PT I think The Phantom Menace is better than Attack Of The Clones

I would argue it's not just the act of clone aggression on Geonosis, but also the fact that the clones themselves represent an inherently sinister force, depicted as a symbol of the Republic's imminent descent into fascism. The attack of the clones is not just an attack on the Separatists, but an attack on the Republic itself. That's the whole idea, anyway: The Separatists are the Republic. The Republic is attacking and devouring itself while the real evil has ironically fooled both sides into thinking he's their greatest ally.

The title does strike one as a bit counter-intuitive at first, but I think that's good because it forces you to think about its true meaning in just this way. (It's also just a really great B-movie title.)

 

Good points.

This bit particularly I hadn't really thought of. It does give the title a lot more relevance actually.

 

I appreciate the "B-movie" aspect of the AOTC name too, but strictly talking titles "The Phantom Menace" sounds very foreboding all-encompassing.
"Attack of the Clones" sounds kind of like a news report on a significant specific event in the GFFA (the start of the war).

"The Phantom Menace" title has a little more meaning for the saga as a whole.

 

I'd agree with that. "Attack of the Clones" is very much in the same vein as "The Empire Strikes Back." Which sort of makes sense.

 

I agree with this, AOTC was great at the end, but the action was way to long to be presented, with snips in TPM helping you go through it, AOTC made you wait. And that Jango was killed...

 

No idea at all what you are talking about! That Jango was killed was bad???

 

I hated that Jango was gone just like that, would've been interesting to see what he would of done in TCW series, or in ROTS.

 

Well, I hate to say it, but Boba Fett was only meant to be a very minor character in ESB. That fans went over the top idolizing him was not something the makers had foreseen. I get the impression that Fett since ESB was considered by fans as the "kewlest baddest ever" character in all SW. NO, he was supposed to be only a simple bounty hunter, that's why they got rid of him at the Sarlacc battle. He was never meant to be that "super villain" to rival Vader. In AOTC his "father" fulfilled his role, good enough. Jango was not meant to be that super-villain either. Dooku and Sidious were quite enough. I'm glad he wasn't cloned once again or anything to keep bringing him back. We have to learn as viewers to let go of characters and accept they are gone. No need to keep bringing them back over and over again.
Sometimes in movies the best way to end a character's role in the story is for them to die and NOT come back. It's much more dignified that way. If a character in a movie dies PLEASE let them stay dead. That's why I don't like stories like Alien Resurrection. Ripley died in Alien 3, so please let her stay dead!!!

 

As much as people griped about the pacing of Phantom Menace when it came out, I think it's actually better paced than Attack of the Clones. there's also a sense of newness to TPM and discovering more of how the world of the Old Republic worked, there isn't quite as much as a sense of discovery in AOTC considering 3 main locations, Courscant, Tatooine and Naboo we already saw quite a lot of in TPM. Also TPM has the opening of the trilogy format where they have a big mix of different characters on a sustained single mission, something you see repeated in ANH and TFA which lets you have different characters interact with each other.

And it feels like there were more physical sets on TPM which gives it a sense of realism and space. Lucas was really pushing the digital sets in AOTC and while they look pretty, I think it works better in ROTS where they feel more "there". I do like how at the end of AOTC it kinda goes just crazy with some of the longest, sustained action in a Star Wars movie and how Lucas keeps it following a set of characters as opposed to the climatic ping-pong-ing that happens in most Star Wars movies.

 

So you don't consider Geonosis a "main location"?? This is the setting for the single one battle where lots of Jedi are involved, where the Clone War (along with the duels against Dooku the movie's CLIMAX, you know) begins and also which has maybe THE best ground battle in the whole saga. It's also the place where Yoda fights a lightsaber duel, as well as commands a military attack, for the first time. It's where Dooku first appears. It's were the separatists actually are seen plotting together. It's where we see the first "draft" of the Death Star. It's where Anakin loses his arm. It's where we first see the clone troopers in action. If that's not a major location then I don't know what is.
Sure, you may neglect Kamino, as it doesn't get that much screen time. But story-wise it's definitely an important location. How about we first see the Clone Army? How about Obi-Wan battling Jango? Besides, not only entire planets count but actual locations. We see a totally different area of Naboo. Same planet, sure, but different location. Same with Coruscant.

 

Kamino and Geonosis definitely add a lot to the sense of discovery I get with AOTC. What's more, though, I also get that sense from the locations introduced a film earlier. Coruscant in TPM is a shining, majestic city. AOTC gives us a look at a side of the planet that is closer to "street level," grungier, worn, in tune with day to day citizens not of the ruling class (except for lurking Sidious). Naboo as a setting in TPM is built for a more wide-angled purpose of detailing Amidala's role as queen and how her people interact with a neighboring race. Naboo in AOTC is much more closed-in and personal as a setting, reflective of the budding intimacy between Anakin and Padme.

So for me at least these setting in AOTC are definitely expanding the palette rather than simply retreading older territory. Tatooine is still Tatooine, I'll grant, but even then AOTC captured the alien frontier aspect of the planet in a manner that I feel hadn't been done since ANH.

 

Well said @ezekiel22x !

 

Yah, there's obviously more than 3 main locations in AOTC.

 

Yeah that's sounds about right

 

I love both but I prefer AOTC to TPM

 

It took me awhile to come around, but TPM is my favorite SW. ESB is second fav.

 

Yes. Actually journeying with Anakin to the Tusken camp, watching him talk with Jawas as he hunted for clues, seeing the actual camp, and more of the TR's lifestyle and culture definitely expanded the lore of the planet. Making it vaster in scale and substance. And even more threatening, contributing to what was built up in the OT and TPM.

Couple that with the introduction of Kamino and the uniqueness of that world and its inhabitants, almost the opposite of Tatooine, and AOTC is certainly one of the most visually creative SW films from a planetary point of view.

 

The Phantom Menace is my favorite prequel.