What Do You Think of the Star Wars Prequels ?

[IAmTR]

I have to disagree with you on one point. I think the JJ Abram Films, Solo nd Rogue one are far better then Lucas prequels.

I agree on Rogue One. That's the single best movie in the franchise imo. Solo was pretty good (I have issue with Darth maul being alive for reasons that have nothing to do with that movie). But TFA was such a blatant money grab. It's the same story as episode 4/6 and a "strong female main character" that is OP and great at everything right away, which makes her very boring to watch.

I give TLJ a little credit for at least showing us something we haven't seen before. Trying to tell a new story. Not trying to pretend that Kylo is a badass and showing that he's actually a pretender and that it's part of his struggle. The movie had it's problems but at least it had ambition. TFA had none.

 

[tegeus-Cromis]

I found Rogue One to be one of the least memorable movies I've ever seen. There was nothing noteworthy about it, just... blah. I did like Solo best of all the Disney movies.

 

[HareBrain]

The farm boy who goes on an adventure, a black knight enemy, an older hero-mentor, and a magic sword. A few other parallels occur like the attack on a Viking fortress.
There's no chance it was not the template.

There's every chance. I haven't seen Prince Valiant, but all those elements are either standard in adventure stories that derive to some extent from folklore or fairy tales (an enemy that dresses in black is hardly unique, a magic sword goes back to Excalibur and probably beyond, and the aged mentor was identified as an element in the archetypal hero journey by Campbell, whom Lucas is known to have consulted).

 

[Venusian Broon]

I agree on Rogue One. That's the single best movie in the franchise imo. Solo was pretty good (I have issue with Darth maul being alive for reasons that have nothing to do with that movie). But TFA was such a blatant money grab. It's the same story as episode 4/6 and a "strong female main character" that is OP and great at everything right away, which makes her very boring to watch.

I give TLJ a little credit for at least showing us something we haven't seen before. Trying to tell a new story. Not trying to pretend that Kylo is a badass and showing that he's actually a pretender and that it's part of his struggle. The movie had it's problems but at least it had ambition. TFA had none.

Totally agree . By far my favourite. Possibly because I've watched the original three so many times, I'm worn out with them! It works because it's focused, a bitter-sweet plot and it was made by a team that actually understood what the original trilogy meant to everyone at the time.

 

[CupofJoe]

I saw Revenge of the Sith in French and it made more sense than the English version when I saw that years later. It looked great and I didn't have to try to keep up with the plot.
Rogue One disappointed me. It was all too tame. While there was death and destruction in droves, I didn't feel there was any jeopardy.
Solo is more interesting to me. I enjoyed it more without actually liking it. I read a criticism of it on the Lesbians must die trope [which I thought made a way too many leaps to be valid] but I knew the robot was going to be killed/destroyed as soon as it appeared to have a personality and attitude...
Reading this thread has made me think about the whole SW film saga and aside from the first film [SW: ANH] I think them all flawed.
I can't stand Yoda. He gets on screen and I'm looking for something else to do. And Ewoks... No, Just no. Who was thinking they were a good idea?
So why do I keep coming back and watching the film?
For that I'm not so sure...
I like the aesthetic of the ships better than Star Trek [or any space based film]. The technology feels more real. And the aliens really do look alien on occasions.
Maybe I'm still in love with that moment as a kid when I first saw [and felt] the attack on the Death Star and nearly fell off the cinema seat when Luke dropped in to the trench...

 

[Margaret Note Spelling]

I agree on Rogue One. That's the single best movie in the franchise imo.

Without intending to take the thread off-topic, I absolutely agree. The sheer skill it takes to kill off pretty much every single one of your main characters at the end of a story, and make it work, makes Rogue One a remarkable film on its own, even without being compared to the rest of the franchise. If I ever find I have to do just that in a story, I'm going to study Rogue One in-depth to find out how they did it. A lot of things had to tie together for that to work. That doesn't happen by accident. It takes thought--and thought, as far as I'm concerned, is a key ingredient lacking in a lot of scripts and books.

That includes the Star Wars prequels. (See, came back on-topic! )

 

[IAmTR]

Without intending to take the thread off-topic, I absolutely agree. The sheer skill it takes to kill off pretty much every single one of your main characters at the end of a story, and make it work, makes Rogue One a remarkable film on its own, even without being compared to the rest of the franchise. If I ever find I have to do just that in a story, I'm going to study Rogue One in-depth to find out how they did it. A lot of things had to tie together for that to work. That doesn't happen by accident. It takes thought--and thought, as far as I'm concerned, is a key ingredient lacking in a lot of scripts and books.

That includes the Star Wars prequels. (See, came back on-topic! )

To me it was also the most different of the others. It really said itself apart by showing parts of the Galaxy we didn't normally see. The nitty-gritty average Joe. Other aspects of the rebels (basically portrayed as terrorists). Even something as simple as Stormtroopers whose armor was dirty instead of clean white and shiny. They all made a huge difference to immerse me in Star Wars in a way I never have before. At least from a movie.

Plus Darth Vader had some of his best scenes and Tarkin was very well done imo.

 

[Margaret Note Spelling]

Even something as simple as Stormtroopers whose armor was dirty instead of clean white and shiny.

And the static-y viewscreen on the Death Star....

 

[Venusian Broon]

To me it was also the most different of the others. It really said itself apart by showing parts of the Galaxy we didn't normally see. The nitty-gritty average Joe. Other aspects of the rebels (basically portrayed as terrorists). Even something as simple as Stormtroopers whose armor was dirty instead of clean white and shiny. They all made a huge difference to immerse me in Star Wars in a way I never have before. At least from a movie.

Plus Darth Vader had some of his best scenes and Tarkin was very well done imo.

Well that goes back to the original Star Wars, although I'm not sure you can get the original movie cut anymore. Before that the 'future' was bright and shiny...but the Star Wars universe was grimy, things broke or looked worn out. It was advanced tech but it looked lived-in and realistic. Unfortunately Lucas' tinkering with CGI has obscured this marvellous original setting somewhat, but was there in spades in Rogue One.

The other thing that springs to mind is the 'epilogue' of Rogue One with Darth Vader. The sheer aggressiveness is electrifying. But it's also, I think a nod back to the original trilogy. Compare the two light sabre battles at the ends of the two trilogies: Obi-Wan and Anakin - a fandango ballet of a couple of people poncing about skilfully. Epic, yes, but Long-winded and frankly a bit soulless. Now compare with Luke Skywalker being taunted by the Emperor on the second death star in Return of the Jedi, then his fight with Vader. There's no fancy swirls or parries, no delicate fencing, Luke is being tested to bring out his dark side, and he responds, finally overwhelming Vader with moves more akin to woodchopping rather than any sensible swordplay.

It definitely helped me stomach the ewoks.

 

[Anthoney]

It definitely helped me stomach the ewoks.

Pepto Bismol helped me.

 

[Star-child]

Totally agree . By far my favourite. Possibly because I've watched the original three so many times, I'm worn out with them! It works because it's focused, a bitter-sweet plot and it was made by a team that actually understood what the original trilogy meant to everyone at the time.

I don't think the people who made Rogue necessarily "got it". It is loaded with sentimentality that had no place in the first two films, the ship design misses the basic technology mark and it fits into the Star Wars timeline poorly. It is certainly better than anything else after the originals, though.
____________

As for the prequels, they seem to be based on answering the handful of questions posed by the little background information the OT revealed, rather than using those details to flesh out a greater story that has more subtlety than Anakin just losing his mind because of mortality. A great opportunity lost to explore the politics of do-gooding by the Jedi.

 

[KGeo777]

Star Wars 77 feels like an entity all its own. Kind of like a space western feeling--the universe felt gigantic and mysterious. It kept getting smaller and smaller after that.

They used Mitchell 35mm cameras which gave it an unusual cinematic look. TESB had a different color scheme, and ROTJ was extremely bland in the cinematography. I think they should have tried to make the forest look a little more alien. Tint the leaves red in post-production or something.

And they should have used that giant monster from the Ewok tv movie (Gorax?). Having one of them pounding on the side of an AT-AT in the forest attack would have been neat.

 

[Margaret Note Spelling]

As for the prequels, they seem to be based on answering the handful of questions posed by the little background information the OT revealed, rather than using those details to flesh out a greater story that has more subtlety than Anakin just losing his mind because of mortality.

But there is good in them...the prequels cannot be entirely lost to the Dark Side....

 

[BAYLOR]

Anakin (the adult) was a whiney-crybaby!

I could not stand Anakin.

 

[BAYLOR]

But there is good in them...the prequels cannot be entirely lost to the Dark Side....

Nope, for better or worse , they are part of the Star Wars canon.

 

[Av Demeisen]

To me Star Wars is the three original trilogy films in their pre-special edition cinematic versions. And the memories of the 1980s toys I played with as a kid. That's it. Star Wars and Return of the Jedi in their original cinematic versions are already available as beautiful 4K MKV files on bittorrent (4K77 & 4K83).

The prequel trilogy was unintentional comedy.

 

[BAYLOR]

To me Star Wars is the three original trilogy films in their pre-special edition cinematic versions. And the memories of the 1980s toys I played with as a kid. That's it. Star Wars and Return of the Jedi are already available as beautiful 4K MKV files in their original cinematic versions on bittorrent (4K77 & 4K83).

The prequel trilogy was unintentional comedy.

Which is why Lucas should have let someone else do them.

 

[KGeo777]

The prequel trilogy was unintentional comedy.

I remember the scene from AOTC in the cinema where Yoda makes a tough guy pose with his hands before fighting Dooku and the audience erupted with laughter. Only made worse when he showed off his tiny light saber and was spinning around.

 

[BAYLOR]

I remember the scene from AOTC in the cinema where Yoda makes a tough guy pose with his hands before fighting Dooku and the audience erupted with laughter. Only made worse when he showed off his tiny light saber and was spinning around.

I have to admit , I did find that scene hilariously funny .

 

[Av Demeisen]

By the time the first prequel was released I had already lost most of my previous sentimental attachment to Star Wars. I went to see Phantom Menace opening day, and part of the fun the next week(s) was watching other people's disillusionment play out. A lot of confused, sometimes costumed adults coming to grips with what they had just seen. One of my housemates had booked a flight from Schiphol to London to attend a screening in costume. The days preceding his departure and after his return were a lot of fun. He chose denial. Duh.