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What do you think are some of the best and worst things the prequal trilogy has brought us?

Here are a few things for starters...

Best
though very overused, great special effects
coruscant
flashy lightsaber duels
anakin's turn
the clone wars

Worst
continuity gaps
sappy love scenes
our favorite little gungan to hate
more ammunition for Star Wars haters
some very bad acting at times

There is plenty more to be added on both lists. What do you think?

I loved the Prequels not because of what they brought us but because it is part of the Star Wars saga.

I was wondering... what the heck was the purpose of AOTC in the whole saga? All it needs to propel the story forward is Shmi's death and the love affair between Anakin and Padme. But Shmi's death is a tiny incident (time wise) and the love scenes are total crap! Plus AOTC raises questions that are never answered...

Why AOTC?

Wish the prequels never existed to be honest with you.

I can live with ROTS.

Im thinking perhaps anakin should have turned at the end of episode 2, leaving episode 3 to focus on the rise of vader, however thats a totally new can of worms to open so best no get into it too much eh!

Yeah ROTS is OK, but even then I'd prefer none of them existed.

I'd have prefferred if the "history" was left a mystery, and left up to the imagination.

Before I saw the prequels:

- The universe was HUGE. Random characters like Chewbacca and Han were awesome.
- Darth Vader was evil, strong and bad ass, yet sympathetic.
- Boba Fett was mysterious and cool, with a cool voice.
- Star Wars was about the little people doing big things.
- The technology was believable. Clunky and functional. It broke.
- The trilogy was well paced. Three movies following on from each other.

After I saw the prequels:

- The Universe is TINY. Chewbacca wasn't random at all. Bah.
- Darth Vader is a punk who killed kids. He's also a pussy.
- Boba Fetts dad is the original stormtrooper (small universe again), and I hate Boba Fett now. He ain't cool, he's some aussie tw*t punk.
- Star Wars wasn't about the little people doing big things, it was about superheroes doing stupid things.
- The technology is Star Trek. Perfect, clean & sleek. Rubbish. Don't care what excuse the story has - it SUCKS.
- The saga chapters are inconsistent and continually have their flow interrupted with sudden time leaps.

To rub salt into the wounds, aspects of the prequels show up in the originals now. Jar Jar bloody Binks is in Return Of The Jedi. Sebastian Shaw is now Hayden. Retouching the originals (and in some cases f*cking it up - see the green lightsaber now in ANH) because the prequels don't fit is just madness. That's why I wish the prequels never existed. It made the originals less-great. Noooooooooo!

Well.... I AGREE...


JJB in ROTJ???? When?

Oh, barely. Frankly I find Red Superfly's logic hard to fathom. I can;t understand the mindset that thinks the elements of the PT reduce the enjoyment of the Original. Quite the reverse in my opinion.

I also massively disagree about the size of the galaxy- things seem MUCH smaller in the Original. Definitely one of the best things about the Prequel trilogy is that it opens up the scope of the storyline enormously, like a tv series turned film. It felt like a Galaxy to me; the OT felt like a dispute in a Third World country by comparison.

The Prequel era actually has a far more interesting background. It just doean't connect as well with the characters. A shame we could not have had the two together.

I love the prequals, obvilosly there nothing on the OT, but they bought so much to Star Wars
Plus for me personally, as a 10 year old kid in 1999, i never thought id live during the release of a new Star Wars Trilogy, and for me as a kid, it was awsome

Originally posted by Ushgarak
Oh, barely. Frankly I find Red Superfly's logic hard to fathom. I can;t understand the mindset that thinks the elements of the PT reduce the enjoyment of the Original. Quite the reverse in my opinion.

I also massively disagree about the size of the galaxy- things seem MUCH smaller in the Original. Definitely one of the best things about the Prequel trilogy is that it opens up the scope of the storyline enormously, like a tv series turned film. It felt like a Galaxy to me; the OT felt like a dispute in a Third World country by comparison.

The Prequel era actually has a far more interesting background. It just doean't connect as well with the characters. A shame we could not have had the two together.

It didn't feel like a galaxy to me. Why is that so hard to fathom anyways? Luke has trouble going to bloody Anchorhead, it emphasised how big the galaxy was. Going to Alderaan was crazy talk.

In the prequels, they zip around the galaxy like its nothing. It doesn't seem as big and as big a deal as it once used to. Thats just thanks to the story.

That's just my opinion. Despite the grander scale, the weight of the situation is never hammerred home. I'm sorry I feel that way, and honestly tried to like the prequel setting, but I just can't.

I grew up with the originals, and loved them and by the time EP1 came out i was 26, and I love the PT too, they are fantastic and have the same rewatchabilaty as the OT.
For those of you who are dead set against the PT, just do what I did with Kill Bill Vol.2 and act/pretend that it never existed, and just watch the originals they way you want to remember them.

Good idea.

You didn't like Volume 2?

I'm guessing too much dialogue?

Red Superfly- I agree to an extent but I cannot live without clonetroopers...specially since Star Wars Battlefront came out.

I don't watch the PT as much as the OT but if anyone has a problem with it just do as I do; break out the special edition vhs version of the OT. It's great; no stupid Hayden head for Anakin's ghost and just a really good feel from watching it.

Queeq... I think the point of AOTC was...well... attack of the clones... the beginning of the clone wars which would raise up the Empire.

One thing I didn't like too much about the PT was how all the ships were so streamlined and everything. From x-wings, the Millennium Falcon, to Imperial Star Destroyers they all just looked rugged and awesome.
Episode three improved a little bit, but I still prefer OT spacecraft.

I love all 6 movies, I don't like having them "compete" against each other because it's not a competition. But I think the PT is fantastic.
Best: (I know it's long!)

Fitting the pieces together
The rich tapestry of it all
The music, all the new themes are fantastic
Seeing Luke & Leia's parents,
Finding out who their mother is
Finding out who built Threepio
Watching Artoo & Threepio meet
The ship blowing up in the first scene
Wise Qui-Gon
Shmi Skywalker
Watto
The introduction of the prophesy
Mace Windu
Seeing Yoda again
Watching the political intrigue as Palpatine weaves his way
Watching Jar-Jar play the classic clown-turned-hero role
The unbelieveable pod race
The four-battle finale of Ep I
The celebration ceremony, wonderful music too
The ship blowing up in the first scene of Ep II
Palpatine's maneuverings to get Anakin & Padme together
The chase amongst the towers, an SF homage
Watching Anakin act like Luke, impatient & moody
The awkwardness of Padme & Anakin falling in love, too true
The death of Mrs Skywalker and the Sandpeople slaughter
Anakin's gripping revelation of the slaughter to Padme
Mrs. Skywalker's funeral
The droid factory chase & Artoo flying
The monster scenes
The Geonosis battle was absolutely incredible
Threepio and Artoo bickering during the battle, again
Yoda & the hangar duel
Anakin & Padme's marriage with Artoo & Threepio as best droids
The ships blowing up in the first scene of Ep III
Artoo and the Super Battle Droids
Grievous' escape & landing the Invisible Hand
Seeing how troubled Anakin is
Padme's bun-do hairstyle
The Oscar-worthy performance of Ian M as Palpatine
Chewbacca and Yoda
The fact they didn't know Padme was carrying twins
Padme & Anakin looking across the sky to each other
The Jedi's battle with the chancellor & Mace's duel
Anakin's terrible choice and the fact he regretted doing it
Finding out the reason Anakin turned to the Dark Side
The Jedi Temple slaughter, just chilling
The slaughter of the Jedi with order 66
Watching the clones turn into the baddies
The Tantavie (sp) and the heroics of Organa.
Watching two Red Guards actually try to defend
Yoda & Palpatine's battle
Padme's heart-breaking speech to Anakin
Anakin's lust for power talking to Padme
The battle of the heroes
Obi-Wan's words to Anakin after the battle
Seeing Luke & Leia
Padme believing there is still good in Anakin
Vader Rising & hearing that voice cry out in sadness
Padme's hearbreaking funeral procession
The rest of the silent finale and
Luke's delivery into the arms of his aunt & uncle

Didn't like, (I don't hate anything about SW):

The passing gas & icky icky goo (tho it was never repeated)
Not being able to understand Jar Jar at first, (got it later)
I left wanting Darth Maul to have just a little more
Not enough time to build up dread in the battle scenes
Missing the Yoda puppet in Ep II
Anakin's "grownup" speech is a little too creepy sometimes
Jango Fett beheading & body fall... too violent for PG movie
Grievous was cool, but I had a feeling he wouldn't be around much
Vader in the suit didn't do a lot

First of all:

The reason people zipped around the galaxy so much in the prequels is because it WAS a lot easier to do so. In the OT, there was a buncha imperial shit flyin around, and would stop you and give you a bunch of grief if they thought you were part of the rebel alliance. So that whole aspect DOES make sense.

Secondly, the fancy sleek ships are built by a fancy sleek factory owned and operated by a fancy sleek republic whos capitol lies on a fancy sleek planet. Once again, it makes sense.

Thirdly, the 'time leaps' complaint. The OT was a story centered around three heroes. Not their lives before they met up, or anything that would detract from their relationship once they did. The reason the plot had no time leaps is because there was no time for them. And there WERE time leaps. The OT takes place over four years. Not as big a leap as with the prequels, but that brings me to my next point.

Anakin's fall to the dark side took a lot of time. One does not forego lifelong teachings overnight, let alone over four years. Between PM and AOTC, Anakin's training happens. Nothing fancy, just typical jedi training for a long time. If they spent a whole movie explaining that, or took as long as the OT to explain four years and spent a whole trilogy on it, no one would be happy. So that leap is logical. Between AOTC and ROTS, an entire galactic war takes place. A war across planets and space. While extremely cool, this would have taken another trilogy to explain in full. At least, explain in full enough to keep the fanbase happy.

The time lapses take place in points of little consequence or impact. Simple as that.

Explain the chapters' inconsitencies, and I will disprove your complaints, because honestly, I can't think of one.

Small universe? Did you know that you are no more than 6 people away from knowing everyone on this planet? That's because of technology and communication/travel. Now multiply that by a billion. The people and the technology. Wow, that number doesn't change. It might even get smaller. The universe/world aren't that big.

the OT was about simple people becoming heroes in a time where none existed. The prequels offered a tale about a hero falling. The story is not driven by the same things as the OT, and if that's where your disappointment lies, then you feel alienated by the fact that you can't relate to a hero's fall to darkness. I can, so the universe feels right at home for me. You don't understand, or don't want to understand the feelings and thoughts that couple with irrational decisions based on emotion and feelings rather than what everyone else calls 'right.'

I cannot dispell the wooden acting and sappy love scenes in AOTC, because that's exactly what they were. But I can say that in ROTS, they turned it around big time. All the characters were believable, their emotions and reactions identifiable. Any story you know the end to that can still make you say, No anakin! Stay at the temple! Don't go! is amazing. Period. Kudos to you, Lucas/Spielberg.

I've said my piece for now. I'll be back, I'm sure.

Good points, it's just I don't like the shift in "perspective", if you get my meaning. The OT and the PT have very different perspectives.

Don't get me wrong, the PT has it's moments, and I can watch all of them and find some enjoyment.

It's just, I'd get MORE enjoyment out of the fact they never existed, rather than knowing what I do now. The good the prequels have done do not outweigh the bad.

They're OK-ish movies on their own, and I guess they are OK backstories to the OT. But the OT was "Great!" not just "OK". I was expecting great, I had every right to expect greatness considerring who was making them and the resources available. It should have blown the OT out of the water, but it didn't even come close. That's why I wish they never existed, I'd rather have no prequels and "imagine" it all, rather than being told a mediocre story and not giving a shit about it when it's been told.

Originally posted by Caden_Amor
Secondly, the fancy sleek ships are built by a fancy sleek factory owned and operated by a fancy sleek republic whos capitol lies on a fancy sleek planet. Once again, it makes sense.

Small universe? Did you know that you are no more than 6 people away from knowing everyone on this planet? That's because of technology and communication/travel. Now multiply that by a billion. The people and the technology. Wow, that number doesn't change. It might even get smaller. The universe/world aren't that big.



So like those Naboo starfighters? Those weren't made by the Republic. They were made by a small planet that got crushed in a war. They look a little too fancy for me. Or Plo Koon's starfighter which was in combat for like three years.
Honestly I don't have too much of a problem with the fighters, I just think the OT did a way better job.

Could you explain your comment about a small universe again? I don't understand. Are you saying that our planet is really small? I mean, it is but we aren't within 6 people away from knowing everyone here.

In the Star Wars universe their galaxy is supposed to be slightly larger than our Milky Way... And a large majority of planets do have life on them... I don't think the Star Wars galaxy is small at all.

Originally posted by Echuu
Queeq... I think the point of AOTC was...well... attack of the clones... the beginning of the clone wars which would raise up the Empire.


Why use a whole 2 hour+ movie just to tell that? It wasn't THAT exciting and it only really happens in the closing minutes. The whole detective story with OB1 is a drag... I dunno. I think GL should summarise the whole PT in one three hour movie... with ROTS using up most of that space.

all of naboo's technology and architecture was very elegant. Its only natural that the fighters be similar. They are their own separate culture, and they made their fighters to reflect that.

and you ARE only 6 prople away from knowing everyone on the planet, but 'knowing' is a term used loosely. 'Knowing' consists of having met, 'talked' to (for instance reading a post by) someone, not the relationship of a friend you are thinking of. Everyone here counts as a link in the chain to knowing 6 people. A really fun way to prove this is the Kevin Bacon game. Pick an actor, any famous actor, and they can be linked to Kevin Bacon somehow. Through movies, but the concept remains. And I'm pretty sure it can be done in 6 links or less.

anyhow, my point is that the universe, while physically large, can seem very small if it is easily accesible. Which I think is part of GL's point.

Originally posted by Caden_Amor
all of naboo's technology and architecture was very elegant. Its only natural that the fighters be similar. They are their own separate culture, and they made their fighters to reflect that.

and you ARE only 6 prople away from knowing everyone on the planet, but 'knowing' is a term used loosely. 'Knowing' consists of having met, 'talked' to (for instance reading a post by) someone, not the relationship of a friend you are thinking of. Everyone here counts as a link in the chain to knowing 6 people. A really fun way to prove this is the Kevin Bacon game. Pick an actor, any famous actor, and they can be linked to Kevin Bacon somehow. Through movies, but the concept remains. And I'm pretty sure it can be done in 6 links or less.

anyhow, my point is that the universe, while physically large, can seem very small if it is easily accesible. Which I think is part of GL's point.

I still think the ship models of the OT look better.

Thanks for the clarification

Queeq> you do have a point there.

The saber duelies.

Originally posted by Echuu

Queeq> you do have a point there.

Of course I do. Actually, the pointlessness of AOTC only struck me when ROTS came out. I liked it better that TPM before that. Now I think they're both crap.

Originally posted by queeq
Of course I do. Actually, the pointlessness of AOTC only struck me when ROTS came out. I liked it better that TPM before that. Now I think they're both crap.

True... I think the clone wars should have started at the end of the Phantom Menace or right at the beginning of AOTC.

True... I think the clone wars should have started at the end of the Phantom Menace or right at the beginning of AOTC.
If you don't like it, make your own damn movie.

Originally posted by chinabing
If you don't like it, make your own damn movie.

Go suck a lemon...

It's my opinion that they should be different but since obviously it's not gonna change I can live with it.

Notice the word...'opinion'...

Great:

Bringing a new understanding to the sw saga, and giving the ot a pick me up.

Bad:

Having to sit through and listen to countless fan fuks how they could have made a better movie

Causing me to hate sw fans with a fiery 'wanting to murder' passion making me not wanting to come here and talk to people at all, because it pains me to listen to your dribble about a couple of movies that some guy made that are great, but you feel like your life is depending on them since you don't have one which makes you think that you know better.

Goodbye.

Best thing - Darth Maul.
Worst thing - Midichlorians.

good - duel of the fates, dooku (killed well before his time), mace, qui gon...

bad - ruining vader... literally...

Originally posted by queeq
I was wondering... what the heck was the purpose of AOTC in the whole saga? All it needs to propel the story forward is Shmi's death and the love affair between Anakin and Padme. But Shmi's death is a tiny incident (time wise) and the love scenes are total crap! Plus AOTC raises questions that are never answered...

Why AOTC?

Like what?

The "purpose" of Attack of the Clones is to show quite a few subtle things: The beginning of the end of democracy, the beginning of Anakin & Padme's courtship & wedding, the start of the clone wars.

At this movie, cracks were forming in the Republic. In TPM, there were just people being mad at the Senate for being dysfunctional, now the governing body is falling to pieces.

To say the movie's pointless is not much of an argument; to say that it could have been better if George did blah blah blah, is also not much of an argument.

Is the Senate the same body at the beginning of the movie than at the conclusion? No.

Is Anakin the same man at the beginning than the end? No, he changed: his mother died horribly, he got married, and betrayed his vows. (Compare this to the bloated Lotr trilogy where nobody ever changes).

The shroud of the Dark Side has fallen. That was the "point" of the movie.

I've gotta agree with that, I mean TPM was more pointless than ATOC. the only needed things were anakin being brought out of slavery, and anakin meeting padme'.

These movies sucked. nothing can compare to Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back and Jedi because they were art and these movies were cash in crap that Luca$ made to "finish his story."

Luca$ atill hasn't finished his story, He has 3 movies to go, but He's not doing them because he wants to go to artsy movies.

This is for the person who didn't see the point of Attack of the Clones. Its not just a love story or Shmi's death scene.

The whole point of Attack was to start the Clone Wars. Sidious was playing both sides. Weather the sepratists or Republic won, Sidious would have started the Empire regardless.

Oh ant Phantom Menace showed Palpatine's rise to power.

Originally posted by Fierce Deity
Luca$ atill hasn't finished his story, He has 3 movies to go, but He's not doing them because he wants to go to artsy movies.

In my opinion the story is finished, and I think Lucas realized that it was finished at the end of 6 as well. It's a balanced story, 6 movies that portrays the fall and redemption of Anakin Skywalker.

Originally posted by queeq
Well.... I AGREE...


JJB in ROTJ???? When?

At the very end, with the celebration music, the scenes cut to various planets in the galaxy as they are celebrating.... when they show sweeping shots of Naboo, you hear Jar Jar exclaiming "Weesa Free!!!!!!"

A little kid blowing up a Trade Federation ship. That is so ridiculous and unbelievable. TPM was mainly aimed for children.

the prequels are gay. Long live the O-OT

Lucas made a lot of mistakes in the making of the PT. The reason is that he did not have a basic story. The PT story that he wrote back in the 70's was basically Episode III. He did not have a strong ideas on his stories for Episode 1 and 2. THat is why they are week. Also, I found Lucas wanting complete control on the new Star Wars projects. In the OT, Lucas had Lawerence Kasdan write the screenplays and two different directors who presented Lucas's ideas well. Lucas had to much power on these new projects.

I disagree. The plot of TPM is strong: Naboo is being invaded, the rise of the Sith, discovering Anakin, etc. There are multiple plot points, but they all mesh together well. The finale battles, with the multiple cuts between each of the theaters, were fantastic.

Similarly I found AOTC plot to be well constructed, the love story is the main plot, with the rise of the clone wars as another plot point. Sure Anakin acts like a kid who doesn't know his way around women. Wonder why, he's spent his teen years in a monastic-like existence, grew up as a slave, grew up without a father. No wonder he acts clunky around women! Meanwhile, Padme doesn't want to give up her career, especially fall in love with someone who is not supposed to love her.

I can't agree that Lucas had too much power, the movies belong to him.

Originally posted by chinabing
I disagree. The plot of TPM is strong: Naboo is being invaded, the rise of the Sith, discovering Anakin, etc. There are multiple plot points, but they all mesh together well. The finale battles, with the multiple cuts between each of the theaters, were fantastic.

Similarly I found AOTC plot to be well constructed, the love story is the main plot, with the rise of the clone wars as another plot point. Sure Anakin acts like a kid who doesn't know his way around women. Wonder why, he's spent his teen years in a monastic-like existence, grew up as a slave, grew up without a father. No wonder he acts clunky around women! Meanwhile, Padme doesn't want to give up her career, especially fall in love with someone who is not supposed to love her.

I can't agree that Lucas had too much power, the movies belong to him. The STORY makes sense, excpet for the kid blowing up a starship, that was just bull.

It's the actors and dialogue that bug us. Sorry to say, but bad acting combined with modern scripts, in movies originated from the 70's, will have adverse effects on the film.

Add the advanced special effects, and people will realize there's a big negative difference from the original trilogy.

As is always said, you can't beat the original.

Originally posted by chinabing
I disagree. The plot of TPM is strong: Naboo is being invaded, the rise of the Sith, discovering Anakin, etc. There are multiple plot points, but they all mesh together well. The finale battles, with the multiple cuts between each of the theaters, were fantastic.

Similarly I found AOTC plot to be well constructed, the love story is the main plot, with the rise of the clone wars as another plot point. Sure Anakin acts like a kid who doesn't know his way around women. Wonder why, he's spent his teen years in a monastic-like existence, grew up as a slave, grew up without a father. No wonder he acts clunky around women! Meanwhile, Padme doesn't want to give up her career, especially fall in love with someone who is not supposed to love her.

I can't agree that Lucas had too much power, the movies belong to him.

Your reasons are very weak my friend. Saying that Anakin's acting is clunky because of the story does not make sense. It all falls down with Lucas and his writing. It was bland and poorly put together. Let's face it, the acting talent that Lucas had for the PT was ten times better than the talent he had for the OT. Then how come the PT failed? How come the actors seemed wooden? It all comes down to Lucas and his inability to be flexible as a director. I am not taking anything away from George Lucas as business man or a story teller, he a done amazing things in the film industry. But that is all he is, an idea man who knows how to sell ideas.

Originally posted by Canadadude
Let's face it, the acting talent that Lucas had for the PT was ten times better than the talent he had for the OT.

Are you serious?

I am saying overall talent. Ewan McGregor, Samuel L Jackson, Natalie Portman, Ian McDiarmid, and Christopher Lee have done amazing things in other movie projects. But they looked wooden in the PT. Why is this? It comes down to the direction of the film and that is Lucas

Gotcha