"Can ‘Star Wars: Episode III’ be saved?"

[Trejiuvanat]

In the past days we've had some discussion around the prequels, about Episode III and about some of the most disappointing issues of the prequels. I found this article today while looking for some Reloaded stuff and found it to express what I think of the prequels myself. I want to see what you guys think of this.

 

 

Can ‘Star Wars: Episode III’ be saved?

Fire Lucas, fire Christensen and resurrect Ed Wood from the grave

 

We’ve got one more year before George Lucas finishes up his “Star Warsâ€

[Grand_Admiral_Thrawn]

I agree with him on many points, mainly that GL can't really write or direct (THX anyone?), and also that a lot of the actors should have been cut before they were cast. I can't stand Hayden Christensen, and Portman is only there as a piece of eye candy, though there are far more tantelizing choices in the galaxy.

 

On the other hand, I wasn't overly dissapointed with TPM and AotC. Sure TPM wasn't the best of the series, but i found it more interesting than ANH. These films weren't written for Sci-Fi fans, nor for action or SFX fans. They were written for the Star Wars dans out there. We wanted to see the rise of the Empire, and golly we got it!. It can't all be glits and glamour. This guy is obviousley not a hard-core fan, and has no apreciation for the mythose we've all come to love. I say that Episode III doesn't need saving, it just needs better actors, but it's too late for that.

[Evaders99]

At this point, I just want Lucas to finish telling his story and get it over with. While I hold no interest in the actors, the acting, the love story, or the movie credentials, I just want to see this plot finished. You really can't screw it up now... lots of things the fans expect that will have to happen. Continue with the epic space battles and the lightsaber duels, and I think it'll be fine.

 

We know this isn't going to be the awesome "end of the trilogy award-winning" movie that Return of the King was. Nor is it really likely that it is going to be "what the end, what the heck, disappointment" that Matrix Revolutions was. Lucas just has some storylines that need to finish... the end of the Clone Wars, the rise of Vader, the death of Padme.

 

Let's face it... people will go see this movie whether Jar Jar Binks is in it or not. Lucas as his story to tell, as he did for the classic trilogy, so let him tell it.

[Mad78]

I find the guy is a bit harsh. I mean it is easy to be critic about a film. But I mean I greatly enjoyed AOC and I haven't yet seen anybody who really hated it. GL may not be a great story writer and I agree that he made some mistakes (anybody say midi-chlorians) but to say that all the prequels are absolute crap is a bit harsh.

[ADarkJedi44]

I agree with Mad on this one. The prequels weren't that great, and the guy has his points but it is a bit harsh

[dmfitz29]

He is overly harsh. If you can get past the whole Jar Jar thing in ep1, then I think it is a good movie. I also liked AOTC, it was a good movie, not as good as any of the originals, but a good film nonetheless. I think some of it is ridiculous and untrue. I partially agree with the Hayden Christensen thing, he does seem to have the pouty teen mentality at times. On the otehr end, I think he has done a great job at portraying how Anakin slowly becomes evil and betrays his Jedi ways.

[Barkoa]

I think he is harsh on some points, but i think it is all quite true. I do want Lucas just to finish the story as well as he can without ruining it and I'll be happy. I just hope the fan fiction keeps coming because thats where the good star wars comes from!

[dmfitz29]

He should have started the story as well as he could and we wouldnt be in this perdicament.

[Krytos]

Personally, I think the original trio are the best. Nevertheless, the Episode 1 and 2 both were alright, though some things put them down: Jar Jar, bad acting (Anakins!), and stupid scenes like the dinner in Episode II with that stupid droid.

Other than that, I think they're enjoyable.

[BadSamaritan]

In all honesty, episode I & II have a lot to live up to in the SW universe, namely the original trilogy. And quite frankly, they are failing horribly. Granted, some of the acting and ideas have been downright putrid, but the one things that seems to be hellbent on making sure that they will never be equal to the original trilogy is the special effects. Am I alone in thinking that the original trilogy looked a bit more realistic than the new trilogy?

 

In the original, the ships looked dirty, beat up, and most importantly, they looked real. In the last two installments, the ships have all been shiny, new, and pristine looking. Not to mention overly cartoonish. Why GL decided to go with CGI for most of the battles I will never understand. When you look at the battle of Hoth, or the battle over endor, evrything you saw looked real, from the AT-ATs, to the starfighters locked in combat aound a star destroyer. In attack of the clones, the genosian war machine looked like it had been ripped right out of a video games opening sequence.

 

But the special effects are just my biggest gripe. The most important one is the writing. Let george lucas direct, these are his films. But fire him as a writer, he isnt doing that good of a job. These plotlines are easy to follow, but inevitably boring and predictable. And frankly, some of the things in the stories just make me want to scream in the theatres and rip my hair our, like jar-jar, and those blasted midi-chlorians. So let Lucas Direct, he is good at that, but for the sake that is everything Star Wars, fire himas a writer, and hire a troop of circus monkeys to replace him. At least then there would be surprises in the story. [/gripe]

[Grand_Admiral_Thrawn]

 

In the original, the ships looked dirty, beat up, and most importantly, they looked real. In the last two installments, the ships have all been shiny, new, and pristine looking. Not to mention overly cartoonish. Why GL decided to go with CGI for most of the battles I will never understand. When you look at the battle of Hoth, or the battle over endor, evrything you saw looked real, from the AT-ATs, to the starfighters locked in combat aound a star destroyer.

 

He went with the CG stuff because it is easier to do. Think of the effort to create all of those ships in the form of little models, then creating the capitol ships, then finding a way to make them all move together, do things that rae a little bit more fancy that fly across the screen, and put in the lasers and explosions. It would be damn near impossible. The same can be said for the clone battle. Remember on Hoth how there were very few soldiers? Well, that would be the same thing for the clone battle if he had not used CG.

The AT-ATs were sort of animated, more so than any CG rendering I've seen so far. If we look at the CG redos from the special edition, it doesn't look too bad. I for one am glad he's made the change, but I hope the release on Sep. 21 isn't a big let down, and that the controversial changes don't ruin it.

 

Ok, I'm now off topic. Please continue with original topic.

[dmfitz29]

I dont think they will change much, I think they will actually improve some of the scenes inthe movie. In the battle of endor, you can see TIEs acatully appearing out of nowhere when they first attack. Truth is, there just were not that many ships, now there can be.

[Evaders99]

The movies are going from a good times to bad. The Republic, in its prime, was peaceful, prosperous... of course the atmosphere of the prequels would start this way. That's why you have the shiny new ships and the brighter settings.

 

From the next movie, we see it getting darker.. dustier.. and we start to see the flaws in the Republic come to light. By Episode 3, we will see the darkest side of the Republic and the shine gone, as the Republic struggles to hold onto its own values.

 

The classic trilogy represents a time of chaos... disorder. Years of the Galactic Civil War has brought the extremes of weather, dirt, rust. Obviously the technology would be worn, old, not sleek. The years of combat would be apparent, making the classics a darker story.

 

The transition from the Republic to the Empire will hopefully make Episode 3 a much more interesting movie. From Episode 1 & 2, we have the setup already. Now we're getting to the action and into a very plot-driven movie.

 

 

 

---

 

 

The good thing about the classics were they started in the middle. Actions were already started, things were already rolling.

 

A solution proposed was to start the prequels in the same way - in the middle of the Clone Wars. While this would have some obvious benefits, we do lose a lot of the backstory of Anakin Skywalker and Padme.

 

At any rate, this is Lucas's story. I don't mind as long as there's a Star Wars community to discuss the movies and the expanded universe.

[Barkoa]

Krytos, the acting in the earlier eps was bad for anakin, but in ep I, he was just a 9 year old kid. How good of acting can you expect? I think that was more a problem with dialogue than acting.

[Krytos]

True, though I've seen the same actor in other movies, such as "Jingle all the Way", and in my opinion he's a far better actor in that movie than in Episode I. Also, he wasn't the only actor that had to be picked for the role, there were others auditioning for the role and I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if they would have been a better Anakin.

Nevertheless, I still stand at Episdoe I and II were good movies, though they could have been better.

[dmfitz29]

Krytos, the acting in the earlier eps was bad for anakin, but in ep I, he was just a 9 year old kid. How good of acting can you expect? I think that was more a problem with dialogue than acting.

Im going to side in the middle. I thought Jake Lloyd's acting was actually better in Jingle All the Way, but I dont honestly know how he is supposed to appear good when there is bad diologue for him to say. Acting is as much script as it is reading.

[TK421]

Actually, I think Hayden Christensen is quite a good Anakin... Apart from his length, he has a sinister way of looking, is really a grown up but still young at heart wannabe Jedi. And his fighting choreography is quite cool

 

I agree with Evaders on the way the status of the galaxy evolves... I tried to explain many friends that in Episode 1, the first combat-events since the start of the Republic (forget about the Krath and Sith wars, etc etc ). The Republic is, at first sight, as mighty as ever. In this movie, it appears that the Republic 'isn't anymore what it once was'.

 

In movie 2, there are more flaws in the Republics government. And, in Movie 3.... I am excited about what we get to see!

[Jahled]

The bottom line is what we all read at the start of that Star Wars book circa 1977.... or later as the case may be... but the point is the same.

 

Another galaxy, another time.

The Old Republic was the Republic of legend, greater than sistance or time. No need to note where it was or whence it came, only to know that...it was the old Republic.

Once, under the wise rule of the Senate and the protection of the Jedi Knights, the Republic throve and grew. But as often happens when wealth and power pass beyond the admirable and attain the awesome, then appear those evil ones who have greed to match. etc...

 

It would take at least three movies to justify the Emperor's rise to prominance from his origins as the 'Senator from Naboo.' I think his skillfull manipulation of the Republic and the Trade Federation to create a military machine unseen before (the Empire) is unfolding wonderfully....and fully justified 'Imperial March,' at the end of the last movie... that last shot on the balcony spelt out the entire Episode Two in seconds.

 

Much as we hate Jar Jar and other minor details we've seen so far, as far as the larger picture goes GL has remained firmly on track. Episode Two showed us the full extent of Palpatine's manipulation of galatic events to excuse him the opportunity to create the Empire's military machine. Genius.

 

Those 'heroic' clone-troopers are about to turn their guns on the last of the Jedi. Quote me.

I still have belief in GL.

[Bill]

All I have to say is someone better kick George Lucas in the butt and get him to make this the best movie of all of them. Episode 1 was not good, episode 2 was better, and if he leaves with this movie it better be kick ass.

[Darth_Officer]

my responses are bullet style so here goes.

 

as for Darth Anniken in the clerks office - I say >>>

 

Annie, are you OK

Will you tell us that you’re OK

There’s a sign at the window

That he struck you

A crescendo, Annie

He came into your apartment

He left the bloodstains on the carpet

Then you ran into the bedroom

You were struck down

It was your doom

[dmfitz29]

^^lol wtf is that?

[Barkoa]

Only two words can be said about that.... RANDOM!

[Darth_Officer]

you don't understand. annie, who as you know is the nickname of annikan skywalker.

 

well, like when someone burns toast. well, it leaves a trace in the house. the same goes for star wars characters. we all know annie is a very bad actor in episode 1. and, annie in the second episode was nothing more than a horn dog teenie bopper than a seriuous jedi.

 

 

are we clear now

[Paul]

I agree with Jahled on these issues mostly. GL created this universe we all love and discuss- he needed to show the rise of Palpatine and he is doing that.-Grand Moff Conway

[Barkoa]

Thank you for clarifying SS Officer. I know what you mean. I just hope Hayden's gotten better in the third, but its more likely he's been good, but with bad dialogue like Lloyd in Ep I.