Star Wars: The Prequel Trilogy (1999-2005)

[kylor]

So here is a Thread for everything related to the Prequel Trilogy.

Episode I
THE PHANTOM MENACE




Episode II
ATTACK OF THE CLONES




Episode III
REVENGE OF THE SITH

[Col. Zombie]

I came.

I saw.

I left, fairly disappointed.

But I do hope all goes well with this thread.

[Doctor Jack]

hahaha. Yeah, this thread will last long. Oh and the prequels are terrible. No two ways around it.

[spiderfan1985]

I love all of them equally. There. I said it. Come at me all ye haters in the world.

[SethRex]

I too enjoy the prequels equally.

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by Doctor Jack

hahaha. Yeah, this thread will last long. Oh and the prequels are terrible. No two ways around it.

Well, if the discussions are civil then at least they won't get summarily deleted and people might just see a different side to the prequels.

For the record:

I like Phantom Menace but it feels kinda detached, not just from the other prequels but the Star Wars saga as a whole, and yet it plays like this megamix of Star Wars and Jedi at the same time, almost like a standalone adventure or something. It looks very different to the other prequels too, what with its 35mm anamorphic acquisition.

Clones I think is an abomination of a film until the last couple of reels, then it turns into this Jedi war movie and I love it. But that first 100 minutes....blech.

Sith is easily the most accomplished of the prequels by far. As someone said very recently in another thread, Lucas finally seems to have gotten into the groove regarding his filmmaking in the digital era, it's a more confident and ambitious film than either of the first two. It helps that there's a much more dramatic story at the heart of it, natch.

[HD Canuck]

A thread about the prequel trilogy?!?

[kylor]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

Well, if the discussions are civil then at least they won't get summarily deleted and people might just see a different side to the prequels.

For the record:

I like Phantom Menace but it feels kinda detached, not just from the other prequels but the Star Wars saga as a whole, and yet it plays like this megamix of Star Wars and Jedi at the same time, almost like a standalone adventure or something. It looks very different to the other prequels too, what with its 35mm anamorphic acquisition.

Clones I think is an abomination of a film until the last couple of reels, then it turns into this Jedi war movie and I love it. But that first 100 minutes....blech.

Sith is easily the most accomplished of the prequels by far. As someone said very recently in another thread, Lucas finally seems to have gotten into the groove regarding his filmmaking in the digital era, it's a more confident and ambitious film than either of the first two. It helps that there's a much more dramatic story at the heart of it, natch.

I do agree The Phantom Menace looked different completely. For me though the only good parts of The Phantom Menace were:

1. Qui Gon Jinn

2. Darth Maul

3. Unfinished C-3PO

Just my opinion, I did love seeing the early versions of C-3PO over the 3 movies.

[imsounoriginal]

Love me some prequel trilogy. All three have their pros and cons but I love em regardless. Phantom Menace was my first Star Wars, and I love the whole saga no less because of it. Probably my favorite of the PT, too.

[The Debts]

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by kylor

I do agree The Phantom Menace looked different completely. For me though the only good parts of The Phantom Menace were:

1. Qui Gon Jinn

2. Darth Maul

3. Unfinished C-3PO

Just my opinion, I did love seeing the early versions of C-3PO over the 3 movies.

Add the music score onto that list, it's brilliant. I love the pod race too, it may be Ben Hur's chariot race in digital clothing but I enjoy it all the same (could do without the added fluff in the DVD/BD version though, it flows better in the theatrical cut IMO).

[kylor]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

Add the music score onto that list, it's brilliant. I love the pod race too, it may be Ben Hur's chariot race in digital clothing but I enjoy it all the same (could do without the added fluff in the DVD/BD version though, it flows better in the theatrical cut IMO).

Yeah the soundtrack was good, especially Duel of the Fates. And yeah the podracing was fun to watch.

I never did get what those red doors were though in the final battle.

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by kylor

Yeah the soundtrack was good, especially Duel of the Fates. And yeah the podracing was fun to watch.

I never did get what those red doors were though in the final battle.

I think they're supposed to be down in the 'power plant' of Theed, so it's all random power-related gizmos and whatnot. Best not to think about them too much, I just enjoy the lightsaber fight for what it is.

I love seeing Ewan McGregor bounce around on his feet just before the red thingy goes down and he launches himself at Maul, there's some footwork in there that still leaves me absolutely awestruck. People can call it "dancing" all they want, I don't care, whenever I watch that particular part of the scene I always rewind it a few times because it's so stunning.

[kylor]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

I think they're supposed to be down in the 'power plant' of Theed, so it's all random power-related gizmos and whatnot. Best not to think about them too much, I just enjoy the lightsaber fight for what it is.

I love seeing Ewan McGregor bounce around on his feet just before the red thingy goes down and he launches himself at Maul, there's some footwork in there that still leaves me absolutely awestruck. People can call it "dancing" all they want, I don't care, whenever I watch that particular part of the scene I always rewind it a few times because it's so stunning.

It was very well choreographed. And yeah the final blow was good. There's no cooler way for a villain to die than to be sliced in half falling to their death. The only other time i've seen that happen is in the movie Blind Fury with Rutger Hauer. Something about having villains die this way seem to be so satisfying.

[motorheadache95]

I guess a prequel thread is good for maybe containing all those prequel segues in the other Star Wars threads (which I'm just as guilty as anyone of being roped into).

My opinion to sum up:
1) Phantom Menace-- dull, boring, and pointless. The basic plot ends up being derivative with Episode II as well (Palpatine manipulates a crisis to gain political power). Horrible characters that are often racist caricatures, with the only redeeming aspects being the Darth Maul battle at the climax.

2) Attack of the Clones-- Has a few more good action scenes, but good god: The middle of the movie focusing on one of the cringiest and most unbelievable love stories I've ever seen (I haven't seen Twilght, lol!) really bring this one down. Obi-Wan's sub story about discovering Kamino is also a dull affair, and only the last third of the movie really starts to pick things up a bit.

3) Revenge of the Sith-- the best prequel film by a large margin. Anakin and Obi-Wan FINALLY feel like they have a camaraderie, , Anakin and Padme's marriage is way less cringy than their initial "romance" in the last film, and the story is clearly being directed with care and energy lacking in the first two. There are a couple of really brilliant moments in the film. Unfortunately, when the shit finally hits the fan things go south as plot-points and character motivations feel extremely rushed in order to reach the conclusion and tie into the original Star Wars.

[Elbie]

Revenge of the Sith is my favorite of the six films.

[mrr1]

Revenge of the Sith is a good movie. Episode 1 & 2 are just OK.

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by motorheadache95

3) Revenge of the Sith-- the best prequel film by a large margin. Anakin and Obi-Wan FINALLY feel like they have a camaraderie, , Anakin and Padme's marriage is way less cringy than their initial "romance" in the last film, and the story is clearly being directed with care and energy lacking in the first two. There are a couple of really brilliant moments in the film. Unfortunately, when the shit finally hits the fan things go south as plot-points and character motivations feel extremely rushed in order to reach the conclusion and tie into the original Star Wars.

I love how Padme comes across in Sith in general, she's this stiff, uptight robot in the other two and I find it really difficult to empathise with her at all whereas she's FINALLY let her guard down in Sith and feels so much warmer and relatable. Amazing what love does for a girl.

[Trax-3]

I haven't seen any Star Wars film in something like 12 years.

Anyway, Episode I was fine, not as good as Empire but comparable to the other two in the original trilogy. Episode II was godawful and I never bothered to see the third part.

[bootsy]

Originally Posted by Elbie

Revenge of the Sith is my favorite of the six films.

I wouldn't go that far myself but I will say I enjoyed it more than Return Of The Jedi but still prefer A New Hope and Empire Strikes Back over it.