main
side
curve
  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

PT Why prequels considered weaker stories despite being more complex than the original movies?

Discussion in 'Prequel Trilogy' started by Barkey Foreman, Mar 11, 2014.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. Barkey Foreman

    Barkey Foreman Jedi Youngling

    Registered:
    Mar 10, 2014
    I cannot understand why the prequel Star Wars trilogy gets so much bash for its story while the original is revered like a sacred cow. Every people who watched all movies always state the prequels plot is terrible while praising the classic as one of the greatest Sci Fi plots of all time.



    Even taking into account of how revolutionary it was, the original trilogy WAS straight forward good vs evil story. There is little character development and what is there is so predictable and cliched in modern standards. In fact even back in its day, the original trilogy is itself a cliche storms of Sci Fi tropes. I mean try comparing Luke to Buck Rogers?

    They're no masterpiece but the prequel trilogy has a lot more indepth character development. Look at high Jar Jar Binks went from a doofus to a prominent politicians. Anakin Skywalker is much more complex and more shades of his personality is shown in the movies than Luke Skywalker. Obi Wan too is fleshed out compared to his counterpart in the original trilogy.

    I can go on and one but technically the prequel trilogy is MORE COMPLEX than the 1970s one. So why do people-including professional critics like Roger Ebert-consider the new trilogy so damn weak in storytelling but praises the roiginal like masterpieces (even though they were incredibly cliched).
     
    skyrimcat9416 likes this.
  2. MrCody

    MrCody Jedi Knight star 1

    Registered:
    Dec 4, 2013
    I agree with you. I think the prequels have alot more going on than the originals, that is why i think people get confused or say there is no story line going on. At the end of the day but they are one massive story all together.
     
    skyrimcat9416 likes this.
  3. Samuel Vimes

    Samuel Vimes Force Ghost star 4

    Registered:
    Sep 4, 2012
    Very short and quick answer.
    Because Complex =/= Good and Simple =/= Bad.

    The PT have a more complex story sure, but that in of itself doesn't make it good.
    What makes it good or bad is how well it is told.
    And to me, the OT is a simple story told very well while the PT is a more complex story told less well.

    Simple as that.

    Bye for now.
    The Guarding Dark
     
  4. Samnz

    Samnz Jedi Grand Master star 3

    Registered:
    Sep 4, 2012
    My opinion: Because the Prequels were unconventional, in a lot of ways, and some people ("every" and "always" is not an accurate statement) didn't like that.

    Whenever you deprive people of their accustomed conventions, you'll leave them unoriented and that leads to polarizing positions. Just consider the many alarming similarities between many vocal haters and Anakin (as displayed in the PT) ... I can understand why they would get scared :)
    I'll never understand them, though, since I also hold the view that the PT is clearly superior in character and plot development. But everyone's different and that's fine. I don't have to understand them, I only have to tolerate and respect their diverging opinion. "Fighting will not change it." (Qui-Gon) :)

    In honesty, it is what it is. We shoudn't underestimate the SE's ramifications, if you ask me. You really shouldn't buy into the internet too much, though. Respectable sources like Gallup, CinemaScore and even audience awards like PCA speak another truth.

    Btw, I don't quite understand how you came to that conclusion regarding Roger Ebert. That quote from his TPM review ....
    .... indicates he had never thought of SW movies as the pinnacle of "sophisticated" storytelling.
     
    Iron_lord likes this.
  5. Vialco

    Vialco Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Mar 6, 2007
    I like the Prequels more than the Original Trilogy. Better villains, more complex story lines and much better visuals.
     
  6. Force Smuggler

    Force Smuggler Force Ghost star 7

    Registered:
    Sep 2, 2012
    The OT tells the simple story better, which makes it extraordinary.
    The PT tells a flawed complex story and fails for the most part.
     
  7. Cushing's Admirer

    Cushing's Admirer Chosen One star 7

    Registered:
    Jun 8, 2006
    For some, like me, the PT is NOT more complex. The OP also makes sweeping generalisations that do not apply to me or some felllows that prefer the OT. Nor is the OT a 'straight good and evil story'. Everything in SW is grey and it starts in ANH to me.
     
  8. Alexrd

    Alexrd Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    Jul 7, 2009


    That's simply not true.
     
  9. Cushing's Admirer

    Cushing's Admirer Chosen One star 7

    Registered:
    Jun 8, 2006
    The plot's not terrible for me it's the execution/presentation and dialogue that could use tweaking but the story/plot itself isn't awful. Nor do all of us that prefer the OT treat it as a scared cow. I don't.
     
  10. Slowpokeking

    Slowpokeking Jedi Master star 5

    Registered:
    Sep 21, 2012
    Actually, PT's overall theme and plot is better than OT.

    However, despite being a good storymaker, Lucas wasn't good at story telling and directing, so he was unable to present such a complex story and massive characters well enough in 3 movies. There were simply too much too show. The Jedi, the Clone Wars, Dooku and Maul simply got too little time. For fans who watched TCW and other EU, we could see how awesome the overall story of PT is, but for the general movie audience, meh. Also like many male author, Lucas wasn't good at writing romance story. Han and Leia's wasn't better either, just the actor's performance and lines saved it, nor did it play a huge role in the story.

    I always think if the PT is like LotR, each has 3 hours and even longer in the extended edition, the story could have been told better.
     
    Force Smuggler and Iron_lord like this.
  11. Garrett Atkins

    Garrett Atkins Jedi Knight star 4

    Registered:
    Feb 11, 2013
    It doesn't about the complexity of the story.

    It's execution that matters most. Which the prequels failed to do in some ways IMO.
     
  12. Slowpokeking

    Slowpokeking Jedi Master star 5

    Registered:
    Sep 21, 2012
    Actually it does matter, complex story require better skill to present it in a 2-3 hours film, which is a big problem of PT.
     
  13. Slowpokeking

    Slowpokeking Jedi Master star 5

    Registered:
    Sep 21, 2012
    Also I think the characterization of Anakin is understandable but well...

    Lucas tried very hard to show us how tragic and sympathetic Anakin's character and downfall is, so he gave us his most immature or panic stage in EP II and EP III. So in quite a few people's eyes he was being too whiny and weak. If he could have shown us more of his heroic moment in TCW it could have been better. I also like EP III novel's Anakin(after the downfall) since he is much darker and tougher. Again this showed Lucas was unable to present his good concept well enough in the movies. I don't understand why so many people blamed Hayden, he is just the actor who was playing what Lucas asked him to.

    Some OT fans also thought Anakin must fit Obi Wan's description in OT 100%, despite the OT itself showed us that's not, at least not all of Anakin Skywalker.
     
    Iron_lord likes this.
  14. Garrett Atkins

    Garrett Atkins Jedi Knight star 4

    Registered:
    Feb 11, 2013
    That's what I said (I didn't come real clear at first)
     
  15. Slowpokeking

    Slowpokeking Jedi Master star 5

    Registered:
    Sep 21, 2012
    I really think it would have been the best for Lucas to be the handler of the overall theme and story, but let someone else to direct the movies and let someone else to write the script based on his story.
     
  16. skyrimcat9416

    skyrimcat9416 Jedi Knight star 1

    Registered:
    Nov 1, 2013
    Nostalgia. That's why.
     
    SarlacsDinerParty likes this.
  17. SithStarSlayer

    SithStarSlayer Manager Emeritus star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Oct 23, 2003
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.