(OT) Hmmm Star Wars II Seen I Have!

[Bonedagger]

Ok... Here we go.

I haven't seen the 2nd episode yet but I have a suspection about how it's going to be. A lot of beautiful special effects but the storie will probably just be old stories retold with a science fiction touch and most of the time the computeranimated characters will be better actors than the real persons (I am saying "most of the time" 'cause I still have hopes that Samuel will pull it up a bit). I don't really blame the actors but Lucas. Hey. The guy is one of the best to special effects and making beautiful computergenerated scenes but beyond that I can't really remember anything noteworthy in a positive sense. The scenes will be enough for me to go and see the movie though but I don't regard Lucas as a great moviemaker. I regard him as a great special effects maker. Otherwise a waste of good resources.

(Note: As for first episode. If the scene when Anakins mother tells how Anakin was born in a virginebirth hadn't been followed up by a cool podrace scene or something similar I would have feelt a fool for wasting time watching the movie. )

I can't keep wonder.. Did Lucas grow up with old religious texts as his main inspiration.

....The only thing in the commercials that didn't look like a copy of another movie or just bad acting in cool costumes was the scene with Feet and the warscene (Didn't get a good look at that spaceship chase through the astroids). Please tell me there are many more like these.

Sorry if I have offended anybodys feeelings, know there are many who adore Lucas on this board, but I just felt like getting it out.

 

[R.X.DIEM]

Rashak Mani?

I suppose you thought the Brittney Spears movie "Cross roads" was great. Please go see EP2 before you judge it. "Hesitancy in judgment is the only true mark of the thinker."......Dagobert D. Runes

 

[Dr Midnight]

I'm moving my review over here as the other thread is getting buried.

I will not spoil.

Just got back, too jazzed to sleep. Can't deny the acting is poor almost without exception, but as joshua said- the last half hour is worth the $9.

Now that the fans' standards are lowered (or at least repositioned) after Ep I, I think we'll hear far less complaining. People now know what to BEGIN to expect. Moreover, we'll hear far less complaining because this film is much better. I had a good crowd... yelling, whooping, cheering, laughing together. We all roared when the Matrix trailer came on. When the 20th Century Fox logo came on, we roared like morons. We silenced for the "A long time ago...", then exploded when the logo blasted us back to where we wanted to be.

George had us slogging through some long-winded political poop, and the love story drew more groans than even Jar Jar's screen time. However, I was entertained beyond what I expect of movies these days. I was grinning most of the time... and when (you'll know it when you see it) happens during the last 20 minutes, I shrieked and clapped with CHILDLIKE GLEE, along with the audience. You will too, I swear it. Say what you will about Senior Lucas and his toy-hawking habits, but I loved it. I just loved it.

 

[Rashak Mani]

I´m with Bonedagger on this...

King Stannis so it might be unfair to Lucas... but beyond bad acting... there are many other Weak parts in the new episodes:

Lousy Story
Bad Plot
Jar Jar Binks
Silly Ideas like Force being genetic and the virgin birth thing...
Over use of Computer Graphics
Jar Jar Binks
Music wasnt up to standard...

Did I mention Jar Jar Binks ?

When somebody says So and So movie sequel number 2 and 3 was lousy nobody complains... but if its Star Wars its untouchable ? It seems its merits are more of being an action movie... not good scifi. Eye catcher and so.

Treat Attack of the Clones (ironic title in my view) as a stand by itself movie and it wont stand by itself...

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

besides, ewan mcgregor is getting good marks for his obi-wan portrayal. i suppose that had nothing to do with lucas, though. just the bad stuff, right?

Well, to be blunt, that's it exactly. Ewan McGregor is widely lauded for his skill. He's extremely talented and versatile and he pretty much shines in anything he does.

I just saw a buddy of mine this morning, a super fan. His advance screening wasn't enough, apparently, and he still went to see it again last night. I asked him how it was, expecting him to gush again..


I was surprised (surprise turning to smugness, now) to hear him say it was much worse the second time through-- he found it difficult for him to sit through the bad parts (bad acting, bad story) to get to the payoff of the action scenes.

I definitely don't think it is as bad as the "bad reviews" are claiming, but it isn't great; it is a redemption of sorts from Ep1 for Lucas, but it still falls short of IV/V/VI. I would place it just behind ROTJ-- actually a close tie, but ROTJ still has nostalgia behind it.

I think if Lucas had come at me with Ep2 after 20 years-- instead of the assault on the mythology he struck us with in Ep1-- I would still be a very happy fan.


Wulf

 

[EricNoah]

you know, you can't blame everything on the director. is he supposed to fire natalie portman in the middle of a shoot because he can't coax an academy award winning performance? besides, ewan mcgregor is getting good marks for his obi-wan portrayal. i suppose that had nothing to do with lucas, though. just the bad stuff, right?

man, i never knew we had so many acting coaches going to the movie these days?

Ok, well look at it this way. By all accounts both Portman and Christiansen (sp?) are fine actors and have delivered solid performances in other films. When they don't do so here -- again and again and again throughout the film -- there's only one place (in my mind) to place the blame -- with the guy who is saying "OK, that's good enough" when in fact it isn't.

When a guy spares no expense in technology and creativity, but skimps on a basic thing like acting, you get a look at his priorities.

And btw I did enjoy the film, but it was despite the writing and acting. Whereas in LotR, for instance, the writing and acting were near cream-of-the-crop quality -- I think Lucas can set his sight higher next time.

 

[R.X.DIEM]

Did Lucas grow up with old religious texts as his main inspiration.

I believe he is a very spiritual person and a good friend of the late Joseph Campbell.

 

[Wolfspider]

Actually, reading that review at salon.com started to get me thinking. I think that many reviewers are angry that their quasi-influential status is voided for the star wars phenomenon. Many of the reviewers get downright nasty when describing the “mind numbed lucas-robots” that go to these movies, despite the reviewer’s finely crafted negative review (the gall!). I really think for a lot of the professional reviewers they purposely look for things to snipe at when going to see these movies (especially these last two), because they have nothing but contempt in their heart for the fans of the series. Almost every negative review of these last two movies has taken swipes at the fans and what sheep they are, while then going on to give an “objective” review. They probably have figured out that no one is really listening to them when it comes to these movies anyways, so they might as well write a nasty review – which is so much more fun for them. As I alluded to earlier, professional reviewers are superfluous when it comes to the star wars series, kind of like a third nipple. The fan opinion is what matters.

Or maybe these critics are really making a valid point?

 

[Black Omega]

Actually, reading that review at salon.com started to get me thinking. I think that many reviewers are angry that their quasi-influential status is voided for the star wars phenomenon. Many of the reviewers get downright nasty when describing the “mind numbed lucas-robotsEthat go to these movies, despite the reviewer’s finely crafted negative review (the gall!). I really think for a lot of the professional reviewers they purposely look for things to snipe at when going to see these movies (especially these last two), because they have nothing but contempt in their heart for the fans of the series. Almost every negative review of these last two movies has taken swipes at the fans and what sheep they are, while then going on to give an “objectiveEreview. They probably have figured out that no one is really listening to them when it comes to these movies anyways, so they might as well write a nasty review Ewhich is so much more fun for them. As I alluded to earlier, professional reviewers are superfluous when it comes to the star wars series, kind of like a third nipple. The fan opinion is what matters.

Just curious, but aside from salon.com (I presume) what reviews have you found that dissed SW fans? I've been reading reviews while trying to decide if I want to see Ep II or not and so far I've not found a review that says anything bad about the fans of the series.

 

[Wolfspider]

Ok, well look at it this way. By all accounts both Portman and Christiansen (sp?) are fine actors and have delivered solid performances in other films. When they don't do so here -- again and again and again throughout the film -- there's only one place (in my mind) to place the blame -- with the guy who is saying "OK, that's good enough" when in fact it isn't.

When a guy spares no expense in technology and creativity, but skimps on a basic thing like acting, you get a look at his priorities.

And btw I did enjoy the film, but it was despite the writing and acting. Whereas in LotR, for instance, the writing and acting were near cream-of-the-crop quality -- I think Lucas can set his sight higher next time.

I agree with Mr. Noah here. The buck stops at the director. It's his responsibility to ensure the quality of the acting. Many critics have pointed out that it's downright difficult to act when you're surrounded by so many blue screens to allow for the massive special effects surrounding the actors.