Why we all hated the Phantom Menace

[Derf]

My disappointment with the prequels was that the focus had changed from the originals. Star Wars, due in large part to its more limited budget, was very much a character-driven movie. It built the characters and relationships between Luke, Obi Wan, Han, Leia, Chewy, and the droids. We get a sense of mystery about the background of Obi Wan that allows him to be a good mystic guide for Luke. Luke is too naive to really make it on his own, so he needs a worldly-wise friend (enter Han Solo). This type of pattern of character-driven storyline continues throughout the original Star Wars. The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi muddy that pattern a bit, but by then we already know the characters and their relationships with each other. Instead, we get to learn about the Force through a new mystic guide, Yoda, who has his own mysterious background.

Then come the prequels. Since Lucas assumes we all know the characters and their futures, he instead focuses on action and wacky hijinx. I don't have a problem with CGI except when it is obvious and detracts from the story. Jar Jar was obviously not there in several scenes. The race in the beginning does establish Anakin as a good flier, but seems to conflict with Episode IV - why has this race never come to the attention of Luke, who is relegated to chasing Wamp rats through Beggar's Canyon (I think that was the name). I realize the prequel was made later, but if the stories are all to fit together, the original trilogy and its stories have to be considered. The prequels are no longer about building anything; they are about special effects and inside jokes since the audience already knows the eventual outcome.

Sorry for the extra long post; I was a pretty major Star Wars geek (saw the first movie in the theater over twenty times, including twice where I sat through it four times in a row--you could do that back in the olden days). I was disappointed in the shift to action movie from character movie. Also, I'm an English teacher, so essay writing is kind of a natural for me. . .

[George]

mmmmmmmmmmm.....Natalie Portman

eh oh excuse me.   I actually liked both prequels as well.  Unfortunately they weren't nearly as good as the CLONE WARS cartoons.  Those ROCKED!!!

[odinn7]

Well put Derf.

[JohnL]

I like The Phantom Menace, however I did have two problems with it. I was going to make you think I was referring to Jar-Jar and then mention Jake Lloyd, but it seems kind of pointless now. I HATED Lloyd. Watching the movie, I got the impression that he felt he was the ***STAR*** of the entire movie. Later I read some comments from someone who attended some publicity event with him (I forget who it was, I think it was an actress) and they said there was barely enough room in the place for Lloyd and his ego.

The other thing I didn't like about PM was that Annakin was the one who built C3PO. Supposedly he was builting him to help his mother on the farm, but he's not exactly designed for menial chores, he's always said that his main function is as a translator. Besides, did Annakin buy a kit or something? 3PO looks exactly like other droids. I half expected two of the kids looking at his racer to be named Han and Lando. I also thought the idea of him building his own pod racer in secret was stupid. Yeah, I can just picture Lloyd dragging these giant 8 foot long turbines through the center of town and nobody notices. Also, if Obi-Wan spent so much time with C3PO and R2D2, why doesn't he recognize then in Star Wars? Of course it's because that movie was filmed first, but considering that, maybe they shouldn't have had him spend so much time around them in the prequels.

>Actually, the actor who played Anakon in AotC made a good point about people
>getting on Jake Llyod; that being as an actor the kid was only 7 or 8 or
>something so..give him a break

There have been many actors even younger than Lloyd who managed to deliver their lines without sounding like they had a swelled head.

>why has this race never come to the attention of Luke, who is relegated to
>chasing Wamp rats through Beggar's Canyon

Maybe something happened and they discontinued the race, or maybe they banned humans from competing.

>Unfortunately they weren't nearly as good as the CLONE WARS cartoons.
>Those ROCKED!!!

According to the latest issue of Starlog, they're going to be making more of those, and somewhat longer (I think 10 minutes each, don't have it handy).