PDWT_12 said:

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Finished up my rewatch of this one today. Had to double check to make sure John Matrix's post wasn't mine, because I had a lot of similar thoughts. Tried not to repeat too many of them in my post below.

What I like:

The opening sequence might be the best outside of ANH and ESB. It's busy and there is a lot that I don't like (R2-D2 going all Inspector Gadget and the droids being completely incompetent), but the space battle and lightsaber duel is great.

Ewan is great as always, Ian McDiarmid is fantastic, and I'll even say that Hayden's performance is much, much better in RotS. To me though, that just proves how badly Lucas erred starting the story off with Anakin as a boy. What if Hayden could have had one more movie to really work on his portrayal before bringing it all to a conclusion? Maybe it would have helped, maybe not. He did have other roles before and after the prequels, so it's probably just me projecting.

I do like the final battle between Obi Wan and Anakin. Obviously, it's a little too heavy on the CGI, and it is a huge missed opportunity because they failed to build a real relationship on screen between the two of them, but it's still a great duel and still emotionally impactful for me.

Love getting to see Vader's "creation" and hearing that iconic breathing.

What I Don't Like:

Lucas really, really struggles to write good, natural sounding dialogue. It's better in RotS than the other two prequels, but man.

I don't understand why Grievous was needed. Actually, I do understand. Dooku had to die at Anakin's hands to show the darkness in him that Palpatine could tap into, and Grievous lays the groundwork for the evil half-man, half-machine that Anakin would become. But I don't like it. Lucas's infatuation with introducing a new secondary bad guy in each of the prequels is annoying. I don't know. I get that they are all just front-men for Palpatine and also someone to focus on rather than the Separatist council (who's motives at this point are still incredibly unclear), but I think the prequels could have been stronger if he would have cut at least one of the three between Maul, Dooku and Grievous.

I feel like Yoda's storyline on Kashyyyk is very much just Lucas saying, "See, this is what I could have done on Endor with Wookies. Oh and also here's Chewie, someone you'll remember from the first three movies. Eat this **** up people."


What I Would Change:

This is the first of the three movies where I don't have a whole lot to say here. I think RotS does the best it can with what was done in the first two installments. I think maybe I wouldn't have sent Yoda to Kashyyyk. Keep him on Coruscant and have him start investigating, trying to put together the pieces of Palpatine's plan. Would be a good opportunity for him to uncover some Sith lore and other background info that the viewers could learn through him. Maybe put Grievous on Kashyyyk instead, and send Obi Wan there to liberate the Wookies and kill Grievous. You could even use your Chewie reference here George, this could be how Obi Wan knows to approach him at the Cantina at Mos Eisley, if you're just bound and determined to throw some nostalgia at your audience.

Favorite Tracks:

1. Anakin's Dark Deeds
2. Anakin vs. Obi Wan
3. Immolation Scene


Honorable Mention: Battle of the Heroes, Enter Lord Vader, A New Hope

Williams really knew how to write for Anakin/Vader.


Side Notes:

I'm pretty sure I made a Battlefront reference in AotC post, but I'll make another one here. The Kashyyyk level was awesome, basically like a Normandy beach scenario in the Star Wars verse. There was a sort of glitch/bug though, where when the enemy (or your teammates, if you were playing as the droids) sent Droidekas across the water, they would blow up because they would be rolling underwater.




Overall, it's a good movie. Certainly the best of the prequels and with some really strong moments in it, but also some parts that really drag it down. Current rankings are:

1. Revenge of the Sith
2. The Phantom Menace
3. Attack of the Clones.


I assume we are doing Rogue One in April?

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You're right, pretty much exactly how I feel about it without the typos from my fat fingers. Also, I believe Solo will be the next one in April, then Rogue One, but I may be mistaken.

Good stuff.

Solo is April since it takes place before Rogue One.

So what are your thoughts?

Quote:

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Favorite Tracks:

1. Anakin's Dark Deeds
2. Anakin vs. Obi Wan
3. Immolation Scene

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Very similar to mine. Though Padme's Ruminations and A New Hope are kind of battling it out for #3.

In all honestly, I'm embarrassed to admit that I haven't had the chance to watch a single prequel for the rewatch yet. I'm desperately trying to finish a feature length script for my company AND a pitch for a TV project we might be doing, but should have both wrapped up in the next three weeks or so. Once those are off my plate, I can take a breath and will knock out all three prequels at once and report back.

John Matrix said:

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You're right, pretty much exactly how I feel about it without the typos from my fat fingers. Also, I believe Solo will be the next one in April, then Rogue One, but I may be mistaken.

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Copy Gold Leader. I don't know why I got those chronologies mixed up in my head for some reason.

Even though I just watched Solo last night (got to show it to someone who had never seen it), I look forward to joining you guys in April for the rewatch project

Obvious choice, but has to be Duel of the Fates.

That's the one that gets the most plays, by far.

Edit: If you mean movie soundtrack, then ROTS, I think.

Ya, I meant overall soundtrack, and that's kind of my thoughts as well. Duel of the Fates stands alone, and Across the Stars makes a good case for number 2. But I think overall, RotS might be the best soundtrack because of the quality from track to track.

Ha, PERFECT gif. In my defense, I went home to Texas for the holidays in December and ended up just staying at my parents' lake house for the next two months, to write in peace and quiet, without distraction. I literally just got back to LA last night. But I didn't want to waste money renting any of the prequels while I was back home, since I own them on Blu-ray, and the Blu-rays were here in LA. Now that I'm back, when the writing is done, the watching will commence.

Indeed. Great soundtrack, beginning to end.

Gotcha. Looking forward to hearing your updated, in depth thoughts.

That actually is kind of dope. Would've made for a cool unexpected twist.

Great, now I hate Grevious because they didn't do this.

TCTTS said:

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Question... if you guys were in charge, what would have been your version of the Clone Wars? As in, who/what would the clones have been if not Storm Troopers? The Clone Wars were obviously mentioned in Episode IV, so they had to be depicted in the prequels, but I agree that Lucas totally missed the mark with that whole thing. That said, I don't know what the alternative would have been, as Storm Troopers do seem like the obvious choice.

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This is a great question/exercise. A couple of questions/background points to consider:

1. Are Stormtroopers clones? The troopers we know from the Lucas years WERE clones until Lucas changed his mind in the 90s.

2. Did the Clone Wars revolve around cloned Jedi? That was the old EU take on it.

Personally, I do like the clone troopers from the series. Really great writing and storytelling mechanic. But, if given the reins I think my Clone Wars go like this:

The Jedi are peacekeepers and warriors, but not monks. They're knights in a very chivalric, errant sort of way. They travel the galaxy bringing peace and justice more like Arthurian heroes or samurai. There is a very rigorous mental and spiritual discipline to them. They have temples and rites, but they're also flashy, the way they were described in the original Star Wars novelization and we see in the Old Republic of the EU. But they've also grown a bit too flashy... decadent. The seeds are there for the fall.

The Jedi are heroes and the people of the Republic love them. Sidious needs to break the Jedi Order if he is going to seize power. I think this takes the form of some sort of external threat to the Republic, an invasion of a clone army that the Jedi aren't able to hold back. It's eventually revealed that this army is led by an exiled Jedi and his followers, which sows seeds of doubt and schism in the Order. It is ultimately countered by Jedi leading a Grand Army of clones of their own. That's the conflict(s) known as the Clone Wars.

I think my three movies break down as follows:

1. Obi Wan as a young Knight fighting with a group of Jedi to take a cloning facility from the enemy. No Anakin at all. Uncovers that the enemy is a former Jedi... maybe we call this a Sith but I'm not sure. Jedi win and the enemy withdraws, and the Republic starts using clones.

2. A decade later, Obi Wan is a general, fighting under the political leadership of Bail Organa. They're fighting a punitive campaign against the enemy, away from Republic space. Kenobi ends up cut off from support, relying on the brave and cunning Anakin Skywalker among other troops to help secure a measure of victory, partly because Kenobi is able to help Anakin tap into the Force at a critical moment. This is tempered by the realization that there are traitors in the ranks of the Jedi.

3. General Kenobi and his friend, pupil, and comrade Anakin are heroes of the Republic after another couple of years of fighting, but the war is wearing on all sides. When trying to rescue the kidnapped Chancellor, Anakin is soundly defeated by the fallen Jedi/Sith leader, who apparently kills Kenobi. Taunted by Palpatine, Anakin finds that his hate makes him more powerful and he rallies to kill the opposing leader, and essentially starts to come under Sidious's control. Anakin begins reprisals on enemy leaders and then Jedi traitors at Palpatine's direction, beginning to circle the eventual ultimate confrontation with his friend and (former) mentor.

I think the real key to this is getting a great reason WHY Anakin falls. Why does he choose the Dark over the Light?

I agree with you guys. It's easily the best of the prequels but still a missed opportunity.

We now have the three worst Star Wars films out of the way. Bring on some good movies!

double aught said:

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We now have the three worst Star Wars films out of the way. Bring on some good movies!

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Agree. My body is ready.

Quote:

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the Ewoks are great characters that actually serve a purpose.

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Their purpose, which even 16-year-old me observed in May 1983, was to sell a bunch of toys. But yes, they did play a role in defeating the Empire.

But your implication is that Jar Jar Binks serves absolutely no purpose is bunk. Without a mental midget who is incredibly open to suggestion, how the hell does Palpatine rise from mere Chancellor to supreme leader with unlimited power to do what must be done to quell the separatist movement?

I always wonder how close Palps might have been to using the force during their escape from GG's ship. LIke when they are all falling down the elevator shaft or when the ship breaks in half. Would have loved a moment when he stands up and Force shoves Anakin out of the pilot chair and uses the dark side to land the ship like he was putting it down on a pillow.

I'm watching this right now on TNT. I still can't believe how bad the dialogue is between Padme and Anakin.

TCTTS said:

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Ha, PERFECT gif. In my defense, I went home to Texas for the holidays in December and ended up just staying at my parents' lake house for the next two months, to write in peace and quiet, without distraction. I literally just got back to LA last night. But I didn't want to waste money renting any of the prequels while I was back home, since I own them on Blu-ray, and the Blu-rays were here in LA. Now that I'm back, when the writing is done, the watching will commence.

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Screw you Hollywood! You don't know Texas! You're too liberal! Rabble rabble rabble!

Just kidding. Still want to have a beer with you and spend half the time being nerds and the other half discussing politics.

Ha, would love to. Down any time.

When this came out, I thought it was easily the best of the prequels, but found it very hard to watch when it was on tv a little while ago. Other than the score, everything is just so bad. It's better than AOTC but about even with TPM. Waited my whole life to see how Anakin became Vader and they laid a huge egg.