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

PT Did Hayden do a good job as Anakin?

Discussion in 'Prequel Trilogy' started by Rotticus, Oct 25, 2012.

  1. Dark-Fox

    Dark-Fox Jedi Knight star 2

    Registered:
    Sep 28, 2008
    I would love to see AotC and RotS with Matt Lanter's voive dubbed over Hayden's. For me, Matt Lanter's Anakin has more range.
     
  2. Lee_

    Lee_ Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Nov 3, 2012
    Pretty much agree. He made HUGE improvements in ROTS. He was just OK in AOTC; partially to do with the movie and his part in that movie.

    It is notable that the same could be said for Hamill going from SW to ROTJ; he wasn't that great in SW, but really improved in ROTJ.
     
    kainee likes this.
  3. Rotticus

    Rotticus Jedi Knight star 1

    Registered:
    Oct 21, 2012
    Agreed. Only difference is that unlike the original trilogy, people seemed to actually LOOK for things about to prequel trilogy to complain about.... as im sure will happen with 7, 8, and 9
     
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  4. Lee_

    Lee_ Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Nov 3, 2012
    Yeah, that is just sad. I'm sure there is a big group of people that will cry foul no matter what, and will find fault with the movie like they did with Hayden's acting. I am optimistic though as far as the movies; I think the makers are keenly aware of the real weaknesses of TPM (e.g. JJ Binks type of characters) and will steer clear; I think Disney/Lucas's new people will be careful because they know a lot is riding on this first movie.
     
  5. Rotticus

    Rotticus Jedi Knight star 1

    Registered:
    Oct 21, 2012
    I really hope so... but the sad reality of it is, that it is STAR WARS and no matter what they do with it fans will pay to see it thats why they bought out Lucasfilm for 4 billion its easy money
     
  6. Lee_

    Lee_ Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Nov 3, 2012
    True, but I think it depends more on what Lucas's former company does than Disney. Disney is known for allowing creative freedom and not micromanaging movies, like they did with Marvel and their various super hero movies. The hope is that they will do the same with Star Wars, and Lucas's former company will do the right thing. Sorry to get off topic from the thread, hopeful discussion though.
     
    WIERD_GREEN_MAN likes this.
  7. IsoBanValian

    IsoBanValian Jedi Padawan star 1

    Registered:
    May 5, 2004
    Absolutely. He did as well as anyone could do with some..ahem...difficult dialogue. In fact, I'd go so far as to say his performance was better than his leading lady's. But truthfully, any shortcomings the cast really can't be blamed on them.
     
    WIERD_GREEN_MAN likes this.
  8. WIERD_GREEN_MAN

    WIERD_GREEN_MAN Jedi Knight star 4

    Registered:
    Dec 16, 2010
    Especially when you look at the past performance of some of those actors.
     
  9. Rotticus

    Rotticus Jedi Knight star 1

    Registered:
    Oct 21, 2012
    If they go that rout I have full faith in it because Lucas already wrote outlines and talked with other writers and planned this whole thing out way before he sold.
     
  10. Rotticus

    Rotticus Jedi Knight star 1

    Registered:
    Oct 21, 2012
    if you asked me Haydens performance is what made those movies so interesting...I mean he played the most important character in the whole trilogy I wasnt dissapoited one bit!
     
  11. FunintheSun

    FunintheSun Jedi Padawan

    Registered:
    Nov 6, 2011
    Just wanted to let you know if you haven't seen Takers yet, they didn't utilize him enough to get a good call on his acting. And yes, in Shatterd Glass he was unlikeable, but the real Stephen Glass was just like that. I saw him on 60 Minutes, a real sleaze. So he did well for what he had to portray.

    I agree. Hayden did have really good scenes: the confession of the Tusken genocide, at his mother's grave, when he screams he hates Obi Wan, and my personal best, when Obi Wan is telling him the council wants him to spy on Palpatine. That was a great scene for Hayden that most people don't remember. It was toned down but showed every bit of frustration and resentment he had. I don't think I can say there was a good scene for Portman who to me was far more wooden and it her acting rather than the material that was the problem. Prime example would the scene where she was telling Anakin about school retreat and swimming. The lines she had weren't bad; she just delivered them poorly so it didn't sound as if she loved the water and loved swimming.
     
  12. Rotticus

    Rotticus Jedi Knight star 1

    Registered:
    Oct 21, 2012
    What about the scene with him and Palpatine right before he confesses he is the sith lord? another good one
     
  13. FunintheSun

    FunintheSun Jedi Padawan

    Registered:
    Nov 6, 2011
    ^Yes, it is. Hayden was far better in ROTS than people want to give him credit for.
     
  14. obi-rob-kenobi4

    obi-rob-kenobi4 Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Apr 17, 2007
    Hayden is absolutely amazing as Anakin. Literally everything about his demeanor, the way he talks the way he gestures and carry's himself is all exactly Vader. The way he talks, everything. All I can see and hear is the young Darth Vader. You can tell he studied these things about Vader in the films to work them into his performance. He is second ONLY to Ewan Mcgregor when it comes to method acting in the Saga --and thats saying something!

    He can give off SO MUCH emotion in his performances in such subtle ways. Things like the tuskin confessions scene are amazing examples of this. He crys genuinely, he shivers, he actually shakes while delivering the lines. Its so powerful.

    Even when it comes to lines that some find "corny" there is still so much behind them. Like in the love story between him and padme in AOTC. Like I have said elsewhere:

    Take the scene from AOTC where anakin says the "sand" line that all the hateboys try to use as some kind of example of bad acting. In REALITY, for what it was that the scene was trying to convey, the line is actually very clever and character driven...

    Padme is describing her childhood growing up on Naboo, she goes on to say how one of her nicest memory's is lying on the sand enjoying the Naboo sun with her friends. Anakin then says he doesn't like sand and its BECAUSE he comes from a planet made up of sand, he comes from a hard, rough life of slavery. Its simply his way of saying "well I don't like my childhood...but I do like you" It is a simple metaphor for how he regards his past as well as contrasting their homes and drastically different childhoods. In fact, if anything its an awesome line.

    See...the line or the inflection in which it was delivered doesn't do ANY harm to the movie...but the hateboys DO.
     
    kainee, tuskinraiderfromhell and BDOT like this.
  15. Lord Tyrannus

    Lord Tyrannus Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Oct 18, 2012
    Seeing the handsome Hayden Christensen with long hair, yellow sith eyes, black robes, a blue lightsaber, with his beautiful voice, being Young Darth Vader, is the reason the prequel trilogy is awesome, just as good as originals, it made up for everything bad in the prequels.

    We truly lucked out. No one could have been Luke Skywalker's father better than Hayden.

    Thank you George Lucas. ^:)^O:):):cool:[:D][:D][:D][face_dancing]
     
  16. the_sinister_hologram

    the_sinister_hologram Jedi Knight star 3

    Registered:
    Nov 3, 2012
    My opinion is that it was not Hayden's fault Anakin's character was written backwards.
    From the movies alone (except parts of TPM), Anakin was never shown as a "good guy" - always irritated with his master, always questioning him, quick to do dumb action hero stuff, a liar, a mass murderer, disobeying orders and Jedi rules, putting others aside for his own personal gain, obsessed with stalking a woman, vengeful, easily manipulated and the list can continue. And all these BEFORE he officially became Darth Vader!
    By watching the movies alone, it is very hard to believe that THIS guy is the Chosen One (whatever that means).
    But the way the character turned up was not really Hayden's fault. You can see him trying to act his best and to fit in the characters shoes.
     
  17. Lord Tyrannus

    Lord Tyrannus Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Oct 18, 2012
    Hayden wasnt given bad dialogue and roles in Episode 3. Episode 3 was my favorite star wars movie out of the entire saga. It was the best. I agree. The horrible dialogue in episode 2 wasnt haydens fault. It was the guy who wrote the script. Hayden, as any other actor, like james franco, agrees to go along with it.

    Yeah. The only time Anakin was shown as a good guy, he was a whiny 9 yr old kid. He looked too short and young to be nine though. He looked like a 7 yr old. I thought Lucas said he was 10. But as much as i hated young kiddy anakin that did little to advance the story as a hero, it was nessecary to show him that way, for reasons I don't feel like explaining now, but I'll explain to you tommorow...
     
  18. Avnar

    Avnar Force Ghost star 4

    Registered:
    Sep 20, 2007
    I thought he was horrible. Sorry

    He had some moments of greatness though
     
    jedi_samuel likes this.
  19. -NaTaLie-

    -NaTaLie- Force Ghost star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 5, 2001
    Agree that he wasn't very likable (intentionally so). Keep in mind that a when he disobeyed orders it was usually to help others (his mother, his mentor, his lover). Not that different from Luke's actions in ESB.
     
  20. Lord Tyrannus

    Lord Tyrannus Jedi Padawan star 4

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    Oct 18, 2012
    It wasnt the actor himself, it was the role he was given..

    Even the role he was given wasn't bad, I loved the emotional Mustafar dialogue. "You will try".. "You will not take her from me". "My new Empire". And, the homage to Empire strikes back, he tells pregnant (with luke and leia), Padme, "I can overthrow the Chancellor, and together you and I can rule the galaxy". "You're breaking my heart", or "you turned her against me".

    All of that dialogue was simple, melodramatic, and powerful, but it worked in that situation. Let's agree to disagree. But let's also agree on this-with melodramatic emotional dialogue, you either love it (Me!^:)^:D=D==D==D=), or hate it (most star wars fans [face_shame_on_you][face_bleh][face_sick][face_sick][face_sick])

    With extreme stuff like that, you either love it or hate. Just like different kinds of music like heavy metal. Agree?
     
  21. Lord Tyrannus

    Lord Tyrannus Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Oct 18, 2012
    You just made some excellent points. It was not Hayden's fault..

    Also, what's up with the whole tragic hero plot element? You can't have a tragic hero without the hero part first. Anakin didn't seem like a hero. Even Spiderman would make a better hero than him. Agree?

    I don't think he was a stalker, but he was kinda vengeful towards the Tusken Raiders. Padme had double standards, to the extreme. When Anakin killed Jedi younglings for cheap shock value of fans, Padme died of a broken heart. When Anakin killed tuskein raiders, including women and children, Padme didn't really seem that affected by it. What order and rule did he disobey? The Chosen One means he kills the Sith. Darth Vader turned to the light side of the force, destroying his sith persona, and killed Palpatine in Return of the Jedi.

    I mean, in Episode 3, Padme is like this, when she finds out what Anakin does to the Jedi, and the younglings.


    [​IMG]

    When she finds out what he did to innocent Tusken Raiders, (not all of them hurt Shmi, some were innocent)

    [​IMG]
     
  22. SithStarSlayer

    SithStarSlayer Manager Emeritus star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Oct 23, 2003
    At least twice as good as he was in AOTC.
     
  23. Valairy Scot

    Valairy Scot Manager Emeritus star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Sep 16, 2005
    :rolleyes:

    Oh, really - maybe I need to check my gender. Yup, female, no, don't hate. I don't like the way Anakin was characterized in AoTC (and ROTS was not quite able to wipe out that impression) - Hayden did well as directed/scripted: his adolescent fits were somewhat cringe-worthy but his "loosing it" was far better.

    Oh, and Ewan: good looking (IMHO). Yup, female. No, don't hate.

    Gee, I guess at least one woman doesn't hate a male actor because he's "good looking."
     
  24. WIERD_GREEN_MAN

    WIERD_GREEN_MAN Jedi Knight star 4

    Registered:
    Dec 16, 2010
    I think what that poster meant was that men hated Hayden because their women thought he was hot.
     
  25. windu4

    windu4 Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    May 15, 2008
    I think (like every actor in the PT) Hayden fell prey to horrible dialogue and awful directing. I think if he had a better script and story to work with he would have killed it.
     
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