Attack of the Clones rant, revisited.

[Isaac]

Originally Posted by Cadaverous Pallor

I hold these movies up to higher standard.

Which is why you'll never be satisfied with them. You need to get over the fact that they're not as good as the previous trilogy, despite the name Star Wars tagged onto them and some familiar people & places. It's a different set of films. Accept that and you'll be much happier. Really, the original films have their flaws too. They have plenty of bad acting, poor dialogue, and silly crap w/ way too long fighting scenes just like the new films. I never said the acting should be bad in an action movie but the performances in the original trilogy didn't exactly win any oscars either. Frankly, I got bored at time during ESB and ROTJ.

They're sequels. Get over it.

[Not Afraid]

I loved the first three films. What fun and escapist enjoyment. When the fouth came out (Episode I) I was bored by the whole concept. There was no magic left and the creativity was sparse. I felt it was just a machine designed to bilk money from us due to the name and the populariaty of the first three.

I will hold on to my fond memories of seeing the original three in the theaters upon their release and ignore, as best I can, the rest of it until it is over and some Jedi Fan kills it.

[mistyisjafo]

Originally Posted by Not Afraid

I loved the first three films. What fun and escapist enjoyment. When the fouth came out (Episode I) I was bored by the whole concept. There was no magic left and the creativity was sparse. I felt it was just a machine designed to bilk money from us due to the name and the populariaty of the first three.

I will hold on to my fond memories of seeing the original three in the theaters upon their release and ignore, as best I can, the rest of it until it is over and some Jedi Fan kills it.

I'm with you and Cadaverous Pallor. The Star Wars prequel is just plain bad. I was really excited to see Episode 1 but I was very disappointed. Both 1 & 2 are missing what the original series had but I can't quite put my finger on it.

And though I love special effects, too much special effects does not a movie make! You watch the original series and even though you can tell it's night CGI those effects they had were much more convincing some how.

My biggest complaint about the prequel series is I DON'T CARE ABOUT ANYONE! I could care less about each and every character. I'm not drawn into their stories, I don't give a snot if they live or die. Not one of them sticks out at me and I can say I cheered for them. But the original series? Who doesn't love innocent Luke Skywalker, or what girl didn't want to be the butt kicking Princess Leia, swoon for Han Solo or wish you could speak Wookie??

I think the only amount of feelings I had for any character from the prequel was Jar Jar Binks. Tall, annoying, floppy, CGI faked, lame ass Jar Jar Binks.

So I'm not going to see Episope 3. Figure I'll wait to see it on HBO or something. I'd rather see the Lord of Rings Trilogy in Chinese played backwards than see Ep. 3.

[Kevy Baby]

Originally Posted by mistyisjafo

... or wish you could speak Wookie??

I speak Wookie

And Jive!

[Bornieo: Fully Loaded]

What CP said... and I'll add Lucas should have hired Lawrence Kasdan again to write the screenplay. No doubt in my mind that he was reponsible for all the great lines in ESB and ROTJ.

Star Wars was the beginning of a lot for me, so I too hold it to standards. I think in the end after EP III comes out, I can look at the OT and recognize that there will never be matched. I will know what happend to Vadar and all that backstory, and won't need to watch Ep 1-3 again. Liken it to Superstar Limo, fine it existed, but we're all moving on...

[innerSpaceman]

Originally Posted by zapppop

I never said the acting should be bad in an action movie but the performances in the original trilogy didn't exactly win any oscars either. Frankly, I got bored at time during ESB and ROTJ.

Really ... go re-watch Return of the Jedi if you want to see a Star Wars movie where all the story is talking heads and the action is simply pasted on.

Don't get me started on Empire Strikes Back, which is one of the worst movies ever made - and I believe the most overrated film in all of history.


Yes, for all the reasons CP said, Attack of the Clones is a bad, bad movie. I think the only reason I enjoyed myself during it was that it wasn't nearly as bad as The Phantom Menace. (Come to think of it, that's the reason I liked Return of the Jedi, too; not as terrible as the previous episode).


I put all the blame for the craptacular prequels on Mr. Lucas. There is no story being told. The precious backstory that does not deserve its own film series is being presented in an absent way which demonstrates why character's backstories are not actually told in films - they are merely backstories. As CP so clearly pointed out, the execution is horrible. Bad script, bad directing, bad ideas - only the production design itself has minor merit. He's even to blame for the terrible acting. Check out other works by CH and NP, subsequent to their Star Wars stuff: they are both fine actors. Star Wars reduces them to crap. (Natalie and Hayden's stints as the worst actors in Star Wars films is a quite a feat, come to think of it.)


At this point, I'm just in it for the pretty visuals and cool sound effects. I want the prequels to end, and I will be happy watching them end. For someone who has been a Star Wars fan for most of his life, I really don't think much of the movies themselves (except for the original, which was a bona fide brilliant film). It's a case of the sum being lesser than the whole of its parts. The films suck, but so many individual elements are so much fun.

Most of all, I'm in it for the Lining Up. The films may be two hours of either horrific torture or mild relief, but the weeks I spend lining up for Star Wars are always some of the most fun weeks of my life. That the prequels are bad is almost besides the point to me.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Originally Posted by innerSpaceman

There is no story being told.

This I disagree with. Like I said, that's the one thing Lucas can do well. I'll give it to you for Episode I, that was completely devoid of all story and was a pathetic attempt at character development. But once he finally got into the meat of the story in Episode II, I actually began to like where he is taking it. The problem lies in the terrible movies that were built up around the story. And those were the result of a bad screenplay, bad direction, and Lucas running into the major pitfall of trying to get TOO clever in intergrating it into the OT (3PO was built by Anikan, how 'bout them apples! ).

Of course, it could have simply not been a trilogy. Episode I had nothing in it. There was no story. Episode II has story, but not a lot, it could have been condensed down to half the length or less with no trouble at all. So when I go back in time and fix everything, I will take Lucas's story, hire Fran Walsh to write the screenplay, and Peter Jackson to direct it, and make it one movie instead of three.

[Claire]

Good, I can say some things here I dare not in real life, lest I get hit with one of Cassidy's 8 light sabers. She and my husband actually love the first two episodes......and I've hated them. The more I watch them, the more pissed off I get.

I hated Episode 1. I didn't like the kid actor playing Anakin (he makes me want to hurt him--no dark alleys, little Jake, cause I'll kick your ass), I was extremely un-impressed with Liam Neeson, I think Ewan MacGregor is embarrassingly sucky, and what's-his-ass the Jamaiican alien dude......well I just f-ing hate him. I always block his name. Hate that thing.

The only good thing? Darth Maul. That's one kick-ass bad guy.

Episode 2 made me want to scream. Natalie Portman and Hayden Christenson are so under-whelming and boring as a couple. I didn't buy his "rage" act...it makes me laugh. So while Cassidy and Kelly are covered in goosebumps, giddy with excitement over the prospect of seeing Hayden Christenson become Darth Vader, it just kind of pisses me off. And then I laugh and re-wind over and over again when Yoda says, "Around the survivors a perimeter create." Whatever, dude.

I can't wait to take Cassidy to the new movie......but I don't relish spending all that time watching Hayden Christenson f-ing it all up for me. Ugh. I'm so scared I'll hate it.....and I can't stand feeling that way!!!

On the flip side, Cassidy's having a Darth Vader swimming pool party at the end of April, and you're all invited. It's BYOLS, though.

[mousepod]

Originally Posted by Ghoulish Delight

...and make it one movie instead of three.

Amen.

[tracilicious]

I agree with much of what's been said, but am surprised that people had such high expectations acting wise. I thought that Mark Hammill was a horrible actor. And some of the others weren't fantastic either. I think what made the original trilogy so much fun was the uniqueness of the story. I don't think being typecast was the only reason most of those actors didn't have a career after Star Wars.