movie I didn't even understand the implication of what this meant but the internet quickly made me realize and yeah it's not something I like but it's also not something that I go crazy about. Pod racing? Goes on for a little too long, not sure what people like about it, it's ok.

I like that they go to Planet Naboo and generally the story. I love the political parts as well. It felt like a good start that showed us what the universe was like before the dark times, before the Empire. Maul was cool, I didn't mind him dying he was a cool villain that maybe wouldn't have worked if he had been in other movies. Quigon Jinn is my favorite Jedi, easily no questions. The music is great and the last lightsaber fight was awesome and the internet has spoiled it for me with all the complains about it. Also really like the design of the Naboo Starfighter. R2-D2 origin? cool. C-3P0 as without armor? cool. I definitely have problems with it. C-3PO being created by Anakin? Such a bad decision. Anakin being a virgin birth? Not necessary and easily the worse than Midichlorians (which cocieved him I guess). Obi-Wan? I just don't care about him here, he's boring. Anakin flying the naboo starfighter? ugh. Blowing up the command center like the Death Star? ugh.


Attack of the Clones: I watched in my teens and loved it, I wasnt even hyped for the movie until the last few days. Now? I have a bunch of problems with it but I still like many moments from it. Jango Fett? Sure he's a cheap character pretty much being Boba Fett but I don't care, he's awesome. Darth Tyrannus? Loved him, and he made an amazing villain that could easily live up to Maul and there was potential to make him somewhat of a grey character after his awesome speech to Obi=Wan. Battle of Geneosis? Fantastic. Anakin? Liked how he lost his arm and the Sand People segment, very well done.Wish he hadn't died though or had gotten a slightly better death. Boba Fett? Ugh hate the idea of him being so young. Padme? So she's a princess and now a Senator? Ugh, they should've just picked one from the start. Boba Fett? Now we didn't really need to know a lot about him nor give him an origin story, it's ridiculous young Boba get's more screentime than adult Boba in the OT. The clone story/detective parts of the story? Awesome! Though they never resolve the mystery very well in the actual movie. Obi-Wan? The character never grew on me, liked that he now had a beard but he could never live up to Quigon and can't see him becoming the Obi-Wan I loved in the OT. Anakin? Terrible actor and dialog and what a bratty attitude, nothing likeable about him, he ruins the whole movie as much as the.....romantic elements? ugh, handled so badly, it's a disaster, ruins the movie. The politics? great again! Jar Jar? Why the heck is he a senator? I would've preferred to have him as slapstick who hung around the main cast. R2-D2/C-3PO? Ugh, totally unnecessarily to have them in this movie and they are 100% worse than Jar Jar, I don't care what anyone says. Yoda? I preferred puppet yoda of Episode I that everyone hates, his fighting with a lightsaber was awesome the first time I saw it but after that first time it's just ridiculous, I guess I could live with it if this had been a one off thing.


I graduated HS the day Revenge of the Sith came out I also wasn't too hyped but thought as soon as I saw the movie I would fall in love with SW again like I did with Ep. 2. I came out hating the movie while everyone else claimed that Lucas had been redeemed by this movie and how it was better than the OT with the exception of Empire. Of course all those opinions are gone now but for a good year or so the general consensus of the internet was that this was a great movie. I never liked it, I grew to like some parts later though. Order 66? Really? that's how all Jedi die? what a bummer. Killing Dook so quickly in the opening act without any consequences? lame, Anakin should've turned to the darkside while fighting him. Anakin's turn? Beyond pathetic so terrible, this should've been the focus of the movie, I still don't understand his turn. Padme's death? ugh. R2-D2/C-3PO? Somehow more annoying than in Ep.2. Griveous: The awesome looking droid from the posters? Is a wuss and is killed whithin seconds, as someone who didn't watch the cartoon I just saw a wasted potentially awesome character. Palpatine not getting an awesome reveal he was the Sith lord? Why?! Sure we all knew it was him but at least have a big reveal, he just randomly tells Anakin at the Opera scene. Now I like the dialog in that scene but not that there is no shock just everything is casually said and then the Jedi randomly find out. After the awesome build up of EP.1 and 2 they ruin it. Yoda and Palpatine being Kung-Fu jumping lightsaber duelists? That was the moment I thought this movie was trash from the first time I saw it. Windu's death? wasn't that bad, I liked it.


Now all the prequels have cool stuff in them but the love story and Anakin's adult actor are just terrrible as are the added scenes with the droids/yoda. They are far from bad though and I can sit through them without problems. They just don't hit the notes the OT does. My biggest problem like I mentioned is the time period, for me the Clone Wars had to had happened many many years before ANH, not just 10 or 15 like the canon now dictates. It doesn't make sense that the Empire was in control for such little time before the Emperor dies in RotJ. How did the Jedi become forgotten in only a decade or so, that's just stupid. Yoda goes from super agile to super old man in only ten years? lame.

[TigerClaw]

I have no problems with the Prequels, I enjoyed them, I'll never forget seeing the Phantom Menace with a friend at a midnight showing all those years ago.

[CyberCubed]

Its weird how lackluster Natalie Portman was in the prequels. She's a popular actress with tons of emotional well acted scenes in other movies, what happened here?

Its funny, usually Star Wars roles make someone hugely famous, but Natalie Portman is never remembered for her Padme but for her roles in other movies. I think that's how you know something went wrong here when a Star Wars role wasn't her most popular role in movies.

[chrisdude]

It seems like it might in some small part be influenced by how old a person was when they first got into Star Wars. I grew up "liking" it without having actually seen a lot of it, but I don't think I ever sat through an entire movie until I was like 12, when they re-released the originals on VHS and I borrowed them from my friend and watched them all. It kind of seems like if you were younger when you first saw them, you take it all more seriously and have more strict standards for them, and if you got into them around the age I did you're a little more loose with it. Not universally, just in general.

Like I see the stuff that's not great bout the Prequels, but I think when people obsess over it, they kind of willfully ignore how much stuff isn't great about the originals. There's good and bad in everything.I saw the original when the special edition came to theaters. Which would make me ten years old. I watched the prequel trilogy as they came out, and Episode 3 released just as I graduated high school. It was after I got the prequel trilogy DVDs for the following Christmas that I rented the originals and watched the full series. So I didn't see Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi until I was 19.

I'm about to watch them all again, so I'll see how I feel at 28. They're good stories, but it's the coolness that I feel like I just don't see.

Its weird how lackluster Natalie Portman was in the prequels. She's a popular actress with tons of emotional well acted scenes in other movies, what happened here?

Its funny, usually Star Wars roles make someone hugely famous, but Natalie Portman is never remembered for her Padme but for her roles in other movies. I think that's how you know something went wrong here when a Star Wars role wasn't her most popular role in movies.It might be because she was like 18 and not very good.

[NinjaPug]

Its weird how lackluster Natalie Portman was in the prequels. She's a popular actress with tons of emotional well acted scenes in other movies, what happened here?


The dialogue from George Lucas happened. Every actor in the prequels had **** to work with.

[Shark_Blade]

I was still a kid when I watchedThe Phantom Menace: The most hated and controversial movie ever right? Well not only did I like it as a kid but I still do and I also think it's the best prequel.

Agree! Phantom Menace is the best Star Wars movie ever imo.

I can list loads of things why I like it. Jarr Jarr is the only jarring (pun intended) thing I guess but I can easily overlook that.

Pros


- Duel of Fates : Most kickass epic song ever to be produced in SW history imo. Even better than the opening credits of Star Wars.

http://i.imgur.com/fOr4X7I.gif
http://i.imgur.com/UeKo1b2.gif
http://i.imgur.com/RC045hF.gif

- Darth Maul > Darth Vader/Darth Sidious/Darth whatevers. He's lethal and dangerous, quick, pose a threat and look the most menacing. And he doesn't talk much or drawl or monologue on and on like the others that bores you to tears. Action speaks louder than words.

http://i.imgur.com/NDNYsND.gif
http://i.imgur.com/M1ffdut.jpg

- First time ever 2 Jedis fighting together
- Liam Neeson is a great actor. When he talks I can't help but put my entire focus and attention on him. Very charismatic and gripping.

http://i.imgur.com/eN0G0Kq.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/lSXCxmo.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/10iyIp9.jpg

- Planet Naboo is beautiful. The city, the Palace, it's interior, magnificent.
- Costumes are excellent.

http://i.imgur.com/XDbb8bd.gif
http://i.imgur.com/yGli0gy.gif

- Female empowerment with modern style: Queen Amidala. I love that ethnic groove (kinda chinese/japanese makeup) and fashion she got going, very unique and sophisticated.

- Story is straightforward back to basic saving damsel in distress (but the girl is not completely helpless or useless. No, Amidala was strong), yet immersive and enjoyable for me. And I guess I'm traditional in that sense, I love saving the girl kinda story.

And I'm sure there's loads other reasons to love Phantom Menace that I've yet to cover.

[Peanut]

So many bad posts in a roooooow.

Except Ninjapug. Dead on.

[TheBlueTurtle1]

I love episode 1-3. Nothing wrong with them. People just think it's cool to jump on some sort of hate bandwagon. They have done it with the Hobbit movies aswell. Which IMO are awesome and much more in depth than the LOTRs movies. Even tho I still love LOTRs, fellowship being my fav movie ever.

Anyway, George Lucas did exactly what he set out to do, and that was bring Star Wars to a new generation.

I agree they have flaws and some bits are a little(how should I say this) stiff?

The originals also have bad points, but fans shy away from those for some reason.

Long story short, I like all 6 movies, and I think people should just stop being so nit picky.

[Shark_Blade]

Wean McGregor is such a dedicated actor. :tlove:

5ihqDETf324

[Amaranthus]

I see Shark_Blade has made liking sh*tty movies his gimmick.

[Ninja Arnold]

I don't think the past of Star Wars turned out like some of us thought it would. Sometimes the backstory of a character doesn't need to be told. Boba Fett might have been better as a mystery. Still ranks in my top 20 of best movies. Its Star Wars so its good. Unless its bad. In this case to me the prequels are not as good as the first 3 original films. Attack of the Clones is my favorite because of characters. You get a cool Sith Lord and then there's Jango Fett. I might have liked episode 3 better if the Obi-Wan and Anakin duel took place earlier in the film, so we could see more of the Empire.

[Netkeeper]

I'll watch them if someone wants to watch them, but I don't really put them on for myself. Well, aside from Phantom Menace, but that's only because I like Qui-Gon Jinn. A lot.

I'm not particularly huge on Star Wars but the original trilogy was so much more interesting than these.

[Walkabout]

Hey look, I'm an 80's kid and have loved Star Wars since before I can remember.

I can't bring myself to say any of the prequels are great or even good though, they're pretty dire and WHY THE F*$K DID THEY HAVE TO MAKE ANAKIN SUCH A G$*AMN PUSSY??!!!???

There's cool bits in all three movies, but there's just so much wrong in them too...a whole lot of terrible acting.
I remember reading Carrie Fischer saying that people used to say the acting in the originals was wooden until they saw the prequels.

* Anakin is a whiny pussy the whole way through
* the dialogue and acting is overwhelmingly bad
* too much lightsaber silliness
* things like Midichlorians, younglings and padawans make me feel uneasy
* too many wasted action scenes instead of plot driven ones

[Foombamaroom]

Not gonna lie, I feel that if the Star Wars prequels weren't Star Wars prequels, I think I would've liked them more. I'm not gonna type a whole page like everyone else, but I'm gonna cover the main points that really bothered me, and then a summary of the biggest thing that the prequels did wrong.


Phantom Menace: This movie bad because it's so damn boring. The politics crap was just.... blegh. Kid-Anakin perturbed me very much, and the plot was just so goddamn stupid. The first 15 minutes and the last 30 minutes are okay to watch, but other than that, nope. Also, I don't really see why people love Darth Maul the way they do. Like, yeah, he was a badass, and probably the only other redeemable thing about this movie, but he wasn't really a 'character', just a boss battle.

Attack of the Clones was just unbearable. Instead of just politics, we get forced romanceand politics. I think this is the movie that really shows just how bad of a screenwriter Lucas is, because good ****ing god, his writing mixed with Hayden Christensen's acting is unbearable. I think Christensen's acting was also bad because of Lucas' directing, because Lucas had so much control over these movies and how the characters moved around. Plus, Lucas was able to take an actor like CHRISTOPHER LEE and turn him into a joke. It was just... Easily the worst out of the prequels. I find this kinda ironic because Empire is the second movie in the original trilogy, and it's regarded as the best, while this is the second movie in the prequel trilogy, and it's my least favorite. Same with how 3 is the typically the worst in the original trilogy, while 3 is the best in the prequel trilogy

Revenge of the Sith is a whole 'nother story. The first half of this movie is basically like the first two prequels AGAIN, except with a lot more action. Still bogged down by Hayden Christensen's acting, bad writing, bad directing, and so much CGI. But the second half of this movie? Holy ****.

I just watched all of these movies last night for Halloween as a marathon, because I needed SOMETHING scary to watch, and I was VERY impressed with the second half of this movie, especially with John William's score. While this movie can't hold a candle to the originals, I still love the emotion in the back half of this movie. The second Palpatine tells Anakin that he'll be known as Darth Vader is when the movie really became good in my eyes. I loved the attack on the temple, I loved Order 66, and I loved the music throughout the movie. But I think the main thing that really got me? Darth Vader vs. Obi-Wan.

That fight scene was amazing. As choreographed as it was, the music gave it this sort of tension that these two were brothers and that this was it: this is the battle we've been waiting for. And it really didn't disappoint. I also really loved the dialogue between Obi-Wan and Anakin at the end. "You were my brother, Anakin! I loved you!" You can literally feel the pain in his voice because THIS is when Obi-Wan died and became Ben Kenobi. And I honestly loved it.

Another scene that I feel gets really overlooked is the fact that they had Padme's death mixed in with Vader's transformation. I really liked that. It kinda symbolized the end of the Republic and the birth of the Empire, setting up the good vs. evil conflict we all know and love.

All in all, the prequel trilogy sucks as Star Wars movies, but they're okay by themselves. Revenge of the Sith was easily the best because when you go back and watch the original trilogy, I feel there are more moments that you can feel emotion to. Like this, for example.
8VdcMWWh3s0



However, my main gripe with the prequels? It's not an adventure. It's not real. The original trilogy used such great sets and characters, and they took these characters across the stars on an adventure. It showed good vs. evil. That was lost in the prequels. It didn't feel organic at all. It felt like this cheap sci-fi cheesefest rather than the fantasy adventure that Luke, Han, and Leia had gone on. The characters were unlikeable, too. The only one I liked was Obi-Wan, since Ewan McGregor was fantastic in that role, but that's it. If they had gone COMPLETELY dark like what they did with Empire, they would've been better, but the overuse of CGI and no human emotion to it made them so awful. That's why I liked Revenge more than the others: it HAS some emotion to it. Not as much as the originals, but some. Because when you watch ROTJ and watch the death again, it hits you hard. You see nothing but sadness. You see nothing but misery in Vader's eyes. And finally, he's at peace. I just hope the Sequel Trilogy can capture emotion, too.

[GoldMutant]

I will probably binge on a viewing of all the films before the new one, but in case anyone's forgotten, here's some of the greatest dialogue known to man. ;)

I don't like sand, it's coarse and rough and it gets everywhere."

"From my point of view, the Jedi are evil!"

[ObiWanFan4life]

The prequel trilogy has its merits: The music is fantastic, the lightsaber duels are entertaining, Ewan McGregor and Ian McDiarmid play Obi Wan and Palpatine well, and there's a better sense of scope than the originals. However, they suffered from an over reliance on special effects, bad writing, and bad acting/dialogue.

Though, to be fair, the original trilogy had hokey dialogue and spotty acting. However, whereas Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, and Carrie Fisher had chemistry in those movies, the leads in the prequels were given crappy dialogue and poor direction.