The Duel and the Obi vs Maul fight are by far the best.
Everytime I watch TPM and it's the Obi vs Maul fight I keep rewinding and rewinding after it's over. It's really fast and Obi is pissed!
The Duel was great too. Emotional and great choreography. Sometimes bad camera angles but what the heck, it's still great. And I agree, Anakin hovering over the lava....that's when I thought that's it, he's Vader. No turning back now.
Yeah, that was a bit of a stretch. But to be expected. Ever since Legolas shield surfed, the world hasn't been the same.
Instead of trying to say which duels I like best and why, I'll just cover them all.
TPm Final Duel: Very good overall and one I like to rewatch.
Pros- Ray Park moves very fluidly, and Obi-Wan at the end is able to match him for intensity and fury, which as mentioned before is simply fantastic. This kind of breakneck speed should be the norm with jedi, I would think.
AOTC Obi and Annie versus Dooku: This might be getting old, but I don't recall much about this duel. I liked Dooku's style and precision, but it was way too damn short.
Pros- Dooku.
Cons- Obi lost and fast. Two handing didn't impress me at all.
AOTC Yoda versus Dooku: This was actually pretty poor. Initially I was like "WTF? Psycho spider fighting style?" But every time I watch it since then, Yoda seems to be getting slower and slower, and I realize he's just spinning like a top and not really being a good duellist. Dooku (Or le stuntman de Chris Lee) is pretty good for all of thirty seconds. In short, it lacked horribly.
ROTS Annie and Obi versus Dooku: Again, Dooku pwns. Nearly as short as the other one, which is sad when you consider the skill level of a seventy some year old former jedi master should at least give me five whole minutes with Annie alone.
Pros- Dooku kinda sorta pwned for like one second.
COns- Horribly short; I would have liked more two duellists versus one. Plus, where was the Sith lightning? Did Dooku forget that with Alzheimer's?
Samuel "Shaft" Jackson versus Palpatine: Ugh.
Pros- That window. It played a good role.
Cons- The actors. Everything was so fake I wonder if it wasn't done by replacements with Ian and Sam's faces tattooed on. First off, I got chills when Sidious did his Psycho Crusher-esque move, but the horribly telegraphed stabs compiled with three dead jedi in seconds was a little over the top. And Sam's style was simply boring to watch... It was more a dance than anything, real slow and deliberate, like they didn't want the neighbors below to hear or anything. And yes, Sam looks horribly at ease. He shoulda stuck to non-sci fi movies.
ROTS Sidious and Yoda: Huh. Dramatic. I didn't like how Sidious suddenly got more CGI and fast like on Yoda. And I also didn't like how it cut from them duking it out at point blank range to Sidious saberless in the next scene, Yoda on the lower level getting things chucked at him. At the very least show me how -that- happened.
Pros- Yoda. You feel sorry for the guy, but when he reflects that lightning at point blank range you still know he pwns... for sounding like Ms. Piggy on crack.
Cons- Like I said, missed scenes, short duration, and a CGI Sidious really took away from the drama of this battle. It could have been MUCH more.
The Duel: Good. Very good. The best? I dunno.
Pros: Long. That is good. Dramatic and emotional, especially at the end.
Cons: It -does- seem pretentuous, especially at the beginning, where they are basically spinning into the three same strikes over and over again, with Obi-Wan back peddling. It didn't strike me as how two people should fight at all.
ANH Obi versus Vader: Horrible.
Pros- The drama involved when Obi-Wan dies.
Cons- Meh, the technological limitations are obvious, the fight is slow and almost silly to watch, and there's not enough heat involved. I mean, Vader- this guy fekked you up. You say "The circle is complete; I am now the master" like you just came to pick up some dry cleaning.
ESB Luke versus Vader: Very good in my humble opinion.
Pros- Very dramatic, and the set was very real and desireable compared to the PT settings. Dark is good. And the "Dude, I banged your mom and made you" line is classic.
Cons- It's nothing special as far as kung fu fast, but I rather liked it.
ROTJ Finale: Hm. Still good.
Pros- Excellent musical score. High on the drama. Nice and dark lair.
Cons- Vader does put up a feeble defense for a man who can pick up another man and hold him half a foot off the ground. Luke's "technique" could use some work, too, although it does remind me vaguely of my Mexican friend's birthday party.