Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (USE SPOILER TAGS!)

[Dotpattern]

Originally Posted by Packerfan75

Looking at the originals now, it looks like Luke is recklessly swinging a baseball bat. No finesse or real skill whatsoever. I like seeing the jedi skills being displayed during a good duel.

Isn't that supposed to be the point? Luke isn't experienced enough to have any finesse. He didn't grow up wielding a lightsaber or training with one. He didn't have time to develop a style or practice with another opponent. That's just how I've always seen it.

[Geoff D]

Luke still drops some decent moves though! Yeah, when he's wailing on Vader right before he cuts his hand off in Jedi it's a bit, ah, industrial, but Luke's battering him into submission at that point, it's not supposed to be all 'run and jumpy' (unlike Luke's kewl backflip onto the catwalk earlier in the fight).

[Elvis]

OMG it's very realistic! You think Samurai fought like in Kung Fu Hustle? Crouching Tiger with the bs flying all over the place? What about ROTS when the Emperor flies up in the air spinning? That was the dumbest thing I eve saw. I say keep it REAL! Luke doing a real flip here or there was plenty. Less is more and that's one of the things that doomed the PT. It would be a fresh of breath air to go back to the pre Matrix world!

Originally Posted by MechaGodzilla

Everyone talks about lightsaber duels, but what I want out of the new trilogy more than anything, action-wise, is at least one great space battle. There still hasn't been another that comes close to the Battle of Yavin.

What made that so great? Not a zillion ships flying all around at once confusing the senses! I would take Yavin over that stuff that was in Return of the Jedi the beginning of Sith anyday and it's not because Im a hater.

[Optimus]

Originally Posted by Bluyoda

Where is that ignore button/feature that some people have mentioned?
I'd really love to use it in the SW threads. Thanks in advance.

User CP > Settings and Options > Edit Ignore List

[aiman04]

Make it real in a Star Wars film.

I say the emotional drive to the sword fight is much more important, only then you can have the most fantastic choreography as a bonus. Martial arts, well, is an art to be appreciated.

[goresnet]

Originally Posted by Elandyll

Actually the Battle of Endor (space) has it beat by quite a long shot (well, at least imo).
The problem with the way it is presented in the movie is that constantly cutting back to the ground battle between Empire forces and Ewoks is taking away from the excitement and the maestria of the simultaneously occuring Space Battle.

Star Wars:Return of the Jedi VI - Battle of Endor (Space Only) 1080p - YouTube

Now, on a technical level, the Battle of endor is supposedly still to this day (30 years later) the most complex non-CGI SFX sequence (using mattes and models) ever filmed. Given the near constant use of CGI these days, it'll probably remain that way.



This being said I agree with you.

PS: Always have a chuckle at Ackbar saying "All crafts, prepare to go into Hyperspace on my mark" followed by Lando saying "Ok, standby!" and going into Hyperspace immediately followed by all the fighters... Classic.

I've never seen that battle presented that way. It was amazing! Thanks for bringing it to my attention!

[MechaGodzilla]

Originally Posted by Elandyll

Actually the Battle of Endor (space) has it beat by quite a long shot (well, at least imo).
The problem with the way it is presented in the movie is that constantly cutting back to the ground battle between Empire forces and Ewoks is taking away from the excitement and the maestria of the simultaneously occuring Space Battle.

[Show spoiler]Star Wars:Return of the Jedi VI - Battle of Endor (Space Only) 1080p - YouTube

Now, on a technical level, the Battle of Endor is supposedly still to this day (30 years later) the most complex non-CGI SFX sequence (using mattes and models) ever filmed. Given the near constant use of CGI these days, it'll probably remain that way.

[Show spoiler]

This being said I agree with you.
The space battles in the PT left me wanting... I hope we can again see something worthy of Yavin or Endor.

PS: Always have a chuckle at Ackbar saying "All crafts, prepare to go into Hyperspace on my mark" followed by Lando saying "Ok, standby!" and going into Hyperspace immediately followed by all the fighters... Classic.

Oh, I really like the space part of the Battle of Endor, don't get me wrong. It's exciting, it's fun, and it's impressive on a technical level. But, just like you say, we go back and forth between that, the ground battle and Luke vs. Vader and the Emperor. The whole is great, but it leaves the space battle itself not fully as exciting and emotional (to me) as the Battle of Yavin. The prequels didn't even really try, the ROTS one had some cool moments but it's not really the focus of that part of the film.

The Battle of Yavin is just perfection. The trench run, Han returning last second, Obi-Wan telling Luke to use the force, the firing of the proton torpedoes, that last bit of suspense before the Death Star explodes. Not to mention the music throughout. I get goosebumps just thinking about it.

[006]

I actually love the fight in TPM, that seemed fairly realistic and in line with a Jedi's skill that has trained his entire life. That fight wasn't just fast moves (it didn't get really fast until Obi-Wan was in a rage), each strike had weight behind it, unlike the fights in the other two prequels.

1.Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon vs Darth Maul
2. Luke vs Vader, round 1
3. Luke vs Vader, round 2
5. Obi-Wan vs Vader
4, Anakin vs Obi-Wan (good choreography but looking back I think it looks silly and over done now.)
6. The rest (the rest are all ruined by one aspect or another, obi vs dooku, obi-wan didn't even seem like the same guy that beat both Maul and Anakin in this fight, Anakin vs Dooku is an alright fight actually, Yoda vs Dooku is plain silly, the theater laughed, things like that make the other fights seem redundant and nothing special.

[tigertron]

Originally Posted by 006

I actually love the fight in TPM, that seemed fairly realistic and in line with a Jedi's skill that has trained his entire life. That fight wasn't just fast moves (it didn't get really fast until Obi-Wan was in a rage), each strike had weight behind it, unlike the fights in the other two prequels

Yeah, although some Youtube video picked out the flaws in that duel, it's still the best one, particularly when as you said - Obi-Wan gets in a rage.

[Geoff D]

Ewan McGregor's footwork when he hurtles in to fight Maul is exceptional, that fight always gives me the goosebumps, it's that good.

[ChainsawJedi]

Well, I've always considered Luke's lightsabre "skills" in ROTJ to be just awful. Emotionally, the duel between him and Vader carries a lot of weight, but how Luke managed to be even worse at fighting in ROTJ than in TESB is a real puzzler. There's no finesse at all; it's just clumsy and haphazard.

I find the duels in the prequels to be thrilling, personally. They actually had to slow the duel down in TPM because the actors were moving so fast Lucas felt it didn't look realistic.

Only on internet forums do I read that people in the cinema laughed at the duel between Tyrannus and Yoda in AOTC. I saw the film a few times at the cinema and there was nary a titter. There were a fair few "wows", though.

[ChainsawJedi]

Originally Posted by motorheadache95

nothing really significant happens in the first two movies to the over-all plot, other than they mysteriously get a clone army at the end of Episode II. You could almost just watch Sith without the other two and not really miss out on much.

The reason for Anakin's fall to the dark side is covered in episodes one and two. We also see just how useless and conceited the Jedi are and thus we can appreciate how easily they were duped by Palpatine. Anyone who comes into the saga at episode three wouldn't have the first clue as to what's going on.

[BozQ]

Yeah. But its pretty obvious George Lucas wanted to tell the story of Episode III the most.

[blonde_devil]

Originally Posted by BozQ

Yeah. But its pretty obvious George Lucas wanted to tell the story of Episode III the most.

True but problem is you need the buildup for Episode III to make any sense. Watching Anakin turn evil without knowing what happened to cause it is hollow. Lucas should have known that and tried to make I and II the best films since everyone knows Anakin will turn in III - give them a real ride to get there.

[PeterTHX]

Originally Posted by ChainsawJedi

Only on internet forums do I read that people in the cinema laughed at the duel between Tyrannus and Yoda in AOTC. I saw the film a few times at the cinema and there was nary a titter. There were a fair few "wows", though.

The shows I went to the audience roared in approval from the moment Yoda used to Force to grab his saber and ignite it until Dooku tried to crush Obi-Wan and Anakin.

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by ChainsawJedi

Only on internet forums do I read that people in the cinema laughed at the duel between Tyrannus and Yoda in AOTC. I saw the film a few times at the cinema and there was nary a titter. There were a fair few "wows", though.

I've said this before: when I saw Ep II on opening day the entire audience took a collective intake of breath when Yoda swept back his robe to reveal his lightsaber. Never experienced a reaction like that before or since.

[Ernest Rister]

Originally Posted by PeterTHX

The shows I went to the audience roared in approval from the moment Yoda used to Force to grab his saber and ignite it until Dooku tried to crush Obi-Wan and Anakin.

In approval...or shock and surprise at a character who needs a cane to walk, a character who taught Luke the Force should be used for "knowledge and defense, never for attack" suddenly leaping about like Fo from Battle Arena Toshinden?

It was one of the more depressing and embarrassing moments of Attack of the Clones for me...regardless of the opening night crowd screaming like howler monkeys.

[wormraper]

I've got to wonder at all these people who claim that there theater was "roaring" or "gasping" or "cheering throughout the movie, flopping about on the floor as if the spirit had moved them or were engagining in wild copulation throughout the theater in their ecstasy". in my 30 years of going to the theater I've heard a momentary "clap" a few cheers" that lasted one or two seconds, but other than that I've NEVER heard anyone act like these people are claiming.

[Elvis]

Originally Posted by wormraper

I've got to wonder at all these people who claim that there theater was "roaring" or "gasping" or "cheering throughout the movie, flopping about on the floor as if the spirit had moved them or were engagining in wild copulation throughout the theater in their ecstasy". in my 30 years of going to the theater I've heard a momentary "clap" a few cheers" that lasted one or two seconds, but other than that I've NEVER heard anyone act like these people are claiming.

There was no roaring or gasping at the film in the huge packed theater I was in (in Dallas). In fact of the several people I talked to after the show all thought that that AOTC was an epic fail and so "un star wars like" it's not even funny. I looked at one guy coming out and he was shaking his head and said "That's not Star Wars". My reply "Amen Brotha"

They were all laughing when Yoda was flipping around. Just plain silly....

[wormraper]

Originally Posted by Elvis

There was no roaring or gasping at the film in the huge packed theater I was in (in Dallas). In fact of the several people I talked to after the show all thought that that AOTC was an epic fail and so "un star wars like" it's not even funny. I looked at one guy coming out and he was shaking his head and said "That's not Star Wars". My reply "Amen Brotha"

They were all laughing when Yoda was flipping around. Just plain silly....

yeah, you always have people muttering stuff as they leave the theater, but I never see anyone during a movie clapping, cheering or whatnot. usually it's silent except for the people who like to keep a running commentary with their friends.