The first 3 released were good, solid racist neo-fascist propaganda targeting teenage boys. The next 3 released were unwatchable garbage targeting pre-teens. I’m still waiting for the 7th one to show up at the dollar theater.
THey are horribly bad, but, I did rewatch them recently with my daughter, since I was introducing her to Star Wars... so I sat through them all, even the prequels...
Yes, the dialogue is terrible, the chemistry is non existent in the main “love story”, and all sorts of other problems exist.. but being removed from the initial disappointment of them by nearly 20 years now.. and being a good bit older, I am able to see the story that Lucas was trying to tell within it, he just wasn’t able to get it on film. He should have hired writers, instead of insisting he write the whole thing himself, he just can’t write dialogue to save his life... While the boring bureaucratic maneuvering in the Senate is relevant to the larger story plot, far too much screen time seems to be dedicated to it... and the ridiculous scene forced in there just to take a shot at Bush was pointless.
THe actor who played Skywalker was not capable of the emotional range that was required for the role (or he was directed improperly)... His move to complete rage and hatred when he turned was not believable... Lucas never really appropriately foreshadowed the evil within him appropriately.... I assume that was what he was trying to do when he had him slaughter those that killed his mother.. but someone who’s battling for his eternal soul, would probably be having more problems than this one incident... He tried to play his angst and being held back as this angle I guess as well, but reality, the guys an obedient little toadie for the most part, without any real flashes of hate until his mother is killed... Could have played him with darker influences and issues throughout his life.. instead of a few things.
The problem with Prequels in general is, we all know how they have to end... So there is no real shock... everyone knows that Skywalker must turn, we know he will become Vader... so you have to focus on the journey there, rather than simply the culminating scene, and I think Lucas missed that among other things... but I can see the story he was trying to tell and its not great, but its not the worst either.
Again the prequels are BAD... make no mistake, but there actually was a reasonable concept there, just blown in execution.
My brother and I have discussed this a bit, and I have to say that the prequels are mixed: there are very good things and very bad things.
For the bad, I totally agree that the dialog and wooden acting were horrible and will not stand the test of time. I count Christopher Lee (Count Dooku) and Ian McDiarmid (Senator/Chancellor Palpatine) as the great exceptions. These two talented actors have been around in the industry long enough that they can turn in a great performance even with bad direction or poorly written dialog. I think both steal every scene they are in.
For the good: Lucas does very well in world building. From the forests and plains of Naboo, to the watery world of Camino, to endlessly urban Coruscant, Mustafar, Geonosis, Lucas does know how to craft worlds and settings. Even the battle above Coruscant between the Republic and Separatists was epic in its staging. Sound design has always been superb with Star Wars, and the soundtrack, especially Duel of the Fates is great.
This was one of the problems that my brother and I had with the latest movie (The Force Awakens). It seemed the whole Star Wars universe got smaller. The desert planet of Jakka (Tatoonie copy), a brief glimpse of the capital of the New Republic before it is obliterated, snowy ice world. All were underwhelming as far as world building goes. You never got a sense of a new threat squaring off with the good guys. Even the opening post-crawl scene of the large New Order ship eclipsing the moon was rather dull. Even the soundtrack, apart from Rey’s theme sounded like Williams was coasting a bit.
In the Phantom Menace, I’m guessing the Anakin character was originally supposed to be a teenager, but they decided to make him a kid to appeal to younger people.
The next two, Anakin is just a moody, unlovable, dick. It violates my “suspension of disbelief” that a good-looking princess, with lots of options, would pick him as a love interest.
When you put Star Wars next to 2001, Solaris, Alien or Blade Runner, the unbearable lightness of its being is revealed. Paglia surprised me by going on about George Lucas’ “genius”. Lol, at making money maybe.
Jar Jae Binks MUST DIE! LOL.
The best reviews, WAY BETTER than the actual film, is “Mr. Plinkett.”
http://redlettermedia.com/plinkett/star-wars/
I agree the last 2 Prequels were bad, but “The Phantom Menace” wasn’t really that bad
The “romantic” dialogue between Anakin & princess whatsis is some of the most cringe-worthy stuff I’ve ever seen.
The problem is that folks look at the series as 6 different movies.
There are all one story, in 6 segments.
It’s the long sad story of the decline and rise of Anakin Skywalker.
The whole is much better than the parts.
For the three Star Wars prequels though, Lucas's financial success and team of yes men at Skywalker Ranch liberated him to indulge his opinions and whims. Instead of good stories, Lucas provided movie goers with bigger and more frenetic stories that overwhelmed the human element. His toy maker licensing partners were pleased though at the wide array of characters, machines, and scenes that could be modeled and sold to kids eager to hold in hand what they had seen so fleetingly on the screen.
Lucas did quite well financially from the prequels. Like studio bosses of old, he can say that even if the prequels were not great art, they made him lots of money.
George Lucas was clutching his pearls when reading the article....
While sitting on a $4 billion plus pile of money.
All that talent and money from past movies and he puts out these 3 bad sequels. Now on to Indiana Jones 6!
Harry S Plinkett talked about this years before this lady did.