Problem

[mandalore-the-inquizitor]

Why is it so many peapole seem to dislike the prequals

I thougt the only bad thing was the boy anikan in episode one he sucked

Jar jar was awsome he cracks me up would make a good Stand up comedian i hated the fact that the clones and droids used tactics that where like medeival jut charging in rank come on they shoud of contacted a military specilast

[Darth_Rob]

Its simply that it there is a distinct difference between the prequels and the ot. I dont think any of us truly hates them. Sure, we have gripes about them, when we compare them to the classicness of the ot. The ot had this feeling of timelessness to it, and the story telling was superb, with little reliance on special effects. The prequels seem to lean more on flashy computer animation and such. But thats just my opinion.

[DarthTofu]

The OT relied on special effects, but it didn't go out of its way to take advantage of them, except perhaps in ESB with the giant slug.

 

The prequals seemed to rely far too much on special effects, and the acting was just horrible. We already knew what would happen in the end (IE Anakin would become Darth Vader, Senator Palpatine would become Emperor). The movies broke from the cannonical material that already existed and hinted toward the Clone Wars coming about from the clones going mad. Yoda was depicted as, how did someone put it, a "Circ Dis Ole(sp?) dancer on steroids" was it?

 

Too much didn't make sense, and ultimately Jar Jar was far more annoying than he was entertaining. There's a reason he said a gran total of two words in episode three!

 

The prequals went on something that we'd all wondered about and formed our own theories and conclusions about, and they gave us something totally new, totally unexpected, and totally not in keeping with our imaginations. Ultimately that alone was enough to ruin it for some fans.

 

In addition to this, Episode II broke entirely from the existing Star Wars material by making most of the movie a love story! The OT managed to give the story of Han's love for Leia while still maintaining that feeling that action we so loved as well as developing characters on the fly- for instance, in the original Star Wars, a New Hope, Han Solo takes off before the battle of Yavin, but then returns in the end to help finish the fight, showing that, while he isn't the world's best person, and is a rogue, he still has a conscience that he has to listen to, and is capable of being a great friend.

 

Character development was pitiful in the prequals, and they just dragged in too many places, or spent too long on action scenes (Matrix syndrome in Episode III, for instance)

[Jahled]

The OT relied on special effects, but it didn't go out of its way to take advantage of them, except perhaps in ESB with the giant slug. The prequels seemed to rely far too much on special effects...

 

As if George Lucas was playing some with some expensive toys this time round?

 

I've got a book called The Star Wars Archives, props, Costumes, Models, and artwork from Star Wars (well the original trilogy). Apparently the Executor was originally conceived for use in a few establishing shots, but once the production team saw the completed, ten-foot model, new story boards were prepared to accommodate additional Executor shots. Ten foot!! Those of us old enough to remember seeing the original movies before the numerous special editions I think would agree all the effects were impressive enough; perhaps to the extent we had not seen their like before, and were suitably awed. But they certainly didn't over-shadow the overall films. Rather they added to the magic. This is a genuine question: but were there any capital ship labour of love models made for the prequels, like the ten foot Executor? Whilst it could be argued the technology made such props unnecessary, i'm just wondering whether not having any need for them made the special effects get lost somewhat with all the technology now at their disposal.

 

Compare say the Battle of Hoth and the attack of the clones against the droids in AotC. If you ask yourself honestly, which was the overall more enjoyable and breathtaking? Obviously Hoth! It had build up, suspense, uncertainty, lots of subsequent action and explosions, a hint of believability, and the ultimate point of the original three films; that might, in this instance the gigantic, seemingly indestructible, AT-AT walkers, could be overcome by guile, cunning, and hope. The fact they ultimately aren't overcome is a refection of the brilliance of the ESB and it's hopeless mood.

But compare those factors to the final big battle in AotC, and it's like we as the audience were simply dropped into an orgy of laser bolts and special effects, relieved with the single human interaction (we as humans) can relate to of Mace Window looking serious and Yoda looking stern. All sense of reality was lost in the battle, perhaps due to the fact that the few bits actually shot by the living were in a studio in front of a green backdrop. I think it would be safe to say here it's not just the actors who aren't going to feel like they are Henry V at some Star Wars equivalent of Agincourt; I think it was lost on Lucas.

 

I'm not going to knock George Lucas to much because he's obviously given us one of the major loves of our lives, the Star Wars mythos; but feel somewhat let down ultimately with the prequels, simply because I was left with a somewhat shallow feeling at the end of each of the prequels.

 

The story lines were understandable, such as Palpatine's rise to power, his brilliant manipulation of events used as an excuse to create his Imperial military machine, the emotional corruption of Anakin, and the demise of the Jedi. And he certainly gave us the same ingredient with each of the original films of fantastic and diverse locations, but everything seemed slightly overshadowed by a relentless use of special effects, and certainly at times extremely wooden acting. Most of the actors have stated it was hell to film because of the constant studio shooting location, and obvious Director in the chair saying don't worry, the special effects guys will do the rest, but how much of this feeling of not quite actually being in a scene rubbed-off on their acting? I feel quite a lot.

 

I appear to be burning my supper. I had at least another twenty lengthy paragraphs in me.