Are you glad the Star Wars prequels were even made?

[John Crichton]

The new Star Wars movies have as much relationship to the original Star Wars movies as the new Battlestar Galatica mini-series has to the original Battlestar series.

Some of the names are the same, but the movies are completely different.

I think that is a bit premature and a terribly inaccurate comparison; especially considering that we haven't seen the linking movie (Episode III) yet.

It is inaccurate because the creators of the new BSG made a ton of changes on purpose and distanced themselves from the original series. The SW prequels are simply adding to the mythos.

 

[Dark Jezter]

I voted "Yes, even though I don't like them as much as the originals."

I really do like the prequels. I liked Episode 1 a lot, and I liked Episode 2 even more. There are a few things I would change in them (such as midichlorians), but on a whole I think that they are good movies that definately deserve to be made.

And I've got high hopes for Episode 3.

 

[KenM]

IMO Clones made Menace a better movie. I enjoy them, but I don't think they are as good as 4-6. I'll reserve saying anything about the prequel triogy as a whole until I have seen ep. 3.

 

[Ranger REG]

I guess I'm glad Lucas made the Prequel, although he could do better. I think he should have hired a more qualified director than he is, better writers than he is, and a better casting directer than he is.

 

[jdavis]

I fall into the "Yes, even though I don't like them as much as the originals" category. I always felt that it would be a shame if they were never made. Now that they have been they certainly don't measure up to the originals, but then they definitely do have a very different story to tell. Were I in Lucas's shoes, I would have done certain things differently: no Jar Jar (at least not as we know him), no pod racing, no Anakin as a child, no midichlorians, Anakin and Padme would not ahve been so wooden in AotC, and Darth Maul would have been given more lines and I probably would have kept him around longer than one movie. As a matter of fact, I think they should have condensed Ep1 into a 15 minute prelude to Ep 2, made the Clone Wars into Ep 2, and then left Ep 3 where it will be. I would have worked in Yoda lightsaber fighting, but I wouldn't have had him be the one to pull Obi One and Anakin's fat out of the fryer (I would have made it just as grim as the ending to Empire Strikes Back).

Having said that, there are many aspects that I do like. I agree that some of the best lightsaber fighting was against Darth Maul in Ep.1. The action sequences in Ep.2 weren't at all bad. I thought that bringing us the all-out battle at the end of Ep. 2 was also highly entertaining. I like the fact that after reading about Coruscant for many years, we finally get to see what it looks like. In fact, the fleshing out of the universe, delving into the populated areas, and having a very politically driven storyline greatly appeals to me. Lets face it, the fact that it was Jar Jar that sells out the republic to Palpatine in Ep2 almopst makes that character worth watching in Ep1.

The explanation of the clones was worthwhile. The fight between Jango Fett and Obi One was clearly one of the highlights, and its also very cool to see the role that Boba Fett plays in the larger story. He is far more central to the story than most had previously guessed.

Seeing more than 3 jedi in the entire trilogy is another very cool thing about the prequels. We get to see the jedi order as it once was. And then in Ep3, we get to see how it gets destroyed.We get to see the various aliens that made up the jedi order, we get to see varying fighting styles, and we get to see a major battle involving a bunch of jedi.

All in all, the prequels aren't that bad. They're just missing the special magic that 4 - 6 had. I miss having a rogue as one of the main characters, I miss the rebellion storyline and I miss the theme of hope in the face of overwhelming odds. Of course, given the subject matter, its not lie much of that could have made it in.

So there! Glad you asked?

Me and a buddy were just talking about the same thing a while back, Phantom Menace being the first 15 minutes of Attack of the Clones and having the second movie being during the clone wars. I agree with a lot of what you are saying here.

I guess I fall into the glad they were made but disappointed at how they turned out catagory. It was a real hard day when I realized that Lucas isn't as smart as everybody always gave him credit for being. We could go on and on about where the mistakes were made in the movies but for me the most glaring problem I see is that he didn't let somebody else direct them. Lucas has admitted that he's a little out of touch with the real world and it really shows in Phantom Menace, I have to wonder how Phantom Menace would of turned out with a decent Director at the helm (more/less a actual good director). I also have to wonder how things would of been if he had used a profesional script writer to write the dialog for his storyline (Like Empire and Jedi had). It's not that they are bad movies it's just that the first 3 were so darn good words like decent and ok are not good enough for a Star Wars movie, I expected the greatest movie going experience of all time (obviously I was set up to be disappointed no matter what Lucas did anyway). They are decent movies but I just really miss the magic Star Wars had when I was 7 years old.

 

[shilsen]

I stand by my assertation that the best lightsaber duels were in Ep1 against Darth Maul.

[Stands next to BiggusGeekus.]

I'm glad the movies were made. They're good entertainment and I enjoyed them. Just for the record, I am 29 going on 550, so I don't quite fit Wombat's assertion, and I know a lot of people my age and older who quite enjoyed them. I agree that I didn't enjoy them as much as I did Ep.4-6, but that has as much if not more to do with my tastes changing than with the quality of the movies (right now I wouldn't enjoy 4-6 substantially more than 1 and 2).

 

[Arnwyn]

Yes, I'm glad they were made, warts and all. Some parts of them have been uncomfortable, but others parts are *exactly* what I've always wanted to see (as Crothian pointed out: lightsabre fights, and as Whisperfoot noted: the Jedi as they once were).

 

[Wombat]

Wow, Crothian is 12?!

The key phrase was "in the flesh", like face-to-face, not on the internet....

 

[Narfellus]

star wars

I gotta agree with some of the posters that it would be very hard to like the new trilogy as much as the old. But i DON'T think it was impossible. I think that if Lucas had kept his ideas, and then wisely hired other experienced people to bring his vision alive (Spielberg and a script doctor), then yes, Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones could have been great. Well, of course Lucas hired experienced people, but a lot of what makes a film unforgettable doesn't have to do with the script. The actors have to click, the dialogue has to work, the action sequences (if any) must be believable, and then you have sets and costumes and blah blah blah.
So, the bottom line is that even with unlimited funds one cannot make the greatest film ever. You still gotta know what you're doing.

 

[Henry]

Liked 'em, glad they were made, wish their stories were stonger, but

(A) the Lightsaber fights

(B) the chase scenes

(C) the Jedi doing what they do

All gave me miles of RPG imagery and material, and for that I am grateful.