Obi Wan was the only character I cared about in Menace and Clones. And even then it wasn't a whole lot.
I did like the movies, as there were lots of pretty stuff and effects to look at. But the amount of magic in them is pretty tiny when compared to the original trilogy.
eta:
I cried for Jar Jar.
Or because of him.
Because of Jar Jar I tried to buy the domain jarjarsucks.com. But someone else had already gotten it. (It's gone now.)
You have to give a crap about the characters to be pulled about by their emotions.
Yes. None of the emotions felt earned. I know we're talking about a popcorn movie, but there was no character development - just a string of "important" moments strung together with some annoying comic "relief" and a bombastic sound track.
"Yes. None of the emotions felt earned. I know we're talking about a popcorn movie, but there was no character development - just a string of "important" moments strung together with some annoying comic "relief" and a bombastic sound track."
The original trilogy's emotions were also predicated on "a string of important moments strung together with comic relief and a bombastic soundtrack". Really. Luke's character development happened through his actions and reactions to the events he was thrust into and the same goes for Anakin. Now your beef may be with the performances, direction or whatever but in that regard the two trilogies are very similar. This isn't a television series or a character drama and thus the original trilogy and the prequel trilogy both operate in broad strokes.
Barry, the Prequels are bad. They're indefensibly bad.
"Barry, the Prequels are bad. They're indefensibly bad."
Opinion stated as fact. Come on, you're much too smart to resort to that. Really, I see where you're coming from but I won't roll over and go with the flow.
Next up - Star Wars vs Star Trek.
Opinion stated as fact.
Whoa. You totally got me there. You win, here's your cookie. I'll just go over here and sulk.
"Whoa. You totally got me there. You win, here's your cookie. I'll just go over here and sulk."
I don't want to win, I'm just trying to tell folks where I'm coming from.
The prequels really do lack the depth and characterization, and IMO, most importantly, the sense of fun of the first three. Lucas didn't have actors like Ford and Fisher, who both have really good script instincts (Fisher is one of Hollywood's highest paid script doctors now) who felt free to challenge him on lines and on character to add layers and believability around on the prequels and it shows.
Wait, Stoppard?
Does this mean I'm going to have to go and watch the damn thing?
Never saw either of the other two new ones so I'ma stay out of that conversation. But it's interesting, Barry - I've rarely seen the prequels strongly defended so it is kind of intriguing to read.