Last year I watched all three of the original Star Wars movies and commented on them in the lead to The Force Awakens. Since we’ve got another prequel coming out, I figured I’d do the same thing for the prequels before Rogue One (which I’m seeing on Thursday [!!!] on the biggest freaking screen in New York City[!!!]).
Now, I have a soft spot for the prequels, so this isn’t going to be the angry nerd ranting you may expect.
In fact, I think they actually aren’t all awful. This got a little longer than expected, but that’s because I have Many Thoughts on Star Wars.
I first saw The Phantom Menace for my eighth birthday, in theaters. I loved it and Qui-Gon was (and is) my favorite. These days I still think it’s the best of the prequels, because though it’s a bit irrelevant as a whole, it is relatively well put together. You’ll see what I mean in a bit.
- After the typically Star Wars offbeat gag of the droid coming out we get to see two Jedi in their prime kicking ass. It’s also a great visual introduction to them, showing us the Force, their ability to block blaster bolts, and how lightsabers can cut through walls. Instant exposition!
- The conversations between Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan are such fun, with Qui-Gon’s brashness and Obi-Wan’s chastising despite being the apprentice.
- One of the biggest flaws of this movie is its unconnectedness. Scenes seem to just happen and characters say things without much cause and effect (ie: Panaka’s “I don’t think this is a good idea” and Qui-Gon’s “You must trust my judgment” has them carry on to Tatooine without issue).
- Argh, Anakin’s introduction to Padmé shows the issue with telling instead of showing. Anakin tells Padmé he’s gonna leave this planet. In A New Hope we see Luke Skywalker longingly watching the binary sunset. We feel Luke’s want, but are told about Anakin’s.
- “The Queen’s wardrobe maybe…” Gotta love Obi-Wan’s dry humor.
- And with Shimi’s introduction The Phantom Menace already has more speaking female characters in its first forty minutes than all of the Original Trilogy (Captain Madakor in the beginning, Padmé, Sabé, Jira the saleswoman, and Shimi vs Leia, Beru, Toryn Farr, and Mon Mothma).
- The lack of music for most of the Podrace is striking; the engines make their own soundtrack.
- Anakin having to leave home would have meant so much if we actually gave a crap.
- When the vote of no confidence is called, Chancellor Valorum sits down out of the light and into shadow. Gorgeous visually.
- There are still moments in the movie that are just so cool, like all the Battle Droids unfolding as the Trade Federation theme plays.
- AND DARTH MAUL. AND DUEL OF THE FATES.
- Seriously though, the lightsaber fight in Menace is one of the coolest things in the Star Wars movies, period. It’s so cool you don’t really care about the lack of narrative purpose. Plus, each combatant’s fighting style reveals character, another cool touch. Its effective, wordless, visual storytelling makes the Gungans & droids, space battle, and palace raid feel clunky.
- Obi-Wan vs Darth Maul is such a great duel.
Whenever I watched Attack Of The Clones as a kid I’d always fast forward through the romance between Anakin and Padmé, preferring to stick with Obi-Wan’s more interesting plot. Which kinda made sense given how crappy theses scenes are as an adult. That said, Across The Stars is a magnificent piece of music.
- And within its first three minutes Clones does what the Originals never did: pass the bechdel test.
- Obi-Wan at the bar with the deathstick pusher is a wonderfully funny gag.
- Anakin and Padmé striking off together should be fun, flirty adventure, but it’s played so darn drily and self-serious.
- Anakin is so friggin creepy in his romancing.
- Obi-Wan’s plot is actually engrossing, which makes the stagnancy of Anakin/Padmé so frustrating.
- …maybe it’s Hayden Christensen that’s the problem here. His deliveries are a far cry from Han’s gruff charm (which is the benchmark).
- It’s like Anakin doesn’t believe in subtext. Or a filter.
- Shimi’s death is legitimately tragic…
- …which is undercut by Hayden Christensen’s overacting. He really might be the problem.
- Christopher Lee is excellent. And Dooku and Obi-Wan’s conversation is so well done.
- The movie seriously gets better after Dooku shows up.
- Anakin and Padmé’s entrance into the arena: really cool, really effective; just wish their scenes before actually made us care about them!
- The prequels in general, but especially this one, take themselves so seriously. Where’s the fun romantic adventure that was a hallmark of the originals?
I saw Revenge of The Sith in England the day after it came out. Was really excited and really liked it at the time. Watching it again a few years back I was frustrated about how flat Anakin’s arc felt (especially in light of the Clone Wars show) and, with it, the entire tragic thrust. It’s the messiest of the movies, with some of the prequels’ best moments, but also the weakest.
- The opening crawls do such a great job in letting the movies open in media res without too much exposition.
- That opening shot that goes from the Venator to the ETA-2s that race along it and plunge into the battle below is so good.
- Rescuing Palpatine feels a lot like the cold open-esque ones of Empire and Jedi.
- A Hispanic actor was cast as Bail Organa, someone mentioned in the originals as Leia’s father. For all the crap George Lucas gets, there was noticeable diversity in the prequels’ casting (Panaka, Tycho, Queen Jamillia, Mace Windu, etc). Small parts mostly, but an effort nonetheless.
- The political intrigue with the Council having Anakin spy on Palpatine is kinda interesting, if half-baked.
- Anakin and Padmé’s discussion on the war, however, wasn’t even put in the oven.
- Ian McDiarmid gives Palpatine such menace and subtext.
- Padmé is so useless in this.
- The duel between Grievous and Obi-Wan is shot with far too many close-ups (as was Dooku vs Anakin). Compare it back to the fight with Darth Maul where we could actually see the fight and close-ups were saved for special occasions.
- Anakin’s fall to the dark side is a result of that sitcom trope where the woman walks in and her boyfriend’s all “this isn’t what it looks like!”
- Which means that Anakin’s fall is so weak, so unearned. It’s the big turn, but it doesn’t work!
- The Order 66 sequence is downright inspired, especially the choice of shots for Ki-Adi Mundi’s death and cross-cutting to Yoda.
- Jimmy Smits as Bail Organa is wonderful. Why wasn’t he in the movie more? Why isn’t he hanging out with Padmé and doing stuff?
- Holy crap, Yoda is on an assassination mission. Why isn’t this addressed?
- The two final duels are pretty cool. Especially the music.
- Oh that clash with the lava in the background. A+
- Seriously. Obi-Wan vs Anakin is great (if you get past some of the silliness). I just wish the movie had done more to really sell us on how much they loved each other and made the fight genuinely painful (ie: Iron Man vs Captain America in Civil War)
- But “I have the high ground” is a poor note to go out on.
- Dear god, Ewan McGregor is so good as Obi-Wan. You can feel his heartbreak in his ‘goodbye’ to Anakin.
- Vader’s masking, chilling.
- …why does Padmé die? Argh.
- The final sequence with Leia and Luke ending up on Alderaan and Tatooine is downright beautiful. It’s such a strong visual ending to a lousy plot.
- To be honest, Lucas’ prequels are best when his characters shut up and he lets the visuals and music speak.
Essays, Not Rants! 