I saw a midnight showing, and I thought the movie was absolutely wonderful. I paid to see a Star Wars movie, and I definitely saw a Star Wars movie.
I'll post a few comments now (some SPOILERS, obviously), and perhaps add a few things to it later:
- Temuera Morrison delivered a solid performance as Jango Fett, making the character more than just a faceless bounty hunter with kick-ass body armor.
- Though his role was small, Jack Thompson (as Cliegg Lars) was cool and, IMO, very believable.
- I liked McGregor's portrayal of Obi-Wan. The older, wiser Kenobi is better in this film (not that he was bad in Episode I). I'm interested to see how he evolves in Episode III and eventually becomes the old hermit 'Ben Kenobi,' carefully watching over young Luke from afar. I know what happens, in general, in regard to the story... I simply think it'll be interesting to see the final stage of the "young" pre-Episode IV Obi-Wan.
- While the acting and dialogue may not be Oscar caliber, I didn't find it to be as stilted and cheesy as some reviewers claim. Of course, most Star Wars fans are more forgiving than casual viewers, though this holds true with any franchise -- for example, I thought some of the lines in Fellowship of the Ring were a bit awkward, particularly from Legolas and Gimli or during the infamous Galadriel scene, though I have friends who found no fault with said performances.
NOTE: I'm not trying to start a Star Wars vs. LotR discussion, as I immensely enjoy them both. The prequels and the 'Rings simply have a certain commonality (very large fan base, highly anticipated, high expectations, etc.), which is why I used it as an example.
- The romance is awkward, as many people have pointed out. The doesn't mean it's awful. Realistically, it should be awkward. It involves two young people who had to grow up too much, too fast, and apparently, this is the first REAL relationship either has fallen into. In fact, it seems painfully obvious in many ways that Anakin still hasn't grown up, which undoubtedly contributes to his decent to the Dark Side.
- Romance aside, I thought Christensen did a good job portraying Anakin's arrogance, restlessness, anger, and confusion. Could it have been better? Perhaps. But it was far from terrible.
- Everyone catch Qui-Gon's "No, Anakin, No!" when he started slaughtering the Tusken raiders? A nice touch.
- Jar Jar's screen time was minimal, and the brief time he was given really didn't bother me. It was almost pitiful seeing how easily Palpatine played off his slow wit and need for approval.
- 3PO had some lines which could definitely be chalked up as serious groaners. However, I still found myself genuinely laughing. I'm not sure how well his hijinks will hold up in repeat viewings (or if they would've worked in any other setting besides Star Wars), but for the initial screening, IMO, they did work.
- Artoo still rules the school behind the scenes, mostly unbeknownst to the frontline players. Assuming his unrecognized heroics continue in Episode III, IMO, he is the glue of the entire Star Wars saga. I love it.
- Though Christopher Lee's role wasn't quite as large as I had hoped, at least it appears he will be returning in Episode III. Sounds good to me. Oh, and I liked the curved saber handle.
- Mace Windu's flip off the ledge to avoid Fett's flamethrower was totally money. While decending, he still had time to discard his singed robes and deflect a few blaster bolts. Too sweet.
- I can't say much about Yoda that hasn't been said already. Wow. Despite what people think of this film, that fight sequence will easily become one of the all-time greatest Star Wars moments. It was also interesting to see him take up the role of battlefield general.
This weekend, I'll be watching it again, but this time through digital projection. I'm anxious to see how it looks.
)). I saw ESB and RotJ later and liked them much better, ESB being one of my fav movies ever, but if it wasn't for the talent of Alec Guinness and the charisma of Harrison Ford, it would be just BAD.
)
