What Ruined the Star Wars Prequels? (If you didn't like them?)

[Letham316]

The thing is, George Lucas is prone to coming up with crap ideas. The reason the original trilogy was liked is because people stood up to him and told him when an idea was crap. But when he made the prequels, he had gained this iconic movie-god like status, and everyone was basically too scared to say anything. And thus he was free to write any old crap.

To me, the original trilogy was cheesy, but there was a certain energy and charm to it, and I found them fun to watch. But the new movies were just painfully wooden and lifeless, and it's like they made no effort to make any of the characters even remotely interesting. And it doesn't help that they spent most of the time standing around in front of a green screen (or was it a blue screen?).


I always knew the prequels were a bit meh ... but when I saw the (very long) reviews at Red Letter Media (under Plinkett reviews), I was kinda shocked at just how badly made they really are.

 

[Scrustle]

Anakin Skywalker. They made him such a winy little *****. There were lots of other things that were bad in the films, but they could be ignored (mostly). But when they went and made the most important character in the whole trilogy, and arguably all of the films releases, in to such a fucking annoying emo, that completely destroyed the films. He was unlikable in every single way, and I never for one minute thought that this person would one day become Darth Vader. They were completely different people. And it seemed completely against the whole Star Wars universe for him to be a "Dark Jedi". I mean, what the fuck is that supposed to be? Surely if you a Jedi with any kind of "dark" traits, you cannot be called a Jedi. Anakin shared more in common with the Sith than any proper Jedi. It's just ball crap. I also hated how he was supposed to grow up to fall in love with Padme. There was a huge age difference there! In between episode 1 and 2 it seemed that Anakin grew up by like 15-20 years, while Padme didn't age a day! How the hell am I supposed to believe that?

 

[lucky_sharm]

I have to give the prequels credit for being the easiest to make fun of.

Like here:

 

[Fappy]

Watch the Plinket reviews. He sums my reasons up quite nicely.

But I suppose if there is any one reason it is that they were made to begin with. As a film series it was perfect as a single trilogy.

 

[General Vagueness]

I still don't get what the big fuss is about. They're not as good as the originals but they're not some massive offense to the art cinema either.

 

[TheRundownRabbit]

Hayden Christensen...do you really need any other reason?

To be honest, I didn't mind Jar Jar Binks, Its not that I liked him, its just that I didn't really care, all in all, I rather liked Episode I. Its just that on Episode II and III, it seemed like no one was trying, the director, actors, everyone. It seemed like they weren't trying because they knew it would make money anyway simply because they were Star Wars titles.

 

[Mahoshonen]

There are two things that spring to mind without linking the Red Letter Media reviews (because honestly, that's just cheating in this thread).

First is that Lucas waited 16 years to make Star Wars. By that time, his status as a legend had solidified to the point that he was impervious to feedback. If he started working on Ep 1 in, say, 1984, I think more people would have been willing to proof read what he was working on, and he would be more open to feedback. By 1997, he was essentially a monolith.

Second, Anakin was just so mishandled that it ruined any weight the film had or relevance to the original trilogy. There's one point in the OT that any Prequel had to nail - Luke's belief that "There's still good in him." That is, we have to have a likable figure to become invested in. The story of the fatally flawed hero has been done time and time again that it seemed like a no brainer. Instead, we never see what makes Anakin a good guy. It's just assumed that we understand that he's the flawed hero so Lucas can get on to showing how flawed he is. In the end, all we see are his flaws, and the whole series is cheapened because the audience is left feeling that that there was never anything good in Anakin to begin with.

 

[sumanoskae]

While I actually like Episode III, Episode II suffered for it's terrible acting and lack of romantic chemistry, and Episode I was just generally shit.

 

[Robert Ewing]

Jar Jar binks. The lulzy use of CGI. And the typically brooding hero.

Other than those things, I thought they were perfectly adequate films, didn't mind them at all.

 

[Zack Alklazaris]

It become Star Wars cliche. There was nothing very fresh about it. The only thing that I think they vastly improved was the lightsaber duels. Lets all just admit that Episode 4-6 were pathetic. Mostly because what they used for lightsabers in those movies were too delicate and would shatter if you hit them too hard. I enjoyed the intense fast duels of the prequels.

And watching Yoda go all monkey man was both realistic and funny. Yoda says in the older movies about how judging him by his size is a mistake. Then in the prequels after Dooku slices up 2 jedi and you see Yoda hobble into the picture you think really? But no the little guy is a badass.

There is only two things I can not forgive. First Lucas adding "NOOOOOOoooo" to Darth Vader when he throws the Emperor into the pit.
Second after all the new rereleasing, bonus footage, deleted scenes, etc why the hell have they not released the first scene in episode 4 when Luke is talking with all his friends on Tatoonie. You can see stills online, but never the actual footage.

Still, I'll be first in line when Episode 1 is rereleased in theaters in 3D this upcoming 2012.

 

[Batou667]

I got so bored of the prequel trilogy that I stopped watching at Episode 2.

What didn't I like about them?

- Annoying, cocksure little kids have a way of riling me. Guess who the lead character of Episode 1 was!

- Moody, morose, sullen emo ****s have a way of riling me. Guess who the lead character of Episode 2 was!

- Too many "comic relief" characters. The humans were all serious, "straight" characters. Anything with so much as a touch of CGI to it was there for pure comedy slapstick value.

- Too many set-pieces. At times it seems like the films were just thinly-veiled promo material for the inevitable videogame tie-ins.

- It's widely known that Episodes 4-6 are the sci-fi equivalent of a medieval fantasy setting (longsword duels, etc). Episodes 1-3 completely turn this on its head because, hey, it's the 21st century and we all have the attention-span of gnats nowadays. Sword-fighting just doesn't cut it any more, you need gratuitious backflips and breakdancing moves! What crock. Darth Vader was a sinister villian precisely BECAUSE of his brooding presence and economy of movement. If Vader wants you dead, he does it with a mere gesture - he doesn't leap around like a retarded monkey with its ass on fire.

- Midichlorians *coughbullshitcough*

- In summary, it just wasn't particularly fun to watch. Sure, there was plenty of visual spectacle, but there was really no weight to the characters, the story, or anything. It's yet more testament to exactly why George Lucas SHOULDN'T be given free creative reign on a project: he's an unfocussed fruitloop who has a bad habit of throwing faeces all over his past works and calling it "art". The guy is frankly a liability to himself and should have been put out to pasture years ago.

 

[HK_01]

Well, I'm not a huge fan of either trilogy. The only movie of the prequels that I actually found bad was the second one because the effects were bad, it was boring and the whole romance plot was ass.
The first and third though I liked quite a lot.

As for the original movies, they are okay, but they aren't really better movies. The Ewoks were just as annoying and stupid as Jar-Jar, the characters were boring, the story was not told well. Oh, and the Stormtroopers. What the hell? These guys have been trained to miss a target, because even without training they would have scored some hits!

 

[Anti Nudist Cupcake]

Medichlorians.
Seriously George Lucas...

 

[Vampire cat]

There is only one problem in my mind, and that is the crybaby emo that is Anakin...

I don't mind Jarjar he's kinda charming and not at all as annoying as people say, Phantom Menace is my favorite movie because of the Trade Federations involvement it really interests me the plot of that movie I like it a lot (also, <3 B1/OOM droids!). Movie III is the only one I kinda dislike primarily because it kinda melts into one huge sob from Ani... He's not funny, he's not cute, he's not dramatic... Just as annoying as those damn emo kids X3.

 

[Neverhoodian]

Lets all just admit that Episode 4-6 were pathetic. Mostly because what they used for lightsabers in those movies were too delicate and would shatter if you hit them too hard. I enjoyed the intense fast duels of the prequels

Actually, I find myself liking the lightsaber fight in A New Hope a lot more than I used to. You see I was a fencer back in high school, and the tactics in that particular duel are highly reminiscent of the sport. I can actually break down some of the moves in my head like I'm watching a fencing bout.

The duels in the prequels are certainly flashy, but they fall victim of coming across as overly-choreographed. It's hard to believe the opponents are actually fighting each other when they seem to match each other's every move constantly. I had to laugh when Obi-Wan and Anakin each did a two-second flourish in the middle of their duel in Episode III. They were within easy arm's reach of each other, yet they swung their blades all over the air in perfect unison. Any halfway competent fencer would have gone for the wide opening they left with a quick thrust to the chest. Indeed, I think a good fencer could probably best a prequel-era Jedi Or Sith given how often they leave themselves open by jumping and spinning around all the time.

But I digress...

I actually enjoy The Phantom Menace despite its flaws. I just tell myself the Jedi had it bass-ackwards. Midichlorians don't create the Force, they're a by-product of changes caused by the Force. I also have an issue with the whole "Anakin is the Messiah" message (last I checked Jesus didn't turn evil and commit genocide during his life), so I just pretend that Shmi made the "virgin birth" story up and Qui-Gon was gullible enough to believe her.

I have far greater issues with Episodes II and III. I absolutely despise Anakin's character in these films. He's supposed to be a tragic hero, yet he just comes across as a whiny, self-centered asshole with psychotic tendencies. I'm sorry, but I just can't feel sorry for a guy who slaughters an entire tribe of Tusken Raiders down to the last man, woman and child and later kills scores of children to (possibly) save his wife. They could have at least balanced it out by showing a softer, more compassionate side. Have him nobly save a group of civilians from a slaver ring or something. But no, all we get is whine, whine, whine, murder, whine, whine, angst, murder, etc.

The rest of my general dislike stems from the wooden acting, a hypocritical Jedi Order that kidnaps children, forbids love and teaches terrible life lessons ("Miss them do not? Mourn them do not?" How the hell is that a healthy coping mechanism, Yoda?!), and an over-reliance on CGI and bluescreen effects.

 

[mireko]

The plot is a boring, contrived and convoluted mess about taxes, the dialogue is somehow worse than that of Final Fantasy XIII and none of the actors can actually act. The latter is especially weird, since a lot of the people involved either have been or are excellent actors elsewhere.

But really, there's no reason to discuss these films as "films" at all. They're commercials for toys. That's it.

 

[I-Protest-I]

Honestly? Some ideas were there, it was missing someone to put George Lucas in his place and take hold. Shame too because there was brilliance in there despite what critics say. Oh, and a really good editor would be appreciated.

 

[Zack Alklazaris]

snip

Then you would probably appreciate this even if it has a few Star Warsy issues.
Or is it just more artsy duels?

 

[s0p0g]

it didn't really ruin the movies, they were still quite fun to watch at the cinema, but...

anakin (or maybe it was hayden christensen, still not really sure; didnt dare to watch anything else with this guy bc of SW II&III ^^" )... but good lord wanted i that character to just... die, no matter how >.<
effing stupid arrogant emo kid

the lightsabre battles were very much enjoyable (that's why i watched Ep I five times on the big screen), and yes, i even liked the slapstick-ish comedy.
until someone mentioned to me to take a closer look at the acting and writing
then they sucked
then i watched the old trilogy again
and considering writing and acting, they now suck too >.<