If TPM & AOTC were more adult, I would have loved the prequels

I enjoyed the first two prequel movies, and I loved ROTS. I didn't have a problem with the story as a whole: The trade federation blockading Naboo, the debates in the senate, and the love story. Many people who didn't like the prequels had a problem with those subjects.

My only problem with the prequels, mostly TPM & AOTC was it was just too kiddy at times. I believe the root of the problem started with ROTJ, and the ewoks, and that is why I think that is the weak link of OT.

TPM, a cool setup story to begin with. You get to see the jedi council, the congress deliberate, the rise of Palpatine, the origins of Anakin (I kinda like that he is 9 years old) and Luke & Leia's mother.

But Lucas just made it so juvenile at times, it really hurts the movie. Jar Jar, of course, ruins every scene he is in. The pod race which could have been really cool, has an annoying announcer making ridiculous remarks throughout. In the final battle scene, you have Jar Jar doing comic relief during a Braveheart type battle sequence! You have the leader of the Gungans, a character that is so childish, and shaking his face everytime he is done talking.

ATOC wasn't as bad, but still had those moments. Dex, the diner guy, what is up with that? Lucas could have made some cool guy, a shady guy, meet ObiWan in an alley and give him information, but maybe you don't know if he is working for Count Dooku or have alterior motives. Then the battle of Geonosis, C-3PO is ridiculous in that. With his head on the wrong body, making comments as the Clone Wars are going on! These are the Clone Wars Alec Guiness talked about in 1977, and we have C3PO saying, "I have fallen and I can't get up!"

By the time ROTS came out, Lucas realized PG-13 could do great business. There is not much kiddy stuff, other than R2-D2 at the beginning, but that parallels ANH alot. The movie is great, it is serious, dramatic, and emotional.

I don't mind comic relief in the Star Wars universe, because every movie needs it, but it has to be in context with the scene. These jokes in the prequels stick out too much. Because they dominate it, it takes away the seriousness of the scene as a whole. I know Lucas had to play to big audience, but as ROTS shows, a more serious adult movie can do just as well at the box office.

Strilo edit: We have enough threads that could easily accomodate this post.

 

The Adult Ego rears it's head again. It also has a lot to do of the age you are when you first watch these movies.

 

Lucas had to keep in mind there was a new generation of future Star Wars fans to please. He had to try to appeal everyone to get the maximum out of it.

 

I respect your opinion, but I disagree. I saw ANH when I was 6, and saw ESB when I was 9, and I loved them. Were they as kiddy as TPM? But people of all ages loved those movies at the time. My 5 year old nephews love ANH now, and I love it, so that movies plays to two different audiences. I believe Lucas felt he had to play to these audiences with the first two prequels, when he already had them locked in.

 

If TPM & AOTC were more adult, I would have loved the prequels

I'd have to agree on the whole. I can see that it must've been a difficult balance to find, keeping the children happy but also appealing to the adults who saw the OT as children, but I do feel that it got a bit infantile at times.

 

I agree 100%, The more adult the better

My Movies go in this order

1. ROTS
2. ESB
3. ANH
4. ...
5. ...
6. ATOC, TPM, ROTJ

 

TPM and AOTC show the galaxy "before the dark times, before the Empire." They're not going to be as deadly serious as ROTS or even parts of the OT... and there's quite a bit of humor in the OT that may have been seen as "childish" back then.