What did you think of Star Wars trilogy?

Nikolas · Sun 03/09/2006 10:46:17

Let's see...

It's been too long that there hasn't been a thread like this, and Kinoko has been worryingly inactive over the past months. Just saw that she was online and thought to start a sort of debate about Star Wars trilogy (I-III not IV-VI).

I just saw the 3rd part and quite frankly it was BAD! Not even entertaining. Lucas has grown old it seems. Acting was bad, music was not top notch as it shuold be by Williams, and the story pretty muc hsucked big time with cliches all along and things that simply were there for anyone to see and think about hours before happening. :p

Discuss !

ManicMatt · Sun 03/09/2006 11:03:38

I agree with you Nik, and I also found them to be really boring at times. (And I watch Star Trek for god's sakes!)

The third one was probably better than the second one, with all that mush in it.

Hammerite · Sun 03/09/2006 11:17:59

3 was certainly the best, but there were bits that were VERY boring.
also unfortunately, they seemed more like cashcow advertisements for the merchandise than actual films like the original trilogy

Ali · Sun 03/09/2006 11:21:57

I've never been a big Star Wars fan, so the third film didn't disappoint me. It didn't really interest me at all, it was quite deeply boring.

It was dull, flat and poorly acted. The potential interesting development of Vader was handled poorly. Key events seemed rushed and many actions felt unmotivated - particularly the death of the princess.

The cinematography was uninspired, and the transitions seemed to be thrown in as self-parody. The visual effects were gaudy and I found the space battles immensely tedious.

limeTree · Sun 03/09/2006 11:29:16

Hey,have you noticed this.
Help me,but i think i am right.
Anakin Skywalker was a boy when he abandoned his mother.
On the beggining of the second part,he says its been ten years since,and in his conversation with Padme.(And we can see it on him)
The he goes looking for his mother and his old flying master says she took off with someone who made her free and married her(That was couple of years when Anakin left i think).And,that she has kids.
When Anakin goes to his stepdads,he finds his halfbrother who will be a guardian of his son Luce in the future.
Now,i want someone to explain to me,how did his half brother become so big,with beard and a girlfriend in lets say.....8 years?Bigger than him actually.
Meaby Lucas is really getting older!!!

Nikolas · Sun 03/09/2006 11:36:44

I somehow found the 3rd one to be the worst of all! The development was not there really or it was really weak.

Acting was really bad.

Visually it was nothing special compared to the previous two (meaning that although it's been 6 years or something from No. 1 still the technology seemed a tad the same...)

The transition between having guilts and being a good jedi to being a bad one and actually doing all those abnormal and awful things was sooooooo fast. From one sec to the next

The fact that Anakin was the one who led his own destiny, is soooo much reminded every time, that it bothered me quite a lot. It appears that the audience wanted a commentary 'on the spot' about everything that was happening as they couldn't understand it on their own :p

There is treason everywhere but only the good, white, guys remain truthful to the republic and the good ways of the jedi. Plus a black guy who unfortunately was not a jedi... hmmm... (Not really a political comment though, just an observation...)

I was hoping to find out more about the Sith but found out nothing really. The first 2 were intriguing as the name Sith are mentioned and it teases you to find out more, but the more part is not there on the 3rd and last part.

Radiant · Sun 03/09/2006 13:05:16

I felt the third episode was written like a computer game. I mean, of course they create computer games of most major action flicks these days, but this is the first where I felt this intention reflected in the film's actual script.

Just look at it and you can see: battling through tunnels; boss fight; chase scene; action scene on some animal; another boss fight; major battle here; major battle there; and another boss fight.

That was just weird.

Other than that, meh, it was okay. The first episode was really teeth-grindingly bad, imho. I mean, it has Jarjar, and it kills the idea of the Force by explaining it through chemistry, and Maul just looks like a stupid Vader-wannabe, and it has this huge fish eaten by an even huger fish, and the podracing doesn't make sense, and it has this home-alone type kiddo who accidentally blows up a star destroyer by pushing random buttons in an X-wing. And it has Jarjar. Who must DIE.

ManicMatt · Sun 03/09/2006 13:49:59

Quote from: Nikolas on Sun 03/09/2006 11:36:44
There is treason everywhere but only the good, white, guys remain truthful to the republic and the good ways of the jedi. Plus a black guy who unfortunately was not a jedi... hmmm... (Not really a political comment though, just an observation...)

I wouldn't have noticed such a thing, but now you mention it... wasn't Samuel L Jackson's character a good guy all the way through??? Did I fall asleep when he turned to the dark side or something?

Which black guy who wasn't a jedi, anyway?

Paper Carnival · Sun 03/09/2006 13:56:51

But he died...

Ali · Sun 03/09/2006 14:00:34

I've just remembered that we should thank one of the new trilogy for the worst example of dramatic irony in history. When the Princess and her guard disembark a spacecraft:

"I guess we were wrong. There wasn't anything to worry about after all!"

BOOM!

ManicMatt · Sun 03/09/2006 14:05:06

Yeah I know he died, but he didn't become evil!

(And if you ask me they should kept him alive and had a spin off movie where the council gets corrupted and he gets kicked out, and the goes to kick some ass!! I'd call the film "Sith in a council" great name eh!)

vict0r · Sun 03/09/2006 14:17:40

"I'm sick and tired of these mother fuckin' siths in this mother fuckin' spacecraft."

Darth Mandarb · Sun 03/09/2006 14:45:49

Quote from: lipaoklipa on Sun 03/09/2006 11:29:16Now,i want someone to explain to me,how did his half brother become so big,with beard and a girlfriend in lets say.....8 years?Bigger than him actually.

Firstly, it wasn't Anakin's "half" brother, it was his "step" brother. Owen Lars is Cliegg Lars' child from a previous union. (second paragraphs on both links)

While I must admit that the prequels didn't quite live up the image of perfection I have from growing up with the original trilogy, however I still found them enjoyable.

I still maintain that a LOT of people just found it quick and easy to jump on the "prequels suck" bandwagon rather than actually giving them an honest chance. Sure, some people have legitimate problems with them. However, I would remind everybody reading this that Star Wars, Empire, and Jedi were 20 years established when he took on the prequels. How could he possibly re-create that? It was something I think he knew from the get-go that he couldn't do. So he said, "screw it ... I'm making them MY way" and even though the results weren't what I would have wanted, I respect that decision.

I also maintain that telling a story chronologically (eps 1 - 3) when the true "end" (4 - 6) is already known is very awkward and I think a lot of people (after episode I) just couldn't connect the dots and found it so dis-jointed that they said, "it sucks" rather than realizing there was a LOT more to come.

Personally ... I think the over-all story was okay. However, I would have liked to see Kevin Smith write the dialogue and Carrie Fisher (yes, Princess Leia) do the script-doctoring. Could have been much better. I have my own interpretation of how I would have liked to see the prequels play out ... but it's pages and pages which I'm not going to type

ManicMatt · Sun 03/09/2006 14:51:28

During the second film, my dad fell asleep.

Haddas · Sun 03/09/2006 15:17:49

I love them all, and I love the timeline of the books, movies and games.

Mr Flibble · Sun 03/09/2006 18:14:00

I liked The Phantom Menance.

Okay, hear me out.

Firstly when I saw it I was about 8 or 9. It had robots in it. Shiny, awesome robots that unfolded in unison and unleeshed death (via bad marksmanship).
Secondly, I remember the experience of seeing it in a cinema with my dad.
Thirdly, I hadn't seen the original films at this point (which I have since seen. The Empire Strikes Back is probably my favourite out of the original 3, it was darker, more plotty. I think.).

Heh, when I was little I didn't connect in my head that the Phantom Menace was Anakin. I only worked it out like a few years later. Perhaps this is a testament to how my judgement of the movie shouldn't be trusted?

I've seen it again more recently, and it STILL has robots in it, so I still like it.

As for Episode 2, I thought it was kinda... perfunctory. It was like Lucas sat down with his writer and said "We have to establish these things in the move. Go nuts."

Episode 3, I haven't seen, as a form of protest. Against what? Well I didn't think I'd like it, so instead of going and complaining afterwards, I decided not to go.

Radiant · Sun 03/09/2006 18:49:07

Actually, it's probably true that people fifteen, twenty years older than us said similar bad things about the original Trilogy when it came out

EagerMind · Sun 03/09/2006 19:06:20

While I'll admit they're entertaining to watch (at times), dramatically they're just train wrecks. The 3rd movie, with all of its "big moments" is the worst of the three, though it's really just the final gasp of a disappointing (and pointless) build up.

Let's do some quick numbers here:
Ep 1: pod-race scene - 30-45 minutes in length - relevance to plot: none
Ep 3: rescuing Palpatine from the robot guy - 60 minutes or so in length - relevance to plot: none
Ep 3: massacre of all the Jedi - 5-10 minute montage - relevance to plot: central

Really, Lucas should have started the new trilogy where the 3rd movie picks up. And Anakin's "turn to evil" ... forced much? There was nothing convicing, genuine, or tragic about it. He begame evil because, well, he needed to be evil by the 4th movie, right?

Some of my favorite laughable moments:

Moments after Anakin cuts off Samuel Jackson's arm allowing Palpatine to kill him:
Anakin: Oh no! What have I done! I guess I'm evil now! I'll do whatever you want, just save Padme!
Palpatine (who's randomly changing voice sounds like he's got an uber-loogie stuck in his throat): Uh, OK. Go kill all the children.
Anakin: On it!

After a ridiculous fight over lava, Obi-Wan has the high ground, and Anakin's thinking about jumping for it:
Obi-Wan: Don't try it!
Anakin: I'm better than you think!
*ZAP* Anakin's limbs go flying everywhere ....

After Yoda gives up fighting the Emperor:
Yoda: I failed. I guess I better go hide for a while.

After Anakin's still-smoking body has been "Vader-ized":
Anakin: Where's Padme?
Emperor: Looks like you killed her in your rage.
Anakin: Nooooo!

And on, and on .... And did anyone else get tired of seeing how fast they could progressively animate each CGI sword fights? Talk about boring.

But, to his credit, I guess Lucas accomplished what he set out to do. Making glitzy but empty movies that appealed to kids and allowed him to rake it in on the merchandizing.

Anyway, that's what I think. Apologies for the rant .... :

Hammerite · Sun 03/09/2006 19:19:45

A more realistic ending

Anakin: Where's Padme?
Sidious: Looks like you killed her in all your rage.
Anakin: Shit! I thought that was Obi-Wan!
(pause)
Anakin: And he survived didn't he?
Sidious: Padme didn't.
Anakin: How'd I kill her? I was in some big volcano and she was in labour!
Sidious: Well she's dead anyway.
Anakin: Oh right.
(pause)
Anakin: Shit.
(pause)
Anakin: Coffee?
Sidious: Thank Christ, I thought you'd never ask.
(Anakin and Sidious walk away)
Anakin: How do I, uh... for want of a better phrase... piss in this thing?
Sidious: Why? Do you need one now?
Anakin: Not now.
Sidious: OK, I'll show you the manual later. It's pretty complicated.
Anakin: The first Matrix complicated or ending of Fahrenheit complicated?
Sidious: The first Matrix, I'd say.
Anakin: Thank god for that.
(pause)
Anakin: I thought...
Sidious: Yeah, I know what you mean. I was in a tribute band to Lordi.
Anakin: That explains the face I guess.
Sidious: Yeah.
Anakin: Yeah.

Potch · Sun 03/09/2006 19:25:10

I don't know. I've always loved Star Wars and the new ones were no exception. I thought 2 was the weakest out of all, but I still enjoyed it. I know I'm a minority in this, but I thought they were great.

I also find it funny when people complain about the acting and dialogue in the new trilogy. It makes me wonder if they had even SEEN the original. I mean, Mark Hamill is a CRAPPY actor, as was Carrie Fisher. And dialogue,

"Leia you're my sister"

"I know. Somehow, I've always known" Then why did you KISS him so pationately on Hoth?

and later

"COudl you tell Luke? Is that who you could tell?"

"Hold me"

That whole scene was cheesier than velveeta, and the acting was awful. But I still love the movies for what they are, just as I love the new ones too.