Why do you hate the star wars prequels?
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Hayden Christensen. He couldn't act, he moaned too much, and it was a disgrace to cast him as a future Darth Vader. All he did to be evil was give people evil stares. Nothing else. Apart from killing younglings, but ANYONE would have done that.
Just because you liked the prequels, or disliked them, does not mean they are a good, or bad, movie. I remember liking ep. 1 when i came out a long time ago, but as it grew up and began to understand story telling, screen writing, story arcs, the hero's journey, etc, i realized that these movies are terrible. There is one main reason why they are bad and that is the writing. The writing is why no one cares about Anakin as a teen, thus his fall from grace has no emotional impact. The writing is why no one believed the love scenes and the basis for Anakin's fall. A lot of people bring up liking Jango, Maul, and Grevious. I thought they were good ideas, but Maul and Jango HAVE no character. They are like walking card board cut outs. Underdeveloped isn't enough to describe their lack of character. Grevious and Maul should have been a single person and present in all three movies, that way you could actually develop a character with them. The moment George Lucas went from an idea man to the guy who had the final word on everything, his creative genius was lost. As soon as Gary Kurtz and Lucas parted aways, the magic of the Star Wars began to fade.
EDIT: Also, there are rumors that another set of movies is going to come out. The only reason I give these rumors any weight is that right before the prequels came out, George Lucas re-released the original trilogy as special edition set in theaters and used the profit to fund the prequels. Now, the OT is being released as 3-D. Could it be that the profit from this goes to another star wars trilogy? I'd say its possible.
EDIT: Also, there are rumors that another set of movies is going to come out. The only reason I give these rumors any weight is that right before the prequels came out, George Lucas re-released the original trilogy as special edition set in theaters and used the profit to fund the prequels. Now, the OT is being released as 3-D. Could it be that the profit from this goes to another star wars trilogy? I'd say its possible.
The horrible script and the aweful acting of Hayden Christensen did it for me. Sure, Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, Samuel L. Jackson and Liam Neeson are good actors, but with the script George wrote, their roles were impossible!
I know people will kill me for saying this, but Episode III was actually my favorite of all the Star Wars movies.
I just thought it had the most emotionally-driven plot of any of them, and it really came across well in the Obi-Wan/Anakin fight at the end. Maybe it's just because I wasn't annoyed by Anakin at all, honestly.
I just thought it had the most emotionally-driven plot of any of them, and it really came across well in the Obi-Wan/Anakin fight at the end. Maybe it's just because I wasn't annoyed by Anakin at all, honestly.
To me it felt empty, as if they started with a great idea then got distracted by all the computer stuff. It felt empty when I saw it. It was not worthy of hate, but it was not a great movie.
Also major plot holes, they annoyed me after it became clear that many of them were not going to be explained. My last straw was how shallow the characters felt compared to the characters in 4, 5, and 6 even yoda felt like a shadow of his former self.
So not hate but disappointment.
Also major plot holes, they annoyed me after it became clear that many of them were not going to be explained. My last straw was how shallow the characters felt compared to the characters in 4, 5, and 6 even yoda felt like a shadow of his former self.
So not hate but disappointment.
Anakin was a whiny, pathetic ***** and Hayden Christensen by extension murdered every awesome aspect of Vader, just straight up murdered it and it is for this reason that I genuinely believe Darth Revan to be the superior Dark Lord of the Sith.
Fucking Jar-Jar Binks.
Aside from that, I found the plotlines to the original trilogy to end up so boring and stodgy that it almost felt without motivation, and most of the time, the films came across as what they were, cash cows for George Lucas to milk more money out of the franchise.
That guy should get his grubby, greedy little hands out of the Star Wars franchise and give it to people who know what the fuck they're doing, I mean...The fact that he can dismiss a massive amount of extended universe stuff as Non-Canon (Stuff that was actually damn GOOD), despite being previously accepted with the wave of a god damn hand? He should be shot for that alone.
Oh, and fucking midi-chlorians.
Fucking Jar-Jar Binks.
Aside from that, I found the plotlines to the original trilogy to end up so boring and stodgy that it almost felt without motivation, and most of the time, the films came across as what they were, cash cows for George Lucas to milk more money out of the franchise.
That guy should get his grubby, greedy little hands out of the Star Wars franchise and give it to people who know what the fuck they're doing, I mean...The fact that he can dismiss a massive amount of extended universe stuff as Non-Canon (Stuff that was actually damn GOOD), despite being previously accepted with the wave of a god damn hand? He should be shot for that alone.
Oh, and fucking midi-chlorians.
I hated the following things about the prequels:
1. Ewan McGregor (although in fairness, he did improve a lot later on) because I didn't find him believable as Obi-Wan
2. Jar-Jar Binks- so annoying, so patronising, so unnecessary.
3. Midi-chlorians, because it just seemed like a shitty explanation.
4. Jake Lloyd- I am sure there were a million other child actors who were better than this kid.
5. Anakin built C3PO- because sometimes, its okay to not tie EVERY single thing together.
6. The cheesey dialogue- that pod-racing scene for instance.... eewww.
7. The Death Star plans- see point 5.
8. Hayden Christensen- yes he was pretty, and kind of looked like Luke and Leia, but he was a model, not an actor.
9. Darth Vader's final lines- awful, so awful. And James Earl Jones really phoned them in.
10. Darth Vader's suit- I thought the original idea was that it was built up over time. Did they really just take one of those off the shelf and bolt him into it after Mustafar?
11. The Jango Fett/Boba Fett back story- because I preferred the ideas used in the books.
Good things:
1. Amidala's beautiful costumes- Attack of the Clones had some gorgeous dresses. Sometimes, they even made me forget what tripe I was watching.
2. The Emperor- still enjoyable and fabulously pantomime evil.
1. Ewan McGregor (although in fairness, he did improve a lot later on) because I didn't find him believable as Obi-Wan
2. Jar-Jar Binks- so annoying, so patronising, so unnecessary.
3. Midi-chlorians, because it just seemed like a shitty explanation.
4. Jake Lloyd- I am sure there were a million other child actors who were better than this kid.
5. Anakin built C3PO- because sometimes, its okay to not tie EVERY single thing together.
6. The cheesey dialogue- that pod-racing scene for instance.... eewww.
7. The Death Star plans- see point 5.
8. Hayden Christensen- yes he was pretty, and kind of looked like Luke and Leia, but he was a model, not an actor.
9. Darth Vader's final lines- awful, so awful. And James Earl Jones really phoned them in.
10. Darth Vader's suit- I thought the original idea was that it was built up over time. Did they really just take one of those off the shelf and bolt him into it after Mustafar?
11. The Jango Fett/Boba Fett back story- because I preferred the ideas used in the books.
Good things:
1. Amidala's beautiful costumes- Attack of the Clones had some gorgeous dresses. Sometimes, they even made me forget what tripe I was watching.
2. The Emperor- still enjoyable and fabulously pantomime evil.
Having read a fair number of EU novels and comics, I'd like to say that quite a few of them were utter rubbish that often contradicted each other. In fact, I dismissed many EU novels as non-canonical because I disliked them so much (Boba Fett survived? Bull! The Emperor's back...as a clone? Stupid! Chewbacca dies? BLASPHEMY!). I don't even bother checking the Star Wars books anymore, as I have been pretty much consistently disappointed ever since the infamous New Jedi Order series.Angelo Credo said:
I understand your frustration, however. There is simply no quality control or fact-checking.
Only thing I didn't like is angry kid Vader hating the world, wanting to be the coolest kid around, and failing.
Looking back at the post, I feel I should have put in that bracket (*Some* stuff that was actually good), because yes, some, or a lot of the EU stuff was legendarily shit, my frustration stems from some of the incredibly well written gems that were dismissed purely because George Lucas magically waved his hand.Neverhoodian said:
Did anyone read Timothy Zahn's Thrawn Trilogy? Those books set up an outline of the Clone Wars era that was far and away more interesting and more believable than Lucas' plot. For those who don't know, I'll attempt to summarize.
Warning: Minor Spoilers
According to Zahn's books, the Clone Wars began as a series of conflicts between single star systems or groups of star systems. Many were member states of the Republic but not all. There was a sudden proliferation of cloning technology, which the various systems' military and/or political leaders acquired. They proceeded to settle old grievances with their political, ideological, or even traditional enemies. The Clonemasters, as they became known, controlled vast complexes of cloning tanks, enough to supply all the soldiers needed to conquer their enemies.
The Republic could do nothing to ward of these conflicts. Even the Jedi, acting as neutral arbiters, could never seem to cool tensions off, and soon much of the galaxy was embroiled in civil war.
BIG GAP ABOUT HOW THE WAR GOES AND HOW PALPATINE RISES TO POWER
All the major cloning facilities were located and destroyed, either during the various civil wars, or by Republic/Empire forces. Palpatine secretly hides a complete cloning facility on the backwater planet Wayland, while all captured or surrendered clone soldiers are folded into the Repuclic/Empire military (i.e. millions of Stormtroopers and TIE pilots), which soon becomes so large it can blanket much of the galaxy under military law. The Empire is born as the last conflict ends and while still retaining the Senate and other governmental systems of the Republic, Palpatine is now firmly in control as Emperor.
End summary
I believe that basic plot could be fleshed out into a much more believable story. Certainly internal political strife between major powers was the basis of how Rome transformed from Republic to Empire. My big three ideas are as follows:
1. Palpatine and Maul are actually behind the proliferation of the cloning technology, as well as certain key events to foment the conflicts, as they seek to destabilize the Republic
2. Anakin and Obi-wan mediate many disputes, but as they fail more and more, Anakin begins to wish he could use his power to force people to do what he believes is right. No whining mommy issues, just an impatient, supremely gifted Jedi who believes he knows what's best. For everyone.
3. Senator Palpatine calls for investigations into the Jedi. He believes they may be responsible for the cloning tech, assisting the Clonemasters, or even controlling the whole conflict themselves as a power grab. After manufacturing evidence (perhaps planted by or "discovered" by Anakin) that proves the Jedi are guilty, he passes a decree to outlaw the Jedi. With public opinion against them, the Jedi are hunted by the government, bounty hunters, even private citizens. Most are killed, any who are captured are eventually executed, a few escape into hiding.
This is where I believe the prequels failed. The basic plot was not good, and from a bad foundation there wasn't much to build on. Also, they tried to show too much of Anakin's life. He needed to start as a teenager. The whole thing felt rushed. From 2 to 3, the Clone Wars lasted, what, maybe 3-5 years? For a conflict spanning across a Republic that spanned nearly 2/3 of the known galaxy? That's a stretch.
There's so much more I could go into, and clearly I've given this some thought (maybe too much thought), but that's some idea of where George should have gone.
P.S. Episode III was decent.
Warning: Minor Spoilers
According to Zahn's books, the Clone Wars began as a series of conflicts between single star systems or groups of star systems. Many were member states of the Republic but not all. There was a sudden proliferation of cloning technology, which the various systems' military and/or political leaders acquired. They proceeded to settle old grievances with their political, ideological, or even traditional enemies. The Clonemasters, as they became known, controlled vast complexes of cloning tanks, enough to supply all the soldiers needed to conquer their enemies.
The Republic could do nothing to ward of these conflicts. Even the Jedi, acting as neutral arbiters, could never seem to cool tensions off, and soon much of the galaxy was embroiled in civil war.
BIG GAP ABOUT HOW THE WAR GOES AND HOW PALPATINE RISES TO POWER
All the major cloning facilities were located and destroyed, either during the various civil wars, or by Republic/Empire forces. Palpatine secretly hides a complete cloning facility on the backwater planet Wayland, while all captured or surrendered clone soldiers are folded into the Repuclic/Empire military (i.e. millions of Stormtroopers and TIE pilots), which soon becomes so large it can blanket much of the galaxy under military law. The Empire is born as the last conflict ends and while still retaining the Senate and other governmental systems of the Republic, Palpatine is now firmly in control as Emperor.
End summary
I believe that basic plot could be fleshed out into a much more believable story. Certainly internal political strife between major powers was the basis of how Rome transformed from Republic to Empire. My big three ideas are as follows:
1. Palpatine and Maul are actually behind the proliferation of the cloning technology, as well as certain key events to foment the conflicts, as they seek to destabilize the Republic
2. Anakin and Obi-wan mediate many disputes, but as they fail more and more, Anakin begins to wish he could use his power to force people to do what he believes is right. No whining mommy issues, just an impatient, supremely gifted Jedi who believes he knows what's best. For everyone.
3. Senator Palpatine calls for investigations into the Jedi. He believes they may be responsible for the cloning tech, assisting the Clonemasters, or even controlling the whole conflict themselves as a power grab. After manufacturing evidence (perhaps planted by or "discovered" by Anakin) that proves the Jedi are guilty, he passes a decree to outlaw the Jedi. With public opinion against them, the Jedi are hunted by the government, bounty hunters, even private citizens. Most are killed, any who are captured are eventually executed, a few escape into hiding.
This is where I believe the prequels failed. The basic plot was not good, and from a bad foundation there wasn't much to build on. Also, they tried to show too much of Anakin's life. He needed to start as a teenager. The whole thing felt rushed. From 2 to 3, the Clone Wars lasted, what, maybe 3-5 years? For a conflict spanning across a Republic that spanned nearly 2/3 of the known galaxy? That's a stretch.
There's so much more I could go into, and clearly I've given this some thought (maybe too much thought), but that's some idea of where George should have gone.
P.S. Episode III was decent.
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 rightMadara XIII said:
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
