Thanks to a CBM user's comment, I decided to write this article about the problems with the Star Wars prequels. Now the list of problems could be stuffed into a dictionary. I don't feel like writing about all of them, but instead I narrowed it down to my top five problems with Star Wars prequels.
5. Jar Jar Binks.
Honestly. Really. Why. the. heck. was he in this trilogy in the first place? He did absolutely NOTHING to support the story. Even in episode I he wasn't a good hero. It was Anakin that shut down the battle droids (single-handedly btw). It was a failed and ludicrous attempt by Lucas to create the next Chewbacca and instead he got millions of hate mail from his fans. Some even said Jar Jar was racist? That right there I have to disagree with. Racist no? Prejudice against Handicap people? Yes.
4. A love story with no chemistry
In my opinion, Episode 2 is a mediocre experience saved by the duel between Jango and Obi-wan, and the Jedi battle/war sequence in the end. What really drags down this movie is the lame love story composed by Lucas. Now the love between both Anakin and Padme would have been awesome, but instead we got a 2 hour scenary of both of them throwing around silly dialogue and looking lazily into each others eyes...
As I recall sitting in the theater almost ten years ago, I found myself falling asleep during such a popular movie. Something that rarely happens with me. There is little to none chemistry between the two 'lovers' in Attack of the Clones, but it shows some signs of it towards the end. It was as if Lucas didn't care about Attack of the Clones simply because it HAD to happen. He just quickly came up with a dumb story and a bad script and threw it aside before working on his target-Revenge of the Sith. Even though there is SOME chemistry in Revenge, its unforgettable.
3. Some scenes just don't make sense.
For instance, In episode I, what was up with the whole Gungun leader shaking his head ferociously? I mean, none of the other GunGuns didn't do that! And speaking of GunGuns, the Battle on the Plains of Naboo wasn't really needed to be honest. Did it boast some cool sequences? Of course, but it wasn't needed.
Episode 2-The love story @ Jar Jar bringing the senate together to grant the Supreme Chancellor emergency powers. Really? First of all, Jar Jar is a goon. How did he get so smart and responsible? Lucas never told us.
Episode 3-Anakin turning to the darkside too quickly. Grant it the scene where this takes place is a minor problem to the entire movie, it still kinda doesn't make sense. Where's the regret? Where's the deep emotion? Where's the idea that if you turn to the dark side you'll be living a life of hate and despair? It wasn't there at all. Just, 'Oh I killed the only black Jedi in the Council. Might as well turn to the Dark Side to make up for it. Red was my favorite color anyway'. Lucas really should have considered his plot more. Even with the biggest plot hole of them all-so Anakin supposedly goes off to war for 3 years, comes back and his wife is pregnant? Whaaaaaa...? He's okay with this? I'd be pissed! I'd call the Maury Show!
2. The Casting.
Ewan McGregor, Liam Neeson, Ian McDiarmid were perfect for their roles. PERFECT. But their co-stars weren't as much. Samuel L. Jackson may play a lot of badass characters (Nick Fury, Jules etc) but his acting was dull and plain. His character was badass, but the acting wasn't. It was as if Lucas said, 'you don't have to act really. Just flash that lightsaber around and collect your paycheck at the end of the day'. Black Swan has proven to us that Natalie Portman is a very talented actress. But where did that talent go in Star Wars? Grant it she did a decent job in Revenge, and a passable (barely passable) job in Attack, but in Phantom she was just as dry as Anakin's sand speech in Episode 2. It was sad to see such a great actress as Portman to be used so dully in her role as Padme. Hayden is the big problem. He was a robot in Attack of the Clones and when he got angry it wasn't thrilling, it was laughable. He did a marginally better job in Revenge of the Sith, boasting a character fighting his inner demons. But he'll always be remembered for his bombastic performance in Attack of the Clones. How could Lucas not see this? Was he so blinded by the thought of how much cash these movies would bring in through sales that he couldn't see the logic of making the movies worthwhile for everyone?
1. Choosing the wrong villains.
Count Dooku was pointless. He really was. All he did was chop off Anakins arm and his death came too quickly. Let's face it, Darth Maul should have been the main villain in these movies. That would've been so much better. Having him killing Qui-gon, wounding Obi-wan, and then getting away, then plotting a huge campaign against the Jedi by laying waste in the Jedi Temple for episode 2 and then having Anakin becoming Vader by slaying him in Episode 3 would have been the cherry on the top. Maul's character was badass, mysterious, and dark.
Giving him more time to adapt to the storyline would have made him so much better. But instead we remember him as being the highlight of Phantom menace. Lucas thought he had something going with Dooku. Lucas must be getting the good kind of weed.
In the end, what Lucas should have done in the late 90s was grab a different director and screenwriter and told them, 'this is what I want the look and feel of the prequels to be' and so on, produce and have a co-writer for the story and then let it be. It was as if he was paranoid someone would screw it up.
To be honest, I loved Phantom, but only because I didn't fully focus on Jar Jar and Padme's acting but on the Jedi and Darth Maul. Attack of the Clones was bad, and Revenge was an awesome way to wrap it up but it could have been better.
Phantom: A-
Attack: C-
Revenge: A
but that's my opinion.
so rant with me people with your
thoughts.
comments.
and let me know!