People have covered most of the things I dislike about them. Two things I would add are...
1) The decision to define the force in relation to Midichlorians, this took an abstract spiritual, undefined mystical power and relegated a persons force ability into a question of how many ''magic bacteria'' they have.
2) The bizarre choice to make it so it 'just so happens' that many of the main characters from the Classic Trilogy turn up in the prequels. R2-D2 just so happened to be Queen Amidala's droid? What a coincidence that young Anakin just so happened to mend C3-PO. Did Jabba the Hutt have to start the Pod Race? Did we need Boba Fett as a young kid? Yoda befriended Chewie in episode III, what a coincidence!
Oh my god, those films were bad! For me, Star Wars starts wi A New Hope, and all the prequel stuff exists in a much better form in my mind.
Mine too. It's actually irritating when you think what they could have been with the right scripts and directors. Disney should go back and re-do them.
Mine too. It's actually irritating when you think what they could have been with the right scripts and directors. Disney should go back and re-do them.
Michael Caine once said the only films they should remake are the ones they got wrong in the first place, and thus make a better job of it. Given that remakes of good films are often considered both inferior and pointless, you can see the logic here.
(Hang on, am I advocating more Star Wars? I need a lie down...)
1. Jake Lloyd's awful acting. I know he was only young, but there are some really good young actors in the US, so they could have at least found someone half decent.
2. The use of CGI where it wasn't necessary. I understand the reasons for using it for the spaceships and cityscapes, but when they use it for human actors jumping around it just looks horribly fake, such as the Geonosis arena scenes and the Obi-Wan vs Jango Fett fight.
1. Jake Lloyd's awful acting. I know he was only young, but there are some really good young actors in the US, so they could have at least found someone half decent.
2. The use of CGI where it wasn't necessary. I understand the reasons for using it for the spaceships and cityscapes, but when they use it for human actors jumping around it just looks horribly fake, such as the Geonosis arena scenes and the Obi-Wan vs Jango Fett fight.
HE WAS TEN YEARS OLD!!!!!
come on, you'd be rubbish acting at ten
and CGI was always going to look "fake" through it's digital make, but it's SCALE was the most important thing
One of the things I hated about the prequels was the habit of the characters constantly referring to each other formally by name when they share a scene
"Senator Palpatine"
"Master Windu!"
It's as if George was unsure the audience would know who was who and had to keep reminding everybody, but people don't really talk like that and so the dialogue always felt unnatural.
Isn't that how most things happen...before an army is formed.
But it doesn't work in a Star Wars film. Its supposed to be swashbuckling sci fi, the Empire could have been formed anyway imaginable. As it was, George Lucas did it in the most boring way possible.
The Empire was formed very much like the Nazi's coming to power in Germany. Give the people something to hate and fear, then offer them protection, while striping them of all democracy and government. No shots needed to be fired for Hitler to rise to power.
Well that didn't transfer to the prequels at all well. A more entertaining and exciting origin for the empire would have suited Star Wars better. I think Lucas got lazy/wrote himself in to a corner and did the boring political stuff. Similarities to the Third Reich may float if the Star Wars version was executed well, but it wasn't, not at all.
Anakins is particularly bad of course. I hate his line in the RotS " From my point of view, the Jedi are evil".
As has been said on previous posts, most parts of the first two films could have been skipped, they could have used Revenge of the Sith as a starting point and featured Anakins downfall a lot better, especially if he was older.
Yeah, I think as someone else earlier mentioned - it mainly came down to having such bad writing. I think the big problem was, that most of the story of how Anakin became Darth Vader was in Ep 3(and I think we can all agree that the best of the prequels - but, yes - that film is still massively flawed!).
There's a few too many coincidences and trying to tie-up all the storylines(like explaining the Death Star plans, etc.). Those should just not have been put in.
Over use of CGI as well. But - you know - that a problem with a lot of modern day cinema.
Comparing the action sequences to the old trilogy - Star Wars : opening sequence where the Leia's ship is attacked, the Tie Fighters attacking the Millennium Falcon and the final Death Star run ; Empire - the asteroid field escape and Luke versus Vader ; Jedi - the barge ship fight with Jabba, the speederbike race, the Endor fight with the AT ATs(even allowing for Ewoks), the Luke versus Vader match round 2 and the other Death Star run. They're pretty impressive - allowing for the technology used at the time - and they did get you emotionally involved compared to the prequels. The only action sequence that I thought worked in the prequels was perhaps the podracing stuff. That's the only one.
Hey - I know that we're all moaning here - but remember Lucas does like re-doing stuff - so in the future they will be the Special Editions which will feature better acting, better dialogue and most importantly of all - Jar Jar Binks getting beheaded by a lightsaber! "Me's a Jar Jar Binks! No!"
Also as the hobbit proved, prequels rarely work, there are obviously exceptions, I.e most recently the xmen movies but usually with prequels you know where the journey ends, which therefore means that the writing and acting has to be better so you become engaged more with the how they get there etc..
The starwars prequals suffered greatly as a result, the writing was hideous, "my you've grown, in beauty i mean" and hayden Christian should never of been cast in that role, ever!! Portman on the other hand has showed she is a great actress which just shows how bad the material she had to deliver was.
However I also believe people hate just because it was popular to hate, there are loads of highlights, pod race, maul, qui-gon, geinesis etc
In simple terms they are all OK films, but had to much expectation put upon them..
Force awakens however feels much more like the original trilogy just hope it has a strong story!!
- and they did get you emotionally involved compared to the prequels.
Especially in Empire Strikes Back, and that was down to characterisation and direction. Kirshner said that in spite of all the whizz bang effects, he had to make the audience believe that these characters were in an extraordinary place, but suffered all the emotions of ordinary people, like love, jealousy, fear etc because it would be that which ultimately connected with the viewer.
Look at the performance he got out of the Yoda puppet, it remains incredibly good.
Lucas never really understood that. He's a tech-geek, a special effects nerd. Actors are an embuggerance to him, as they exist merely to deliver the lines in his head, but he cannot relate to how to do that with realistic emotion.
If you look at the love scenes in Empire betwen Ford and Fisher, they are natural and believable. Contrast that with Christensen and Portman in Attack of the Clones, and they are utterly risible, as if written and directed by the class geek (which is what Lucas ultimately is)
I loved the originals and I also liked Ep III - Obi Wan and Anakin's fight scene ("You were the chosen one!" ) and the aftermath were brilliant. The agonising creation of Darth Vader, the inspired first-hand view of the mask coming down and then the sound of it powering up before that epic first DV breath - everyone in the cinema actually cheered.
It actually gave me goosebumps when the bed tipped up to face the camera
That SHOULD HAVE been the the closing scene.
For some reason they decided to ruin it with a tantrum-esque breaking free of the bed and the hammy "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" acted by, what I can only assume, was a child dressed in a Darth Vader costume. Seriously, DV was an imposing, menacing figure in the original films - not some short-a*se in an oversized helmet! Who was that under there?!
The scene with the bed slowly tipping Vader up to stare menacingly at the camera, accompanied by an ominous, building piece of music would have a been perfect ending. No dialogue necessary.
Really looking forward to see what Disney does with the franchise.
Killing Padme was dumb and weak !!!! So much they could have done
I heard that some on the project wanted Anakin to injure Padme whilst he was fighting Kenobi on Mustafar. Anakin was paranoid that Kenobi was a little "too close" to Padme, which would have then opened up the "who's the father of the twins?" debate. In rage he was beating the **** out of Kenobi, Padme intervened but was caught by Anakins lightsaber or thrown by the force.
Kenobi then attacked Anakin in defence by cutting off his legs and force pushing him into the lava in anger before fleeing with Padme who was close to dying.
Apparently Lucas thought this was too "adult themed" so switched it to how the film was released. Padme therefore died in childbirth by losing the will to live(?!)
Totally agree on the birth of Vader. Should have been just the table rising, Palpatine saying "rise Lord Vader" and then the smoke clearing from the vents as he takes his first mechanical breath. Lucas wanted to link the "noooooooo" between his "birth" and eventual death on Death Star 2.
Jake Lloyd, how on earth did he get cast, I know child actors typically aren't good but sheesh! I'm sure Haley Joel Osment had the look and talent and was the right age at the time, you think he'd have been cast since he was the best child actor going at the time. If you're making a big budget film with a kid as the lead he needs to be decent at the very least.
Michael Caine once said the only films they should remake are the ones they got wrong in the first place, and thus make a better job of it. Given that remakes of good films are often considered both inferior and pointless, you can see the logic here.
(Hang on, am I advocating more Star Wars? I need a lie down...)
He's not wrong. Worked for Ocean's 11, original is DULL.
What do I hate about these movies? Where do I begin?
The Phantom Menace
1. Anakin is a 9 year old whiney kid? Wtf.
2. Jar Jar Binks.
3. A Star Wars movie about a trade dispute? Seriously?
4. The film's saving grace - Darth Maul - killed off the in first film of a new trilogy. Stupid decision.
5. Midichlorians. Totally undermines the mysticism of the Force as explained in the OT.
6. Pod racing is nowhere near as interesting as it probably looked on paper.
7. The stupidity and casual racism in the portayal of the Gungans, the Nemoidians, and Watto.
8. Overall, it's just a very boring film. How is it possible to make Star Wars boring? Lucas managed it.
Attack of the Clones
1. The whole film looks like a cheap video game.
2. Hayden Christensen and his "acting". And the portrayal of Anakin as a moany teenager obsessed with Padme. It wasn't romantic, it was creepy.
3. Lucas cannot write a script to save his life. "I don't like sand". Oh, please.
4. Natalie Portman phoning it in.
5. CGI Yoda jumping all over the place. No.
6. R2 can now apparently fly.
7. "This is such a drag". George, stop!
8. Young Boba Fett? No! We didn't need to see this!
Revenge of the Sith (the worst of the lot, as far as I'm concerned)
1. CGI CGI CGI
2. R2 now has an oil slick mechanism?
3. General Grievous. Pathetic character.
4. The stupidity of Anakin's "fall" to the dark side. One minute he's joining Palpatine to save Padme, then he's going around killing kids? It felt so forced, and did not ring true with what we had been told in the original trilogy.
5. The utter incompetence of the Jedi Council.
6. Lightsaber battles every five minutes. The novelty wears thin very quickly.
7. The final battle between Obi Wan and Anakin had no emotional impact, because we'd hardly seen them share a scene where Anakin wasn't being a whiney little bitch.
8. "From my point of view the Jedi are evil" - and other similar lines from a truly terrible script.
9. The clear attempt by Lucas to superglue his two trilogies together by shoving in tons of OT references in the final half hour.
10. Chewie knows Yoda? NO!
11. "She's lost the will to live" - Really? After her two children were just born?
Another major flaw which hindered all three movies was the lack of a clear protagonist and antagonist. In the originals, Luke was the hero (aided by Leia, Han, Chewie) and Vader was the villain. I honestly couldn't tell you who the main hero is in the prequels; Palpatine is obviously the villain but this doesn't even become clear until the second half of Episode 3!
I loved the originals and I also liked Ep III - Obi Wan and Anakin's fight scene ("You were the chosen one!" ) and the aftermath were brilliant. The agonising creation of Darth Vader, the inspired first-hand view of the mask coming down and then the sound of it powering up before that epic first DV breath - everyone in the cinema actually cheered.
It actually gave me goosebumps when the bed tipped up to face the camera
That SHOULD HAVE been the the closing scene.
For some reason they decided to ruin it with a tantrum-esque breaking free of the bed and the hammy "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" acted by, what I can only assume, was a child dressed in a Darth Vader costume. Seriously, DV was an imposing, menacing figure in the original films - not some short-a*se in an oversized helmet! Who was that under there?!
The scene with the bed slowly tipping Vader up to stare menacingly at the camera, accompanied by an ominous, building piece of music would have a been perfect ending. No dialogue necessary.
Really looking forward to see what Disney does with the franchise.
Though I would agree with the majority of criticisms of the prequels...I think a lot of people don't fully grasp the meaning of that scene...
The best way I can put it is...it is NOT Darth Vader.
This is the big issue most people have with the scene...one of the most iconic and scariest villains of all time...exhibiting a very human, conventional emotion.
But...its not Darth Vader, is it?
What you are looking at is Anakin Skywalker...or the last semblance of Anakin Skywalker, having suffered horrific pain, loss of limbs, severe burns...and the death of his wife.
When he comes round for the first time in the suit, why would he immediately act evil and soulless and just 'be' Darth Vader?
Having just gone through lengthy, painful major surgery and coming round for the first time...inside a metal suit that he is not used to (hence the awkward walk), that scream is the last semblance of Anakin's humanity, married with the awful realisation of what he has become, and what he has lost.
Comments
I liked the prequels too, the only thing letting them down was Hayden Christensen's atrocious acting and the script he was given.
I find the original trilogy tougher to watch because of everyone's horrible acting bar Harrison Ford.
"Jar Jar Binks makes the Ewoks look like f**king Shaft!" - Tim Bisley, Spaced
Mostly, Star Wars fans.
1) The decision to define the force in relation to Midichlorians, this took an abstract spiritual, undefined mystical power and relegated a persons force ability into a question of how many ''magic bacteria'' they have.
2) The bizarre choice to make it so it 'just so happens' that many of the main characters from the Classic Trilogy turn up in the prequels. R2-D2 just so happened to be Queen Amidala's droid? What a coincidence that young Anakin just so happened to mend C3-PO. Did Jabba the Hutt have to start the Pod Race? Did we need Boba Fett as a young kid? Yoda befriended Chewie in episode III, what a coincidence!
Mine too. It's actually irritating when you think what they could have been with the right scripts and directors. Disney should go back and re-do them.
(Hang on, am I advocating more Star Wars? I need a lie down...)
2. The use of CGI where it wasn't necessary. I understand the reasons for using it for the spaceships and cityscapes, but when they use it for human actors jumping around it just looks horribly fake, such as the Geonosis arena scenes and the Obi-Wan vs Jango Fett fight.
HE WAS TEN YEARS OLD!!!!!
come on, you'd be rubbish acting at ten
and CGI was always going to look "fake" through it's digital make, but it's SCALE was the most important thing
"Senator Palpatine"
"Master Windu!"
It's as if George was unsure the audience would know who was who and had to keep reminding everybody, but people don't really talk like that and so the dialogue always felt unnatural.
But it doesn't work in a Star Wars film. Its supposed to be swashbuckling sci fi, the Empire could have been formed anyway imaginable. As it was, George Lucas did it in the most boring way possible.
Well that didn't transfer to the prequels at all well. A more entertaining and exciting origin for the empire would have suited Star Wars better. I think Lucas got lazy/wrote himself in to a corner and did the boring political stuff. Similarities to the Third Reich may float if the Star Wars version was executed well, but it wasn't, not at all.
Anakins is particularly bad of course. I hate his line in the RotS " From my point of view, the Jedi are evil".
As has been said on previous posts, most parts of the first two films could have been skipped, they could have used Revenge of the Sith as a starting point and featured Anakins downfall a lot better, especially if he was older.
I don't hate them, but I don't enjoy them.
Oh and " Jar Jar Binks" *shudder*
Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! >:(
There's a few too many coincidences and trying to tie-up all the storylines(like explaining the Death Star plans, etc.). Those should just not have been put in.
Over use of CGI as well. But - you know - that a problem with a lot of modern day cinema.
Comparing the action sequences to the old trilogy - Star Wars : opening sequence where the Leia's ship is attacked, the Tie Fighters attacking the Millennium Falcon and the final Death Star run ; Empire - the asteroid field escape and Luke versus Vader ; Jedi - the barge ship fight with Jabba, the speederbike race, the Endor fight with the AT ATs(even allowing for Ewoks), the Luke versus Vader match round 2 and the other Death Star run. They're pretty impressive - allowing for the technology used at the time - and they did get you emotionally involved compared to the prequels. The only action sequence that I thought worked in the prequels was perhaps the podracing stuff. That's the only one.
Hey - I know that we're all moaning here - but remember Lucas does like re-doing stuff - so in the future they will be the Special Editions which will feature better acting, better dialogue and most importantly of all - Jar Jar Binks getting beheaded by a lightsaber! "Me's a Jar Jar Binks! No!"
The starwars prequals suffered greatly as a result, the writing was hideous, "my you've grown, in beauty i mean" and hayden Christian should never of been cast in that role, ever!! Portman on the other hand has showed she is a great actress which just shows how bad the material she had to deliver was.
However I also believe people hate just because it was popular to hate, there are loads of highlights, pod race, maul, qui-gon, geinesis etc
In simple terms they are all OK films, but had to much expectation put upon them..
Force awakens however feels much more like the original trilogy just hope it has a strong story!!
Especially in Empire Strikes Back, and that was down to characterisation and direction. Kirshner said that in spite of all the whizz bang effects, he had to make the audience believe that these characters were in an extraordinary place, but suffered all the emotions of ordinary people, like love, jealousy, fear etc because it would be that which ultimately connected with the viewer.
Look at the performance he got out of the Yoda puppet, it remains incredibly good.
Lucas never really understood that. He's a tech-geek, a special effects nerd. Actors are an embuggerance to him, as they exist merely to deliver the lines in his head, but he cannot relate to how to do that with realistic emotion.
If you look at the love scenes in Empire betwen Ford and Fisher, they are natural and believable. Contrast that with Christensen and Portman in Attack of the Clones, and they are utterly risible, as if written and directed by the class geek (which is what Lucas ultimately is)
It actually gave me goosebumps when the bed tipped up to face the camera
That SHOULD HAVE been the the closing scene.
For some reason they decided to ruin it with a tantrum-esque breaking free of the bed and the hammy "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" acted by, what I can only assume, was a child dressed in a Darth Vader costume. Seriously, DV was an imposing, menacing figure in the original films - not some short-a*se in an oversized helmet! Who was that under there?!
The scene with the bed slowly tipping Vader up to stare menacingly at the camera, accompanied by an ominous, building piece of music would have a been perfect ending. No dialogue necessary.
Really looking forward to see what Disney does with the franchise.
I heard that some on the project wanted Anakin to injure Padme whilst he was fighting Kenobi on Mustafar. Anakin was paranoid that Kenobi was a little "too close" to Padme, which would have then opened up the "who's the father of the twins?" debate. In rage he was beating the **** out of Kenobi, Padme intervened but was caught by Anakins lightsaber or thrown by the force.
Kenobi then attacked Anakin in defence by cutting off his legs and force pushing him into the lava in anger before fleeing with Padme who was close to dying.
Apparently Lucas thought this was too "adult themed" so switched it to how the film was released. Padme therefore died in childbirth by losing the will to live(?!)
Totally agree on the birth of Vader. Should have been just the table rising, Palpatine saying "rise Lord Vader" and then the smoke clearing from the vents as he takes his first mechanical breath. Lucas wanted to link the "noooooooo" between his "birth" and eventual death on Death Star 2.
He's not wrong. Worked for Ocean's 11, original is DULL.
The Phantom Menace
1. Anakin is a 9 year old whiney kid? Wtf.
2. Jar Jar Binks.
3. A Star Wars movie about a trade dispute? Seriously?
4. The film's saving grace - Darth Maul - killed off the in first film of a new trilogy. Stupid decision.
5. Midichlorians. Totally undermines the mysticism of the Force as explained in the OT.
6. Pod racing is nowhere near as interesting as it probably looked on paper.
7. The stupidity and casual racism in the portayal of the Gungans, the Nemoidians, and Watto.
8. Overall, it's just a very boring film. How is it possible to make Star Wars boring? Lucas managed it.
Attack of the Clones
1. The whole film looks like a cheap video game.
2. Hayden Christensen and his "acting". And the portrayal of Anakin as a moany teenager obsessed with Padme. It wasn't romantic, it was creepy.
3. Lucas cannot write a script to save his life. "I don't like sand". Oh, please.
4. Natalie Portman phoning it in.
5. CGI Yoda jumping all over the place. No.
6. R2 can now apparently fly.
7. "This is such a drag". George, stop!
8. Young Boba Fett? No! We didn't need to see this!
Revenge of the Sith (the worst of the lot, as far as I'm concerned)
1. CGI CGI CGI
2. R2 now has an oil slick mechanism?
3. General Grievous. Pathetic character.
4. The stupidity of Anakin's "fall" to the dark side. One minute he's joining Palpatine to save Padme, then he's going around killing kids? It felt so forced, and did not ring true with what we had been told in the original trilogy.
5. The utter incompetence of the Jedi Council.
6. Lightsaber battles every five minutes. The novelty wears thin very quickly.
7. The final battle between Obi Wan and Anakin had no emotional impact, because we'd hardly seen them share a scene where Anakin wasn't being a whiney little bitch.
8. "From my point of view the Jedi are evil" - and other similar lines from a truly terrible script.
9. The clear attempt by Lucas to superglue his two trilogies together by shoving in tons of OT references in the final half hour.
10. Chewie knows Yoda? NO!
11. "She's lost the will to live" - Really? After her two children were just born?
Another major flaw which hindered all three movies was the lack of a clear protagonist and antagonist. In the originals, Luke was the hero (aided by Leia, Han, Chewie) and Vader was the villain. I honestly couldn't tell you who the main hero is in the prequels; Palpatine is obviously the villain but this doesn't even become clear until the second half of Episode 3!
The is no sense of a teacher and student relationship that grows into a friendship.
The first 2 films should have been about those two bonding, and then the last 2 films being about Anakin and Padme getting together.
Though I would agree with the majority of criticisms of the prequels...I think a lot of people don't fully grasp the meaning of that scene...
The best way I can put it is...it is NOT Darth Vader.
This is the big issue most people have with the scene...one of the most iconic and scariest villains of all time...exhibiting a very human, conventional emotion.
But...its not Darth Vader, is it?
What you are looking at is Anakin Skywalker...or the last semblance of Anakin Skywalker, having suffered horrific pain, loss of limbs, severe burns...and the death of his wife.
When he comes round for the first time in the suit, why would he immediately act evil and soulless and just 'be' Darth Vader?
Having just gone through lengthy, painful major surgery and coming round for the first time...inside a metal suit that he is not used to (hence the awkward walk), that scream is the last semblance of Anakin's humanity, married with the awful realisation of what he has become, and what he has lost.
Despite jumping all over like frogs on speed, the deciding factor in the whole scrap is that Obi-Wan is standing a bit higher up on a gentle incline.
By that time, like Padme, I too had lost the will to live.