Did the Story of Anakin Skywalker Satisfy?

[David Octavius]

Since there is another Star Wars movie coming out and there seems to be a few fans on the site, I am wondering from your perspective, did the prequels did a good job telling the story of how Anakin became Darth?

As a person who is not familiar with Stars Wars beyond the main movies but thinks telling the story how the biggest bad ass in the galaxy came to be is a fascinating concept, I must confess that I was a little disappointing.

I think the story itself is believable one - trying to save the person he loves ultimately becomes his undoing - but the acting was too wooden and didnt have the sense of adventure or humor the original movies did.

What are you opinions and how would you of liked to see it unfold if you told the story?

[7960]

Originally Posted by David Octavius

...did the prequels did a good job telling the story of how Anakin became Darth?

I don't think so.

As a person who is not familiar with Stars Wars beyond the main movies but thinks telling the story how the biggest bad ass in the galaxy came to be is a fascinating concept, I must confess that I was a little disappointing.

Same here.

I think the story itself is believable one - trying to save the person he loves ultimately becomes his undoing - but the acting was too wooden and didnt have the sense of adventure or humor the original movies did.

I don't know if it was the acting or if it was the story. I've read that (as expected) the books make the movie look like a joke. But never having read the books I thought the movies were pretty good. The one thing I was disappointed in (well, two) was how vader became vader, and how the emperor became the emperor. Sure the movies showed it but it seemed way too hurried...almost like they got to the end and thought "hmm, there's something missing...OH FUCK WE DIDN'T EXPLAIN VADER!!" and then went back and threw a few scenes in.

Having said that, though, I think I got way more out of 1, 2, and 3 for having watched 4, 5, and 6 first and then going back to watch 1/2/3. My kids watched them in order and they thought the movies were good. But I think they missed something for having watched the characters develop linearly. I think it was cool that we saw vader at his peak and then went back to see him develop. It was almost like the 4/5/6 put the question "but how did he become evil?" in my head and made me want to go figure it out.

[RMNIXON]

Explain I will!




Get over the Pod Races, Midi-chlorians, and JAR JAR Binks and understand youn Anakin had no known father and his mother was a slave. As a young Jedi he is unable to save his mother from torture and death at the hands of the Sand People. He experiances much anger and self doubt. When his abilities as a Jedi are strong the Jedi Council is cautious and he considers this a punishment and rejection, although it is not. His very accurate vision of the death of Padme in childbirth leads to desperation. The Dark Side is offered as a solution without full knowledge of the consequences. It turns out the Dark Side of Anakin sets in motion the very events that lead to the death of Padme. But now he is so full or paranoia and wanting a quick and easy way to more power he can no longer understand the chain of events. He returns in Episode IV as a mechanical shell removed from his former life. His growing awareness of Luke Skywalker as his son brings what is left of his former self back before his own death.

[RMNIXON]

Originally Posted by 7960

I don't think so.

Same here.

I don't know if it was the acting or if it was the story. I've read that (as expected) the books make the movie look like a joke. But never having read the books I thought the movies were pretty good. The one thing I was disappointed in (well, two) was how vader became vader, and how the emperor became the emperor. Sure the movies showed it but it seemed way too hurried...almost like they got to the end and thought "hmm, there's something missing...OH FUCK WE DIDN'T EXPLAIN VADER!!" and then went back and threw a few scenes in.

That scene was way over the top for me. The Emperor in particular. It was enough that he was promised a way to save Padme to secure a misguided loyality without all those dramatics. Very comic book.



And the weakness in all three Pre-Starwars IV films is poor dialogue and plot with an Lucas obsession with special effects.

[lew]

No, the prequels were gay.


They took the biggest badass in the galaxy and showed him out much of a pussy he was when he was young.

They were horrible.

[lew]

Originally Posted by 7960

I don't think so.

Same here.

I don't know if it was the acting or if it was the story. I've read that (as expected) the books make the movie look like a joke. But never having read the books I thought the movies were pretty good. The one thing I was disappointed in (well, two) was how vader became vader, and how the emperor became the emperor. Sure the movies showed it but it seemed way too hurried...almost like they got to the end and thought "hmm, there's something missing...OH FUCK WE DIDN'T EXPLAIN VADER!!" and then went back and threw a few scenes in.

Having said that, though, I think I got way more out of 1, 2, and 3 for having watched 4, 5, and 6 first and then going back to watch 1/2/3. My kids watched them in order and they thought the movies were good. But I think they missed something for having watched the characters develop linearly. I think it was cool that we saw vader at his peak and then went back to see him develop. It was almost like the 4/5/6 put the question "but how did he become evil?" in my head and made me want to go figure it out.

You also get the effect of "HOLY SHIT VADER IS LUKE'S FATHER" when you watch the prequels last.


If you watch it linearly, that whole effect is lost. In my mind, the only way to watch them is to watch 4/5/6 first and then 1/2/3.

[motivez]

I thought it was way too hurried, like he became Vader and was willing to kill all the young jedi and everything in 5 minutes? I would have liked to see it develop more slowly over the course of the movie..

And I mean, it kind of did, even before movie 3.. but not nearly as explicitly as it should have IMO.

That said, they were still good movies. Unlike most people, I didn't really mind Jar Jar that much. The Midi-chlorians was kinda fucked up, because it meant you had to be born with the ability to become a Jedi, and it wasn't something you could just learn

[lew]

Originally Posted by motivez

I thought it was way too hurried, like he became Vader and was willing to kill all the young jedi and everything in 5 minutes? I would have liked to see it develop more slowly over the course of the movie..

And I mean, it kind of did, even before movie 3.. but not nearly as explicitly as it should have IMO.

That said, they were still good movies. Unlike most people, I didn't really mind Jar Jar that much. The Midi-chlorians was kinda fucked up, because it meant you had to be born with the ability to become a Jedi, and it wasn't something you could just learn

I wouldn't have minded the Midi-chlorians.....except that they were never brought up again. And they play zero relevance in 4-6.

Seriously, 1-3 were just plain horrible. The plot would bring up things and never bring them up again. Completely stupid. And here we had 3 movies, and Anakin transforms into Vader in literally less than 5 minutes. It made no sense.

Also, the CGI was way overdone. I mean, they didn't use one real stormtrooper outfit. It was all CG. Give me a break.

I enjoyed various aspects of the movies and whenever they're on TV, I watch them if nothing else is on. I just can't stand so much about the movies.


Like another thing, the second movie is titled "Attack of the Clones." From the title, you would expect clones to be in the movie a lot and that they clones would be attacking the heroes. But neither was true. In this case, it's not even that the story was that bad (I do think Episode II was the best of the 3), but the title of the movie doesn't match the plot of the movie at all.



Lucas fucked up so many things with these movies, they could have been the biggest selling films of all time if he would have done them right.

[RMNIXON]

Originally Posted by motivez

I thought it was way too hurried, like he became Vader and was willing to kill all the young jedi and everything in 5 minutes? I would have liked to see it develop more slowly over the course of the movie..

And I mean, it kind of did, even before movie 3.. but not nearly as explicitly as it should have IMO.

That said, they were still good movies. Unlike most people, I didn't really mind Jar Jar that much. The Midi-chlorians was kinda fucked up, because it meant you had to be born with the ability to become a Jedi, and it wasn't something you could just learn

The problem was too much Jar Jar. I read that he had more screen time than any other character in the first movie. Lucas became entranced by creating a CGI character and went overboard! And the whole notion of midi-chlorians were dumb for the very reason you mention, and that it tried to reduce the FORCE to blood chemistry. As a result Jar Jar became almost invisible and Midi-chlorians were off the script by movie two.


And I agree that turn to total evil was hurried, it would have been better if there was a final confrontation with the Jedi Council to set him off.


David O' must be loving this thread!

[RMNIXON]

All the Voters need to know!

[jimeigh]

Originally Posted by RMNIXON

All the Voters need to know!

i dont get it

[motivez]

Originally Posted by jimeigh

i dont get it

Pretty much everyone hated and despised Jar Jar.. and he's for Paul, so he's like endorsement you don't want!

[jimeigh]

Originally Posted by motivez

Pretty much everyone hated and despised Jar Jar.. and he's for Paul, so he's like endorsement you don't want!

oic

[Stylerod]

Luckily, though I loved the Star Wars movies, I wouldn't consider myself a "follower". I go to the movies to be entertained. I remember seeing Ep 4 and being blown away. Then Ep 5 and being upset with how they left us all hanging. Ep 6 was great except the corny ending. But all in all I liked them for the movies they were. I didn't "over think" them like people do.

Same with Ep 1. It was a decent film. And yes I thought Jar-Jar was overdone and the bad aliens having Japanese accents were stupid. But I was entertained. Ep 2 was good, but not great. Ep 3 I thought was the best. I liked how dark it was and it had some great fight sequences.

You guys talking about midi-chlorians??? WTF is that? I have seen the new movies at least twice each and I still have no idea what you are talking about. That is a new word to me.

Anyway, I liked they way they developed Anakin. I felt he gave a great performance in Ep 3 and was really believable as a haunted soul.

[jimeigh]

Originally Posted by Stylerod

You guys talking about midi-chlorians??? WTF is that? I have seen the new movies at least twice each and I still have no idea what you are talking about.

you're bad at watching movies, then.

in ep 1. qui gon jin takes a blood sample from anakin when there on some balcony. later it's revealed that anakin's blood has a higher midi-chlorian count than yoda. midi-chlorians are explained as these microscopic thingers in the blood that give jedis the ability to use the force like they do.

it's been made fun of on so many occasions i'm surprised this is the FIRST time you've heard of it.

[Stylerod]

Originally Posted by jimeigh

you're bad at watching movies, then.

in ep 1. qui gon jin takes a blood sample from anakin when there on some balcony. later it's revealed that anakin's blood has a higher midi-chlorian count than yoda. midi-chlorians are explained as these microscopic thingers in the blood that give jedis the ability to use the force like they do.

it's been made fun of on so many occasions i'm surprised this is the FIRST time you've heard of it.

I remember them saying his abilities might be higher than Yoda's.

I have watched 6 movies, this is talked about in one? Once? Big fucking deal. And why would you be surprised that this is my first time? Maybe YOUR friends make fun of words from Star Wars movies, but I guess I don't hang around the same crowd

[jimeigh]

Originally Posted by Stylerod

I remember them saying his abilities might be higher than Yoda's.

I have watched 6 movies, this is talked about in one? Once? Big fucking deal. And why would you be surprised that this is my first time? Maybe YOUR friends make fun of words from Star Wars movies, but I guess I don't hang around the same crowd

nah man. you're just bad at watching movies. i mean, you remember when they said his abilities might be better than yodas... that was in the same breath that they talked about the midichlorians.

in fact i think when he was on the balcony, he explained to lil anakin what midichlorians were, and then LATER he talked about how anakin's midichlorian count was higher than yodas.

i'm not a star wars nerd by any means, but shit. come on.

[lew]

Originally Posted by Stylerod

I remember them saying his abilities might be higher than Yoda's.

I have watched 6 movies, this is talked about in one? Once? Big fucking deal. And why would you be surprised that this is my first time? Maybe YOUR friends make fun of words from Star Wars movies, but I guess I don't hang around the same crowd

Yeah, you must be bad at movies if you somehow missed the midichlorians. They're pivotal to the plot of the entire movie. They're the whole reason that they took Anakin off the planet.

[jimeigh]

my bad. i just watched the movie. here are some of the moments when they brought up midichlorians

he took a blood sample from anakin and told him it was to test for infections. he tells obi wan to analyze it for midichlorians. obi wan says, "zomg it's off the charts. it's XYZ amount! master yoda's midi count isnt even that high" and qui gon says, "no one's is."

then qui gon is in front of the council telling them all how anakin was apparently concieved by the midichlorians (this is why anakin has no father), his midichlorian count is higher than anyone he's ever seen, and that they should train him, because this means he's The One who will bring balance to the force.

and anakin asks qui gon what midichlorians are because yoda was talking about them, and qui gon explains what they are. in summation they are in all living cells, because without them there is no life, and they are what makes jedi's special because jedis can "listen" to them.