Why do you hate the star wars prequels?

[floppylobster]

As much as I hate many parts of all of them (especially the 2nd and 3rd). I'm so glad they were made because there were a few good moments, there were some interesting ships, some interesting looking characters. And since then we've had some decent spin-offs and games and some good TV episodes and the chance that it might still continue and get better.

In the end the original trilogy is still available as I saw it, and whatever followed it has not tainted what I grew up with as a kid.

Flash Gordon (the original inspiration) has all but died. (There was a campy revival film that's failed to revive interest in him.) And now, if you're into Flash Gordon there's hardly anything around about it any more. But because of the prequels Star Wars fans have access to many new things they might never had seen otherwise (granted some we didn't want to see - but just look away if that's the case). And while this might feel like 'George Lucas cashing in' to some, we don't have to buy it.

It's all about nostalgia and childhood fantasy. The prequels revived interest in Star Wars and have allowed me to wallow in that for much longer than my father ever got to relive the days when he watched Flash Gordon.

But as you asked my reasons for disliking them here are some -
- Bad acting.
- Bad script.
- Bad directing.
- Inconsistencies with the established universe.
- Trying to fit in too many coincidences and references. (Luke and Leia was bad enough)
- Making what seemed like a large galaxy feel smaller.
- The third one took itself too seriously.

I wish they were better but I'm glad they were made.

 

[Brandon237]

No....i dont hate them, I loved them. I didnt criticize the heck out of them. Sorry but I say Star Wars Episode 3 was the best.

Yay! Someone who agrees with me and won't kill me for enjoying the prequels.
*looks at avatar* And that explains EP1.
EP2 was less good though.
EP3 was epic, and those who disagree (most of you), please don't kill me

 

[The Salty Vulcan]

Well they just didn't have that same feeling of fun. They were always so brooding and politically orientated. Yeah they had Yoda fighting and Christopher "OHMYGOD" Lee but it just felt as if it was pandering to all diehard fans.

You know the diehard fans hated them right?

Yes, the irony did not escape my attention.

To be more clear, ever core design decision was hated by the hardcore fans, the lightsaber fights being about extensive planning and training rather than an expression of an emotional struggle. The characters being hallow representations of the characters we were told about. The Force becoming SCIENCE!!!! instead of the mysterious magical force it began with (reducing it into a "mine is bigger than yours therfore im better" fight).

Yes. I am aware of this. To be frank, what were you expecting? You only had to see the rereleases of the original trilogy to see that Lucas was constantly evolving his universe to what he really wanted to show. Besides, the whole trilogy was set in the past! Ideas change, I dont see how everything you mentioned is exclusive to that. Is it realy so hard to believe that everything before the original was somehow eradicated by some facist empire?

...Wait. Why am I talking bout this? The movies were stupid. Why should I go beyond that? Fans didn't like what they got, they pouted and Lucas sat back into his chair made outta theiry money.

You said it was pandering to the fans, Im saying it went out of its way to ignore what hardcore fans wanted.

Yeah thats true. My apologees. When I said it was "pandering" to the fans, I meant it by actually exploring the background or the history that the original was built upon like the very brief mention of the Clone Wars or the history of Darth Vader. I don't know why you ever really have to go there but its what the fans wanted, right? Also, the whole idea that the Death Star was being designed and built in Clone Wars and Revenge of the Sith felt like it was just phoned in. Another thing, did we REALLY need to know Anakin built C3PO?
Anyways thats what I meant by pandering.

 

[darkstarangel]

I hate more the fact that it wasnt anything whatsoever like the original trilogy, the feel of it I mean. The first three episodes (or last three if you wanna be a dick about it) was made with a budget. No studios wanted any part of it & it would have wound up with all the other B grade 70 sci-fi's like battle beyond the stars if it wasnt such a kick-arse concept.

The original series had puppets & did not rely so heavily of special effects. Also the actors were mostly british with only sir alec guiness & the late great Peter Cushing as the only celebrities. No offence to the yanks on the forum but brittish theatrical actors have a unique quality about them.

Now its become famous. Lucas had a period where he was sick of star wars then came back to it only instead he used his new found fortune to fill it full of special effects, political jargon & worst of all, made everything too futuristic. The originals had technology that was sort of 'Junky' the type of thing you'd expect from a low budget film but it made it realistic. And worst of all (again, sorry to the american audience) he filled it full of big name holiwood celebrities, although Samuel L. Jackson is the one true exemption for every reason.

Oh, & I hate how he revamped the originals with special effects & hayden christensen. I grew up on the originals & I refuse to buy the DVD boxset for this reason.

 

[Hwoof]

Oh, & I hate how he revamped the originals with special effects & hayden christensen. I grew up on the originals & I refuse to buy the DVD boxset for this reason.

That filled me with rage how he replaced the original emperor, in the scene where he communicates with Darth Vader in TESB, with that new rubber faced, sagging one. That and how at the end of RotJ, Hayden Christensen appears as Darth Vader not that other guy. Very, very, vvvvveeeeeeeeeery annoying.

 

[BENZOOKA]

I have no reasons. I prefer Episode III from all of them.

 

[Kukakkau]

Cardboard cut out characters, too childish, fights are choreographed and display none of the character's emotion/status (vader fighting with only one hand - dominance, luke flailing madly to show his rage), all about the special effects, ridiculous plots, terrible dialogue ("I hate sand" is a pick up line? that works?)

I'll sum it became a kids movie... with politics and democratic decisions they will never understand... wait I don't understand them either

 

[The Madman]

What prequels? Oh... those. I prefer to think they never happened and bluntly put I lose a lot of respect towards someone if they say they liked them, or even one of them.

Badly acted, poorly scripted, overwrought, messes that the the prequels are, I really don't see how anyone can like them. It's like George Lucas gave up making movies entirely and now just makes extended toy and franchise commercials masquerading as movies!

I'll admit that when Phantom Menace came out I found excuses to like it. But then I was also only a young teen at the time, not even in high-school yet. In other words I was stupid. Then as I grew up and re-watched the movies, old and new, the faults became so glaring that I lose respect even for myself knowing that as a kid I liked that shit.

I think when I was younger I liked Phantom Menace because...

A: Liam Neeson, even playing a shitty nonsensical role, is still bloody Liam Neeson, one of the best under-used actors in the industry. Seriously, love that guy and almost everything he's in!

B: Yeah, the black & red faced guy was cool. And the fight with him in it is cool. Makes no sense in the greater story (Seriously, where the hell are they even fighting? What's the point? WHYY???) but the choreography was snazzy and again LIAM NEESON.

Actually, now that I look back on it, in truth the only redeeming value whatsoever of the prequels was Liam Neeson, I honestly don't give a single crap about the rest of the movies. Phanton Menace I was stupid enough to like as a kid and had the redeeming value of having the above named actor in it. The others? I think I've seen the second movie twice, once in theaters and once when my family bought the movie. Even at the time I didn't like it, by that point I was beginning to work my way out of that youthful stupidity phase in life. Episode 3 I saw in theaters and was just so crushed by it, so utterly drained of any hope for the future of the Star Wars franchise, that I neither own it nor have seen in again since.

Episode 3 killed Star Wars for me. I haven't followed the franchise since, at all. Kotor 2 is the most recent thing I've participated in that had anything to do with the series, other than re-watching the original movies that is! I just don't see the point and I much prefer to just see the original trilogy as just that, a trilogy and nothing else. Meanwhile Kotor is distant enough from the trilogy I know and love that it barely has anything to do with them, and as a result is measured differently.

Ah well, probably for the better anyway.

 

[Doinstuffman38]

I have to say, the prequels aren't as bad as I once thought. Yes, Attack Of The Clones is by far the weakest movie in the series. That is a given. But I can enjoy watching all three. They're not on the same level as the originals, but I can sort of forgive George Lucas for that.

What I CAN NEVER forgive him for is declaring the Republic Commando series non canon. That was one of the best EU series ever.

 

[warprincenataku]

Looked up 'Confused Matthew' on Youtube and find his review on the prequels. He says it all perfectly. He's a lot like Movie Bob, but more cynical.

 

[Hap2]

I'm surprised so many expected Anakin to be likeable, he wasn't Luke, and he was never meant to be. Everyone knew he was going to be a complete jerkass if he became one of the biggest Sith lords of all time, the Sith are all primarily selfish bastards. Plus, with the fact that he was a kid and was told he was the "chosen one", special and important, right from day one of his training, it really is no wonder he grew up the way he did, having a big head, and having it collapse on him in the clutch. If anything, he was the most human character of the series, and probably not as larger-than-life like the characters of Ep. 4-6 were.

I mean, no one complains when Luke shrugged off his aunt's and uncle's deaths. Or that Leia barely wept when her whole freaking home was destroyed.

I think people need to get the rose tinted glasses off.

 

[DSK-]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxKtZmQgxrI

So does the video above show that Lucas is a talentless piece of trash? I'll let you decide...But the answer is yes.

Those vids always make me laugh

OT: It just didn't have what the old movies did. You could watch the old movies as a kid and enjoy it, but with the new ones I had no idea what was going on...and there was no definitive set of characters in each movie. Han, Leia, Luke and the droids were together in every movie and they interacted.

The oldies are by far the best in my opinion.

 

[Locko96]

I'd have to agree with all that shit about the midichlorians... But the first two were complete shit too. Kid anakin was annoying as fuck. The third one i actually kind of enjoyed.

 

[Grey_Focks]

....what star wars prequels? Everyone knows George Lucas died shortly after the completion of Return of the Jedi, and in his memory, the world agreed to never make another star wars movie again. Come on guys, what world are YOU living in?

 

[Acton Hank]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxKtZmQgxrI

So does the video above show that Lucas is a talentless piece of trash? I'll let you decide...But the answer is yes.

DAMN, what a long review...

 

[fletch_talon]

Okay, by now we can all agree that star wars episodes 1, 2 and 3 were all really, really terrible

Nyope.
Your thread kinda falls apart right there.

I don't hate JarJar as he is a comic relief character and serves his purpose.
I don't hate midichlorians because they don't explain the force (not that I'd care if they did) they simply explain why some people can be Jedi and others can't. Its still magic, just requiring a symbiotic bond with an organism that manipulates said magic.
I don't hate the acting, its not as bad as everyone makes it out to be, I'm happy to overlook it.

In saying all that I don't love the sequels. I do appreciate them for what they are however, a backstory to the events of the original trilogy.
Oh but I do love Darth Sidious/Palpatine's overarching scheme, just how everything had been planned out, with backup plans and how every little detail came together at the end.

 

[Oly J]

Because Hayden Christensen was a whiny little ***** whom ruined my view of Darth Vader, terrible writing, wooden or over-the-top emotion, and Jar Jar Binks.

That is all.

*Sigh* Darth Vader...he got his start as a whiny ***** boy...*cuts wrists* T_T

why is everybody complaining about teenage spoilt-brat-emo anakin? think about it, it makes sense, if he's going to grow up to be as evil as Darth Vader it only makes sense that he'd start out like that...true Hayden Cristenson (not sure of the spelling) did a terrible job with bad dialogue, but the character was well-written, his emo insecurities make him desperate to save Padme and that desperation and fear turns him into a ruthless killer that will stop at nothing to gain the power to do what he beleives is right

although I will admit that the overindulgence in CGI and the whole midiclorean thing did ruin it, I still don't think the prequel trilogy was as bad as everyone says it was

The problem with it was that sure the spoiled brat does turn out to be an evil villain cue works fine, but a Tragic fall from hero to Villain would make him all that much better. Mind you the Clone wars did portray that part well especially with how he killed all the sand people in vengence of his mother, but now that I look at it I can kinda see where you're going with this.
If anything Anakin took the Sasuke Uchiha path and instead of forgiveness he chose vengence. But I think what made that transistion so hard for me was the fact that the first Anakin was a friggin angel!! Like a do no harm type of kid. Either way good point sir.

thanks, by the way I liked how you compared him to Sasuke, never saw it that way before, but on the subject of Star Wars I wish Lucas would shut up about the clone wars already, I mean the clone wars animated movie was bad enough without making a TV series about it (though I do prefer the series to the movie) if they insist on beating what now is too disfigured to even resemble a dead horse I'd like to see something post episode 6, like something about the new republic

 

[Madara XIII]

thanks, by the way I liked how you compared him to Sasuke, never saw it that way before, but on the subject of Star Wars I wish Lucas would shut up about the clone wars already, I mean the clone wars animated movie was bad enough without making a TV series about it (though I do prefer the series to the movie) if they insist on beating what now is too disfigured to even resemble a dead horse I'd like to see something post episode 6, like something about the new republic

Ooops I meant to say Attack of the Clones about Anakin's mother, but I did sure as hell enjoy the gendy tartakovsky clone wars that aired a few years ago and brought about the Badass General Greivous...eventhough he did have a crappy death in 3...
But the reason I put it like the Sasuke Uchiha comparison was that it honestly did!! You can tell by most of his actions in 2 and 3 that he had no place as a hero what so ever! So it was a bit of an Obligatory villain. We know that just like Sasuke he's too wound up in his emotions to actually do the right thing that people have sacrificed for to try to ensure that he does.
Example: Qui-gon Jin dies fighting Darth Maul and makes sure that Anakin be raised as a Jedi, but Emperor Palpatine gets to him.
Other Example: Itachi becomes a criminal to ensure that he makes it look as if Sasuke killed him to redeem himself and become a hero, but instead Itachi's sacrifice brings only more hate and Madara helps fuel that.

As much as I love tragic Villains like that, I tend to find more Interest in the man pulling the strings. Madara and Palpatine both share the fact that they can manipulate others by telling only partial truths and stand out as some of the greatest Villains in my opinion as opposed to the weapons they constructed out of a tragic hero.

 

[DkLnBr]

Open with a joke: Im surprised PETA doesnt step in and interfere because of inhumane treatment of cash cows.

Love your work bro

haha thanks, I was proud of that one