the acting was always not the best in star wars movies but as said above the original 3 were campy. the new 3 and especially episode 3 have acting that’s downright PAINFUL.
He was apparently thinking, “DOOKU DOOKU DOOKU!” (Said loudly while running around flapping his arms like a bird.)
Here’s a very entertaining negative review of the movie:
http://www.newyorker.com/critics/cinema/articles/050523crci_cinema
I saw it about a week ago, last Thursday.
I have to admit, I wasn’t too impressed, and I really wanted to be.
I’m frustrated by the fact that Mr. Lucas has the technical capability to do and show literally whatever he can imagine, but so much of Episodes 1-3 hinges on senatorial debate and wooden dialog. I also tired of the countless outdoor building shots with the streams of ships flying overhead. I get it, already. And I’m pretty sure we’ve seen all the possible variations of the lightsaber fight.
At least as far as this year goes, I was much more surprised and impressed by “Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow.” Fantastic looking, really imaginative, and a whole lot more fun.
Matt Usher @ FSM
I really think Polly Perkins would’ve kicked Amadala’s arse.
I agree – when I want to see a movie about political intrigue, I don’t watch a Star Wars movie. [(-D] It seems like Lucas wanted to show us how he’s matured into a more “serious” filmmaker, and he takes his own Star Wars universe MUCH too seriously, like these are some sort of hallowed legends. Two problems with that approach.
- It was wrong-headed. You shouldn’t root a silly plant in serious soil
- He failed. Lucas doesn’t do serious. Sorry, but characters named "Mace Windu or “count Dooku,” and a small flying green person with a huge light sword, do not scream “serious drama” to me.
Right, because it knew exactly how seriously to take itself.
I saw the movie last night, and I hereby proclaim it watchable. [:)]
I should hasten to add, this despite the overly elaborate special effects, which are to me more of a distraction than anything else. I see FX as sugar in the coffee. (I sugar mine.) You use it to sweeten the cup. Dump a whole cup in and you ruin the beverage. And if the coffee itself isn’t good, sugar ain’t gonna help.
Slight spoiler:
At one point Obi Wan rides around on an riding beast. It was very well illustrated, but did anyone for an instant believe it was anything but an illustration? I feel the same way about many of the spacecraft. They are well done, but they are obviously drawn. It’s too bad models are largely a thing of the past – they exist, so they bring some sense of physical presence that CGI still largely lacks.
Larry,
I agree. The best special effects I’ve seen, with one or too exceptions, are done with models. One very good exception are the F/A-18s in “Independence Day.” For some reason, they had me convinced. I think it was, in part, because the planes didn’t look brand new.
That brings me to another problem with the three new Star Wars movies: they’re too clean! The “sets” are too clean, the ships are too clean, and the whole thing looks too neat and perfect. One of the most brilliant aspects of the first three films was how “lived in” the scenes looked. There was dirt and clutter in places.
Oh well, despite that, and some odd plot holes, I thought the third movie was enjoyable. I actually liked the first one (except for Jar Jar), and was disappointed in the second one.
Regards,
I saw the movie and I thought it was great! I for one saw the OT in 77 and it was great! It was great in its day and this was great in its day , sure the fx was cool, the story was so, so, the acting was so,so, but I`d see it again! its just for fun and its just fantasy anything is possible in thestar wars universe, let it be and dont over analize it to death its just a movie, true the ships coulda been real models, and that would mean models for us but this is the way Lucas wanted to make the movie and its his movie, i kinda wish the clone troopers were real instead of cg then they would make some clone trooper uniforms which would be cool too, this is just my opinion thats all.
The ships and stuff were clean due to the age and time it took place, the republic is at its peak of exsistance where everything is plentiful in episodes 1,2,3, during the imperial occupation supplies and everyday products are scare and everyone is poor and everything is scavanged for parts in episodes 4,5,6
I agree with the nay-sayers.
Though I am glad I saw it. I am really glad I saw it for matinee price.
Won’t be buying this on DVD. Did not buy Eps I or II either.
I will be happy with the originals even though George ruined several scenes before he put it on DVD! - HAN SHO FIRST!
If anyone is interested in why these prequels tanked:
http://www.salon.com/ent/movies/feature/2002/04/10/lucas/print.html
Where was Irvin Kirshner when we really needed him?
Lucas should stick to being an idea man and a toymmaker.
Leave the scriptwriting and directing to professionals.
-Leelan
I saw it and enjoyed it. Cleaned up some of the loose ends and left others open.
I did notice the Falcon.
I will be seeing it a few more times if for nothing more than trying to figure what is going on in the initial battle. I had a hard time picking out which ships were the good guys and which were the bad guys (except for the ring ships).
The ARC is my favorite and I was disappointed that it doesn’t do much in the film (unless I missed something). Still need to get my hands on one of those kits.
I was so dissappointed with ep. I that ep. II seemed just ok and I actually enjoyed ep. III.
I think the trick is to expect a bad movie and you’ll notice the few good parts and dismiss the bad ones. I even liked some of the lines of Obi-Wan. Oh, and remember that, in general, sci-fi movies aren’t famous for great acting performances.
I may even wath, oneday, all six movies straight.
Little spoiler:
I liked the camo uniforms of the clones.
I also agree with Larry_Dunn and Lufbery about some of the fx in the movie.
Well I have just finished watching it here at home… I watched first last night, and then I watched it again this morning… I have to say on a whole. I was very very dissapointed…
Firstly, Even with the extra FX that Lucas put in the original trilogy to spark it up a bit. I always found the original series to be more realistic and grounded (if that is posible for a sci fi drama)… I also understand that in 1977 they simply didnt have the technology to do any more… So in saying that, I have just found that the 3 prequals have dumbed down the whole Star Wars methos with too much of the over the top and comical special FX…
When i think back to that space battle scene in EpVI ROTJ… I think to myslef “man this is so cool, it is almost believable!” When I was watching Episode III, all I kept thinking for the first 10 minutes was, way over the top. Too busy, and although cool to look at. Whats the point… Nice ships. But I simply never got why there were a million of them on top of one planet going head to head… No navy in the world would fight a war like that. SO why should I believe this one? Then we get to the droid fighters!.. They are believable in Battlestar Galactica… But when these ones are flying around making Jawa sounds, then I am sorry… Vulture Droids?? Buzz Droids?? WTF? This movie was going great from the opening credits, and then you see the camera pan down to the Star Destroyer… It lost me as soon as I started watching what was in front of me…
From there on, I started wondering if I was watching a comedy… Although R2 was cool. It again dumbed down the R2D2 from the original series… Maybe the R2 in the old movies is too old and cant move like he used to? I dont know…
The Anikan Padme saga is so unbelievable, I thought maybe I could have had a shot at her with this guy being such a dick… I really couldnt see any chemistry, let alone what she saw in that wally?.. Again, The Padme role was dumbed down from the Episode 1 where she is this tough talking Queen that can kick ass, to this bumbbling fool that listens to that tool Skywalker… Simply was never gonna happen…
Then we move on to the whole Jedi thing… For a bunch of smart guys. It took them long enough to work out who the Sith Lord was?.. Even I get bad feelings about people. And I dont have the force flowing through me… They also knew that there was something not right with Anikan, but they still allowed him to be apart of thier establishment… I know, I know, its just a movie, but hey!
As for the Emperer. What I liked about him in the original movies is that we knew of him. But we knew nothing about him… Only at the end do we actually see him… In these movies I found the guy to be a little more personable, and watching Ian McDermaid (however you spell it) be Palpatine one minute, and then the Emperer the other… Reminded me of Willem Defoe talking into a mirror in Spiderman???
The Obi-Wan , Anikan fight… Too long… The most anticipated fight in all of cinema history, and they go lava surfing??.. Ending was how I imagined it… The choking Padme wasnt, and the lava surfing… But the Emperer putting him back together at the time of the twins birth was fine… As someone stated earlier… The whole Darth Vader hissy fit was comedy at its best. And Now I will never see my favourite villain in the same eyes again… Thank you George. You just destroyed Darth Vader for me!!!.. He should have just gone down and one knee, and sucked it up!!!
The ending was wonderfull… The final scene with the music from the original Star Wars and Uncle Owen standing as Luke does 18 years later was a great tribute and lead in to the next film…
I had fun with this movie… But I waited so long for it… Darth Vader’s story is what I have supported all along… But I am dissapointed… Although I enjoyed parts of the prequals… I think I would prefer to remember Star Wars as the original series…
Chris in Japan
I have seen the 3rd movie now 2 times. I really enjoy it, has some really good points. I think the acting is really great. I think the reviewers are always hard on sci-fi because they cant think that wide open. One thing that i would like to point out is how the star wars saga is almost a mirror image of whats going on in the real world. With bush attacking for oil and elections rigged its almost hard to watch the movie seeing how that is really going on. And in how history just keeps repeating it self. I know i will get backlash from this but check it out for your self. The special effects ( while i did not see it in a digital screen) do look pretty good but wish they used models instead of CGI even thow i am a 3d modeler.
There is some inconsistent things in terms of shots that they dont do in the other movies which i found old. And some bad cuts with c3po and the queen. They could of zoomed back alot too. I dont like how all movies follow the same types of charactics even if the movie is so called independent. The opening scene felt like a different movie. Overall this movie is great i still perfer the orginal movies.
The ending scenes of the movie dont fit together right at all. This does not feel like lucas work. Mabye they used a different editor or something. The last shot should of been them on the tantivie 4 which is the opening scene of the 4th movie. But that might not give the idea that time has passed.
Warning! In case you have been in a cave the past two weeks this post Spoilers!LOL
I do agree with Themage in that the end of the movie didn’t “fit right”. i would have ATLEASt expected Vader to be submerged in a nutrient bath or something, the guy was toasted. Instead they just attach some prosthetic limbs and stick him in the suit. What did Palpatine already have a “Vader Suit” ready. it would have been more beleivable if Anakin had worn an “intermediate” vader out fit and then transitioned his usual Vader attire. What would have been even more interesting was if after donning what ever life support system the medics and/or engineers cobbled we then see Ana kin design and construct his own armor/life suppot system. We already have seen that Anakin had a gift for building machines, they spent most of the first movie driving that home to us. …
I felt exactly as you do Anakin shouldve made his own suit! The movie just moved along at a decnt pace, and then it just shot out of a cannon and the movie was over.[:(]
I read back way back when and understood that Anikan DID make his life support suit and system. I hated these last three movies. WHY? Because that was all they were, just a bunch of gee whiz special effects followed by some bad acting by high profile, overpaid, actors. Nothing gave the chemistry that the old movies had. There was not flow to the storyline, and there was too many suspensful moments followed by long chase scenes.
Was this Star Wars, or some b-rated late night special on the Sci Fi channel.
I saw nothing different that made me want to fork out $20 bucks again.
I went home, popped some popcorn, opened a beer, and watch episode IV, followed by another trilogy classic; Spaceballs.
Scott
Yeah Lucas does have an obsession with overly long chase scenes: i.e. pod race in Ep 1, and the chase between Greivous and Obewan in Ep 3. Can’t think of one in Ep. 2 aside from Obwan chasing Jango through the asteriod field (but I actually liked that one!lol).
Spoiler…
No matter what anyone says i think Mace is still alive!
I think most people miss the point with these movies, and that is they are written for young teenagers and the dialogue and characters are aimed at them. I guess that’s why the movies were so good as a ten year old. Now I’m 38 the dialogue seems a tad hokey.
If you read the book you realise the movie has actually simplified the conversations between characters in favour of getting into the action (which is what the kids want) The best way to enjoy these movies is to disengage your brain and enjoy the ride. If you want deep, watch a chick flick.
As to the rest of the movieit was visually stunning and only further enriched the Star Wars universe, which has always been a Sci Fi modelers meca.
I can’t wait to get my hands on the models already on offer. I only wish there was more.
I enjoyed the entertainment. Oh, wait I said it was entertainment! The agony! The pain!
Yup, just a movie and I enjoyed every moment of it, even the end. Yes, Vader is seriously boned for the little girly “nooooooooo” where there should have been quiet smoldering rage. Oh well, it’s Lucas’s baby and without him there never would have been Episodes 1-3.
I throughly enjoyed the actor’s renditions of Senator Palpatine and Obi-Wan Kenobi. I thought they made up for Anakin’s less than stellar acting, but you gotta admit, Anakin’s awesome with a lightsaber! R2-D2 was enjoyable as well, and had me chuckling at his spunky, fighting attitude. I enjoyed this movie and WILL be purchasing on DVD the first day it’s available!
BLA BLA BLAAAA DEEDDEE BLAAAA.
Come on. This movie and all the Star Wars movies are for the real Star Wars fans. I LOVED IT. Not to mention I loved all the other ones as well. I dont really care about acting quality, if I did I would go see a movie with my WIFE. I went to see STAR WARS, a sci-fi movie about jedi…So what do you want real life…COME ON. This is a movie, an escape from the real world. The million dollar special effects are the reason I love it so much. Like I said if wanted a real life movie with great acting I’ll let my wife pick the movie.
…It’s all about the TRUE FANS…[bow][bow][bow][bow] To STAR WARS…
P.S. I’m not crazy, but you are…[;)]