PT In your opinion, was Samuel L Jackson the right choice to portray Mace Windu?

I like Sam but he phoned that one in. Mind you, the character was basically just someone who pottered around with Yoda making cod-grandiose statements - and that was't Sam's fault.

I still don't know what the point of Mace Windu was, other than to be permanently baffled by the plot's goings on and then to be a somewhat 'meh' sacrifice.

 

I thought Mace's function was obvious: He represents the Jedi, serving as a symbol for their downfall when he loses faith in the Republic and is betrayed by Anakin.

 

Jackson was the right man for the role.

 

Obi Wan already fills that role.

Prequels are filled with redundant characters like Mace Windu or Ric Ollie in TPM.

It's a result of poor writing.

 

Ric Olie is a character in Star Wars
He has obvious lines
But I don't think this makes him at all redundant
He has the role of a pilot
He is a pilot
(thank you for the info on how to rp that, Darthipedia)

 

Ewan McGregor's Obi Wan is underutilized in TPM.

Ric Ollie's role could have easily been given to Obi Wan.

 

Yes...to establish how Obi-Wan simply loved flying...

 

Easy to write around it.

The only people onboard the Queen's ship while escaping Naboo should have been Obi Wan, Qui Gon and Padme.

Could you imagine if in Empire Strikes Back there were a bunch of random characters onboard the Millennium Falcon?

 

The Queens decoys, security guy (don't remember name), Jar Jar & a pilot were random guys?

Let's see...
Qui-Gon: ''Stay here on Naboo!''
Jar Jar: ''Why?''
Qui-Gon:''..................................................'' < insert how you would justify it.

 

I feel there is quite a contrast between now when Samuel owns the part versus most everyone's response back when they first saw TPM in theaters. He had become such a pop icon at that time from being in Tarantino's movie that the transition in many moviegoers minds to see him that role was a pretty big thing to get completely beyond. Now I would say, for most of us here at least, that Sam is Mace, and his PF role is something of a blur in our collective memories.

 

You're comparing a royal Naboo ship with its most important passenger being someone who's always being guarded to a personal ship captained by a smuggler who often works with nobody other than himself and his Wookiee copilot

 

Personally, if they always only focused on the 'stars' it would make SW feel even smaller than it already does because it seems everyone knows everybody. Ric hardly does anything. I have no problem with a pilot in service of the Naboo.

 

I didnt like SLJ as Windu for a long time. He felt forced and unnatural as a jedi - in the same way many felt about Hayden as Anakin. The difference for me being that any awkwardness (intentional or otherwise) in Hayden's portrayal of Anakin actually complimented that character's story. SLJ also felt like a bit of a gratuitous celeb cameo role to me.

Ive subsequently grown to accept and even enjoy the uniqueness of the character, but it took some time to let that one set in.

 

Honestly, I don't know how Samuel L. Jackson would've been considered for the part of reserved Jedi Master, but he must've nailed that audition because he actually pulls it off. I really grew into his character in Attack of the Clones - one unsurprisingly thing about Jackson is that he handles himself well in the action scenes.

I think he's talking about the group of pilots and security that followed the Queen onboard the shuttle (I often forget they're there since they seem to disappear when they're on Tatooine).

Also, for RedVad's post, there was an additional crew of extras operating the guns of the Millennium Falcon for the Battle of Endor, but they got cut.

 

Qui-Gon: ''Stay here on Naboo!''
Jar Jar: ''Why?''
Qui-Gon:''We need you to stay here and free more prisoners, build a resistance. Try to contact Boss Nass for help''

 

Not to the same extent. Mace illustrates the failure - and the death - of the Jedi Order. His death marks their doom and he actually abandons the democratic ideals of the Jedi, which is something Obi-Wan never does.
What's more, Mace offers other perspectives. He's a strict Jedi Master with a character all his own. IMO, he was a much needed foil for Anakin and the others. Sure, there had to be some sort of tension between Anakin and Obi-Wan as well, for dramatic purposes, but that could only be taken so far. Especially in ROTS, they have a tangible, brotherly bond. Mace's distrust towards Anakin complements that nicely, IMO.

 

Yes.

 

Nope. Very flat and uninteresting performance. Only marginally better than Christensen and Portman delivered.

 

He is an actor... Not just a "wise-cracking, sarcastic, borderline ghetto badass characters" actor....

I like his style as the cruel teacher...
The padawans should have avoided him whenever possible....

 

Oh, agreed 100%. I meant that to me it seems Jackson is somewhat typecast in such a role

Then again, if Schwarzenegger can overcome the action hero typecast and become a comedy movie star....

 

I think SLJ was a great choice for Windu, and I think he portrayed him as best as he could. He played Mace Windu as a hard *** and is responsible for one of the best lines (and best delivery of said line) in the whole Saga.

"This party's over."
Plus if it wasn't for SLJ, we wouldn't have the wicked purple saber. It helps to have some reputable actors and big names in a movie, and Jackson is just one of them.

 

FWIW, Lucas did not hire Jackson because he was famous. In fact, he points out in one of the documentaries that Sam wasn't very well known at all among 12 year olds (the target audience), as most of them had likely never seen him in a movie before.
Rather, he hired him because he is an excellent actor who really wanted the job.

 

Which still shows because he still talks with pride about playing in these movies!

 

I can't imagine the prequels without SLJ. It's actually not something I've ever questioned. While I did feel he was a bit stiff in TPM and somewhat underused in AOTC (at least until Geonosis), it's sensible that a senior member of the Jedi Council be restrained and embody the wise and reserved nature of the Jedi pre-Clone Wars. And he got some of the most important action in the whole saga what with his duel with Palpatine and Anakin's subsequent involvement.