Worst Prequel Ever? Three stars at best.
Okay, Revenge of the Sith wasn't as bad as The Phantom Menace, but I feel pretty ripped off. I have a feeling that the online critics (like the fat red-head) who have been raving about RotS were paid off by Lucasfilm. This is not the movie we've been waiting to see.
I know I've made jabs at Star Wars and Star Wars fans, but I'm just as big of a geek as the rest of you. And right now I feel cheated. All the big moments I've been waiting for... and they're filled with emptiness. I won't go into spoilers until after this weekend when most people will get a chance to see it, but I know they will get hashed out on this site.
I saw the movie with a fellow MFG reviewer tonight, and he had a very similar opinion. As did the other people we saw it with. And judging by the lack of enthusiasm from the audience, Lucas might have a turkey on his hands.
You've read all the interviews where Lucas talks about RotS being darker than the other movies and probably won't do that well at the box office. And that the PG-13 rating will hurt it. I think that he was just hedging his bets, because he knew that RotS not being a very good movie will probably hurt it at the box office most of all.
Lucas was right when he referred to RotS as "Titanic in space". Moments after the opening crawl, this ship began to sink. It stopped a few times and seemed like it might resurface, but those were fleeting moments. In the end, I felt like a fat British chick floating on a piece of debris blowing a whistle to someone... anyone... to rescue me. Alas, it was not to be. My faith in George Lucas went down with the ship.
The best moment of the movie (and the prequels) should have been Anakin's final transformation into the Darth Vader we all know and love from the Original Trilogy. Instead, we get a scene that is as groan-inducing as any Jar Jar moment we've seen. I wish I was kidding about that. I really do.
I'm going to sleep on it, but at this point I'd have to say that Attack of the Clones is the best of the prequels. And as a Star Wars fan, that really saddens me.
I know I've made jabs at Star Wars and Star Wars fans, but I'm just as big of a geek as the rest of you. And right now I feel cheated. All the big moments I've been waiting for... and they're filled with emptiness. I won't go into spoilers until after this weekend when most people will get a chance to see it, but I know they will get hashed out on this site.
I saw the movie with a fellow MFG reviewer tonight, and he had a very similar opinion. As did the other people we saw it with. And judging by the lack of enthusiasm from the audience, Lucas might have a turkey on his hands.
You've read all the interviews where Lucas talks about RotS being darker than the other movies and probably won't do that well at the box office. And that the PG-13 rating will hurt it. I think that he was just hedging his bets, because he knew that RotS not being a very good movie will probably hurt it at the box office most of all.
Lucas was right when he referred to RotS as "Titanic in space". Moments after the opening crawl, this ship began to sink. It stopped a few times and seemed like it might resurface, but those were fleeting moments. In the end, I felt like a fat British chick floating on a piece of debris blowing a whistle to someone... anyone... to rescue me. Alas, it was not to be. My faith in George Lucas went down with the ship.
The best moment of the movie (and the prequels) should have been Anakin's final transformation into the Darth Vader we all know and love from the Original Trilogy. Instead, we get a scene that is as groan-inducing as any Jar Jar moment we've seen. I wish I was kidding about that. I really do.
I'm going to sleep on it, but at this point I'd have to say that Attack of the Clones is the best of the prequels. And as a Star Wars fan, that really saddens me.
9 Comments:
Is it ever really possible for a Star Wars movie to live up to the hype? Doubtful.
But 3 stars? At best? Harsh grade.
That would suggest that it's a take it or leave it kind of movie on the big screen. I cant agree with that.
Despite whatever faults or shortcomings the movie may have in anyone's eyes, everyone must see it in order to sew up the story. And the effects and visuals alone dictate it should be seen on the big screen.
I dont like to "critique" or "analyze" a movie. Sure we could point out the acting was wooden, but did you really go to this movie because you were looking for Oscar level performances? It's all about did I enjoy it. I loved the battles and fights and had a good time. Were it not for one slow spot in the middle, Episode III would've been almost all action.
WARNING! SPOILERS AHEAD!
After sleeping on it, I think I figured out what's wrong with RotS:
Lucas tries to cover too much ground in 2 1/2 hours, and we end up getting a Cliff Notes version of "the rest of the story".
The fact that TPM and AotC lack story and RotS overflows with it lends credence to the theory that Lucas had no real "plan" for the prequel trilogy.
There are at least three story threads in RotS that should have been started in AotC. This could have been accomplished with very slight dialogue modifications in AotC, and maybe one additional scene for one of the threads. That's all. The seeds would be planted, and they would blossom in RotS. Instead, I felt like all these relationships and conflicts were thrust upon me at the beginning of the movie, and I was expected to immediately buy into them.
I agree 100% with Billy Bob's comment about "Were it not for one slow spot in the middle, Episode III would've been almost all action." But that does not make for a great movie.
Two of my favorite "straight-up" action movies of all time are Die Hard and True Lies. What makes them great are the characters, relationships and conflicts that are developed in between the amazing action pieces. You have heroes that you care about. You want them to succeed against villains who always seem to have another trick up their sleeve. Bottom line: you need some quiet moments so that the loud moments really stand out.
RotS seemed like one non-stop loud moment. And speaking of loud moments, how about the unprecedented FIVE individual lightsaber duels? The most we've ever gotten is 1 1/2 in TPM. (I count the end duel in AotC as one because, while the combatants change, the action is continuous.) I can't believe I'm saying this, but too many lightsaber duels is a bad thing.
My favorite duels in the Saga are Vader/Luke in TESB, and Maul/Kenobi/Jinn in TPM. Kenobi/Anakin in RotS should have been the best of all. Not only was it diluted by the previous three duels, but the Palpatine/Yoda duel going on at the same time was more interesting!
Okay, enough negative stuff. There was some good in RotS. I thought the acting was the best in a SW movie since TESB. Not a weak spot anywhere. Top-notch design on the creatures, planets and ships, just like the other prequels. I love the score from John Williams. And the special effects were quite possibly the best I've ever seen in a movie.
But I stand by my 3 star rating. I don't think that will keep anyone from going to see RotS on the big screen who really wants to see it. If every reviewer in the world trashed RotS over the past few weeks, it wouldn't have affected my butt being planted in a seat at the theater last night at midnight.
Can anyone defend this?
DARTH VADER:
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
They brought James Earl Jones back for THAT??? I had two friends comment on that after the movie last night.
EB said that it reminded him of Zurg in Toy Story 2. Hilarious.
SM said that it sounds like Kit from Knight Rider going over a cliff. He's right.
As JC will attest, I'm not a "hater". The thousands I've spent on merchandise will attest to that. But I really think Lucas blew it on RotS. I'm going to wait a month and see it again, although rewarding Lucas with more of my money is the last thing I should be doing.
Who knows, maybe I'll change my mind.
I would've gone with three stars...maybe that half star that doesn't exist too. It was the best of the prequels sure, but thats not saying much. It just doesn't seem to be the type of film that will have any lasting impression. I grew up with Star Wars, it was literally a part of my upbringing, and those movies imprinted themselves upon me in a way that no overbudget CGI laden prequel ever could. I totally had the Zurg thought at that cringe-inducing Darth moment. That was bad. And who the HELL had Yoda spouting lines like "Not if anything to say about it I have". I mean COME ON its YODA not Steven Seagal! Anyways I can't say I was very disappointed, but I wasn't very impressed either. Three and a coughHALFcough stars. I liked it, buts its not something I'll raise my kids on. And Chris I love the slam on Harry. The fat bastard is a robot, saying what he's supposed to.
Well said, Carter. You're not alone.
I just want to be clear about something. If I were rating Revenge of the Sith strictly by the Movies For Guys criteria, I would give it four stars. Now, had Padme's boobs had gotten bigger with her pregnancy and the slaughtered younglings were covered in blood, then it would have been an easy five stars. After all, Revenge of the Sith reminds me of a great Michael Bay or Stephen Sommers movie.
But as a Star Wars fan who enjoys both TPM and AotC, I can't rate RotS higher than three stars.
I'm still trying to come to terms with the phrase "a Star Wars fan who enjoys TPM."
That's just... wrong.
Someone needed to leave their DragonCon badge at home.
What did you think of the movie, Gonzo?
And John, I enjoy TPM, but I don't love it. Name one moment in RotS that compares to Darth Maul pacing after he kills Qui-Gon, while on the other side of the force field Obi-Wan gears up to kick Maul's ass.
Just one moment?
oh man...TPM may have been an insult to the Star Wars name, but that scene of Maul pacing back and forth like a hungry predator while QuiGon meditates...brilliant. Simply brilliant. TPM had its moments of greatness, but not enough to cover up for all the ridiculously stupid crap they threw in. Same with AOTC, to a lesser degree.
Movie was fine. I go for the entertainment value and leave the analysis to people dressed as Ewoks playing grabass or wannabee Jedis with plastic light sabers.
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