Saga Least Favorite Film of the Saga and Why (Locked-Use New Thread)

The Phantom Menace. Perhaps the most anticipated movie in a long time and for many, a complete messy disappointment. I guess that'd what we get for giving our hopes up. Star Wars has always largely been for kids but it has been at its best for everyone. This movie ups the kiddie factor big time. Then there is the completely uninteresting central conflict in the center of the story. The only really interesting and great part of it is the Jedi vs Sith parts. Jar Jar is insufferable and farting CGI animals, Midichloriens, and nonsense like that bog down the more serious aspects of the movie. I mean, if we jettisoned a lot of the kiddie stuff and dull plot and tightened up the writing and focus then the TPM might be just as solid and engaging as Revenge of the Sith. While the lightsaber duel is neat and much of the production design is excellent, it doesn't come close to saving the movie for me. I'm glad there are so many who love and grew up with it, but me, at the age of almost 20, left the theater wanting so much more.

 

I'm sorry I don't know why it triple posted. What the hell. Please delete two of those, mods. Stupid iPad. Sorry about that.

 

Someone is Banicidal today...

 

Since he chose the right movie selection they should let it slide

 

TFA definitely. I cant accept the excuses of copy-pasted story, dozens of plot holes, lack of SW fresh juice, neither can tolerate the neccesity to throw OT trinity under the bus just to give the audience their all around inferior copies (but younger).

 

The Empire Strikes Back, from the options given. I had most of the film's plot points spoiled for me prior to my first viewing, so the shock-and-awe factor so many have described was just never there for me. Pretty good action flick but it falls way short of being the revelatory experience it's apparently supposed to be.

Not a fan of Han and Leia's romance either, but I'm not sure my reasons are appropriate to discuss here (hint hint: they involve gender politics and consent)

 

Attack of the Clones. It’s just such a weak film. You have a dozen different plot threads going on and none of them are particularly complete or well done.

The Seperatist Crisis plays such a vital role in the story of the prequels and yet it’s under-explained and vague in the film itself. A bunch of star systems are going to secede because they’re upset about... something, but all we see is a bunch of corrupt corporate bad guys led by a Sith Lord. We’re basically told “these are the bad guys” with no explanation for why they’re wrong. Count Dooku is also an incredibly thin character and a waste of the great Christopher Lee.

And the Anakin/Padme romance, so vital to the entire saga? Just dreadful. Anakin has no reason to love Padme; he had a precocious crush on her when he was 10, but so what? He’s 19 now. I’m 19 and I can barely remember the name of my first crush. Yet Anakin is madly in love. Why? And Padme has no reason to love Anakin. They know each other for less than a month, much
of which Anakin spends acting like a creep, a psychopath, or both. Her love isn’t believable because the audience can’t tell what she sees in him.

Even the action in the film feels kind of boring. The car chase and the Jango fight feel over the top and poorly choreographed, respectively. The final battle is hard to get pumped up over because we simply aren’t very invested in rooting for the Republic or rooting against the Seperatists, as both sides just feel underdeveloped; not to mention the fact that both sides are literally composed of faceless goons.

It’s just a mess of a movie, which is a shame because it concerns such a pivotal time in the saga.

 

But I thought Leia liked Han forcing himself? She liked it didn't she?

This was one of my criticisms to TESB. Though ROTJ improved it by Han actually not being a dominant male and backing off when he's supposed to(or think he's supposed to).

 

No she didn't. She liked Han but forcing himself on her didn't do it.

 

The Phantom Menace. There's a lot in this movie that I love. Darth Maul was, visually, an imposing and striking villain. Duel of the Fates was a fantastic musical composition and perfectly accompanied one of my favourite lightsaber fights. I think Liam Neeson turned in an excellent performance as Qui-Gon, as did Ewan McGregor as the young Obi Wan.

Even at the time of it's release, I did not enjoy the special effects. The world does not feel lived in. I dislike the reflective chrome ships and the ridiculously oversized sea creatures. Most of all, I dislike the battle between the Gungans and the Trade Federation on the Grass plains of Naboo. The bright green grass and sparkling boomas tossed around by the Gungans look cheap, fake and sickly. Add Jar Jar's ridiculous antics and preposterous military credentials into the mix and you have a recipe for disaster.

I think that Jake Lloyd has been unfairly criticised for his performance in this movie. That said, the dialogue and direction of Anakin was ridiculous. A precocious child destroying a command ship and yelling "Whoo" was like something out of a kids movie. I know that Star Wars is for kids as well, but I feel that Star Wars at its best can appeal to all age groups without pandering to any. Natalie Portman's performance was rather stilted and uninspiring, though I think that may have been partially down to the direction she received.

As far as Jar Jar is concerned, I can accept him as a character. For me, Jar Jar was a well-meaning, but gaffe-prone individual who failed upwards. Jar Jar could have been regarded as a sympathetic and even noble character (whilst maintaining an element of physical comedy) had he been portrayed correctly. Unfortunately, Lucas was unable to control his penchant for slapstick and toilet humour.

 

A New Hope by a country mile. It’s never gripped me and I’ve never understood all the fuss around it. Especially peoples love of the Death Star battle at the end. Yawn!! There’s some terrible acting in there too. Don’t get me wrong it has some fantastic parts, it contributes some great stuff and it kicked off the whole thing, but it’s dated and so slow compared to the rest of the Saga.

 

I wouldn't go to that level of criticism but the Han Leia romance was not flawless. There isn't much depth to it, and apparently Lawrence Kasdan wasn't happy with the final cut because there were scenes of character development between the two that got cut out. Those deleted scenes might have made Han's advances more comfortable for you.

 

The Force Awakens. It's the ultimate special edition of ANH. The whole movie remade with today's special effects, with slight alterations to the plot.

 

This video does a decent job explaining my feelings on the whole “it’s just a copy of A New Hope” thing. (Strong language Warning)


TL;DW: They’re similar on the surface but they’re very different in substance.

 

lol

 

Clone Wars movie

 

AOTC by a country mile. The awfully scripted, awkwardly acted, woefully directed romance. Cartoonish CGI environments.
In particular the segment where Anakin searches for Shmi. He stops to question some Jawas which takes place in an outdoor set.
On his away after, there's then a strange scene with him on his speeder set against a tragically bad CGI desert backdrop. Replete with terrible lighting.

 

Even though as a complete piece of work, I think AOTC is probably the weakest SW film by a long way, I actually would have to go with TPM. Its weird, because even though I acknowledge full well that TPM isn't a bad film, I just find it the hardest to watch. When the film gets to Tatooine I tend to zone out. It becomes very boring and generic. Also, I think the childishness on display really puts me off. Yes, the SW films are all for kids. That is, they are suitable for everyone, but obviously an eight year old will get a lot more out of them than say a fifty year old. But they are not kids films, despite what Lucas says. The OT certainly didn't feel like mere films for children, and neither do AOTC, ROTS, RO or TFA. I think that's the reason why TPM succeeded in alienating a lot of people back in 1999. Lucas seemingly only cared for little kids who were going to go out and badger their parents into buying them the toys, all the while completely forgetting about the fans that grew up with the OT. I believe TPM's overly childish nature works against it.

TPM seemed to be made by someone who is completely out of touch with what kids like, strangely. The type of person who thinks the only way to make a kid laugh is to either have someone stick their tongue out or have them step in poo. Jar Jar Binks was a travesty in TPM. I've never had a problem with Binks' design, but his character in TPM is awful. He literally belongs in a pre-school cartoon. The OT didn't need characters like that to make kids happy. Why Lucas made Jar Jar Binks act the way he did I'll never know. Ridiculous decision.

 

A brilliant, well thought-out response. Thank you.

 

I'm glad you thought so.

 

There's nothing tragical about the desert matte. It's no different from the Cloud City backdrops.



Neither is supposed to convey a photorealistic mood, like much of the fantasy visuals of Star Wars.

 

Can't really agree with you there. I think photorealism was originally very much the intent of the creators of the OT, even if they didn't allways succeed. It was supposed to feel alien, but realistic nonetheless.

 

AoTC. The romance was poorly handled, Anakin is aggravating, and the film is the most dated in the way of visual affects out of the entire saga. Plus the final lightsaber duel was not on the level of all the other films.

 

SW is primarily for kids. Lucas has been saying that since before the original Star Wars came out. It just so happens that they appeal to adults as well. Is Jar Jar Binks really that far removed from Yoda in The Empire Strikes Back? I honestly don't think so. But what has always made Star Wars unique is that it does seem like it presents very adult themes for for young children. And Im sure when the cast and crew were making the original Star Wars it felt like a mere child's film to them.