Poll: Was Darth Maul a good character in a bad Starwars film? Or a mediocre character in a really bad film

[The Consequence]

I like Darth Maul. A drunken group of friends were talking (of course) about Starwars Episode 1-3, and I mentioned that Darth Maul was an exceptional character. Then it was pointed out to me that if everything else in the story was up to par, he wouldn't be considered so great. What do you think?

 

[Asita]

I lean more towards the former than the latter. He made a very nice foil to Palpatine. Whereas Palpatine was talk and lighting, Maul was a silent dervish of physical prowess. Palpatine (at the time) looked like a kindly man, Maul looked outright demonic.

Part of the problem though, is he had horrible implementation. He had no build up, he only appeared in a handful of scenes and only did something notable in two of them, both of which were his fight scenes. The character had a nice concept behind it, but suffered because they didn't really use him. Half the issue is that by all accounts he should have been a major villain for the prequels, but barely had more screentime than the extras.

 

[The Consequence]

All valid points, Indeed true.

 

[bluepilot]

I would have liked to know more about this character. He was interesting but he only gave a few lines and nothing was told about this background/motivation. Was he some sort of alien or did he mutilate himself to look like a demon of some sort.

I left that movie feeling as though there was a book I should have read beforehand.

 

[GrimTuesday]

I personally really liked Darth Maul, although I felt that he just wasn't given enough characterization in the movie itself, which I saw as one of the main failures of the movie. Having read some of the extended universe stuff, I think he is a cool character.

 

[Soviet Heavy]

His main weakness was a lack of screen time. If he was introduced earlier, and had more scenes showing him tracking the Jedi and the Queen, he would have been that much more intimidating.

However, if you want more Maul, he's apparently still alive.... somehow. In an upcoming Clone Wars TV arc, Darth Maul's body was attached to spider robot legs, and he is going to fight against the Jedi.

 

[arnoldthebird]

He had a minimal amount of screen time but was still intimidating, I thought he was an exceptional character, a high quality character in a mediocre film

 

[Scorekeeper]

I lean more towards the former than the latter. He made a very nice foil to Palpatine. Whereas Palpatine was talk and lighting, Maul was a silent dervish of physical prowess. Palpatine (at the time) looked like a kindly man, Maul looked outright demonic.

Part of the problem though, is he had horrible implementation. He had no build up, he only appeared in a handful of scenes and only did something notable in two of them, both of which were his fight scenes. The character had a nice concept behind it, but suffered because they didn't really use him. Half the issue is that by all accounts he should have been a major villain for the prequels, but barely had more screentime than the extras.

This. He was a huge draw for me because I figured he'd actually do something other than stand around looking menacing and off an important character. Also, the final scene with him was horribly contrived and unbelievable.

 

[WolfThomas]

Good visual design, cool weapon. But no personality what so ever. Plus he's kind of contrived, red and black skin, horns, can he get any more evil? While it's nice to see a non-human (I think?) sith in the franchise, he's pretty ridiculous. I honestly prefer Dooku, wise and elegant older man, former jedi, arrogant enough to mistake his place with Sidious.

 

[Volkov]

He was NOT a character at all. In an atrocious excuse for a movie.

Now that said, the visual design was very pretty, and with:
- Writing
- Character development
- Stylistic choice that would make choreographed fights not seem ridiculous
...he could have been a good character. As it is, he was not a character at all.

 

[Scarim Coral]

Sure he was awesome and all (yay double lightsaber) but he only had one line. We learn nothing of his background or his motivation. Are we have to interpreted his movement to learn more about him?

Did you know that it was Palpatine who gave him that red tattoo thing and it was painful? No you didn't since you only get to know that from the book/ comic.

So in my view he was nothing special who get cast aside so easily but some fan want more of him that they clone him and will appear in the upcoming animated Clone Wars episode.

 

[Clive Howlitzer]

Darth Maul had a character? Since when? He was in the movie for like 15 seconds and had no dialogue.

 

[Ilikemilkshake]

As a kid at the time of the films release, he was certainly pretty awesome at the time... But he has next to no characterisation.

But to answer your actual question he's a mediocre character (or at least a poorly implemented one that wasted potential) in a really bad film but if the film were better there's a good chance he would have been better too.

 

[Quellist]

I dont think you can even call him a character. He had no personality, no development, he was just there for the fight scenes.

I think he could have been a good character if the script had allowed but in the state he was presented, no.

 

[SpaceBat]

Darth Maul is a horrible character, with barely any screentime and characterization. I don't even know who the fuck he is, other than the fact that he's a baddy. When I see a five-minute long battle filled with drama, I'd like there to be actual depth to them with fully established characters. Compare Luke vs Vader and Obi-Wan + Liam Neeson vs Darth Maul

Him not being an actual fleshed out character is kind of the point, people.

Whether it's the point or not doesn't really make it any better.

 

[Nimcha]

Him not being an actual fleshed out character is kind of the point, people. I know you all hate Star Wars for whatever reason, but this one's too easy.

 

[Casual Shinji]

He had some threat to him, which is more than I can say about any of the other prequel villains, but you put that face paint and those horns on anybody and the look intimidating.

Whatever quality he had as a villain was all superficial.

 

[GrimTuesday]

Sure he was awesome and all (yay double lightsaber) but he only had one line. We learn nothing of his background or his motivation. Are we have to interpreted his movement to learn more about him?

Did you know that it was Palpatine who gave him that red tattoo thing and it was painful? No you didn't since you only get to know that from the book/ comic.

So in my view he was nothing special who get cast aside so easily but some fan want more of him that they clone him and will appear in the upcoming animated Clone Wars episode.

Actually, its the black that is the tattoo, his actual skin is red. Zabrak skin comes in many different colors, and red is one of them. Also, he has been brought back to life somewhere between the and four times in some form or another.