Bones
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Post by Bones on Apr 7, 2007 6:15:30 GMT -5
I personally still think this was the best of the prequels still, even though it gets ragged on alot. It wasn't kiddie like episode I or OTT like III. So why don't you like it? The only thing that bugged me was the Annakin/Padme romance but you came say the same for III due to poor dialogue and absolutetly no chemistry between Portman and Christiansan. Unlike I it actually felt like a Star Wars film to me. When Annakin when on his little vengenge trip after his mother died perhaps might have been reason enough to turn not: Join the darkside! Annakin: Unm, okay then! Unfortunrtly Christiansan's delivery after his vengenge trip for his mother was clumbsy and poorly delivered. The whole film had a good feel about it. So like three (which i didn't think was that good and overrated personally ], why all the hate against Episode II also? I'm in a minority that actually liked II, so i'd like to hear other's thoughts.
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xkamelx
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Post by xkamelx on Apr 7, 2007 15:07:02 GMT -5
I liked Episode II as well. A ot of people rag on the Padme/Anakin scene, but some forget that their romance was crucial to the entire Star Wars story. Some of the dialog in the fields of Naboo was also better then their dialog in Episode III as well. I liked Anakin's line about how he'd be far to nervous as to tease a senator, that was a cute line. The anakin/Padme romance in episode III was corny compared to Episode II. About Anakin, we start to see shades of Darth Vader in him, especially when he is talking about a dictatorship being the perfect form of government. The introduction of Jango Fett and Boba Fett were nice; I was sure Boba Fett would have returned for Episode 3, but I guess they're saving him to be a key player in the live action Star Wars TV series set for 2009 (such a long time to wait ) But all in all, I liked episode II, but then again, I liked all 6 movies in different ways for different reasons.
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Post by Dillson on Apr 7, 2007 15:44:49 GMT -5
To be honest, I still find Episode II to be the weakest of the three prequel films. To me it just doesn't have that connection with me where I truly care about the outcome of the main battle on Geonosis. This is similar with Epside I in the battle for Naboo between the Gungans and Trade Federation battle droids but with Episode I I find the script to be a little less tacky, for want of a better word.
EP II has the role of being the transitional film in the journey of the central protagonist, Anakin, from light to dark, but to me what actually happens to Anakin himself doesn't really matter to me in this film. I think you could easily have a smooth transition of Anakin to Darth Vader by playing Episode I back to back with Episode III.
Saying that, however, I thought the dialogue where Anakin mentions having a central wise figure as the leader of a government was a good idea (basically endorsing a dictatorship) was nicely done because it shows the kind of uncertainty he has in his own mind about how things should be done and his own reservations about the current system. But in the grand scheme of things, his own naive views on politics matters little when his growing mistrust for the Jedi, the plight of Padme and the persuasive nature of Palpatine (all highlighted in Episode III instead of II) cloud his feelings far more than his own idealistic nature - although this is an important characteristic of Anakin after he completes his journey to the dark side.
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Bones
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Post by Bones on Apr 7, 2007 16:27:08 GMT -5
I disagree, i find I the weakest of the three prequels, given the premise it could've been so much more, and there's no way II is worse than I. Pod racing an overrated sith, personally i didn't think he was that good - double edged light-sabre big woop. And i believe the guy playing him was atrained dancer or something) but i found the prabcing around a bit too choreoggraphed. The final battle - also with Qui-Gon Jinn Who liked alot) reminded me too much of episode one sabre battles. It didn't really feel like a star wars film and to me over-player the effects more than the story itself.
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xkamelx
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Post by xkamelx on Apr 7, 2007 16:38:35 GMT -5
I think the reason for that may be the fact it was the middle movie of the trilogy. Much like Matrix Reloaded, it was the middle of a complete story.
Though I must admit, the ending scene with the legion of clone troopers boarding the Star Destroyer type ships with the Imperial March playing in the background as Yoda and Palpatine looking on was a powerful scene.
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Post by Dillson on Apr 7, 2007 16:57:53 GMT -5
I disagree, i find I the weakest of the three prequels, given the premise it could've been so much more, and there's no way II is worse than I. Pod racing an overrated sith, personally i didn't think he was that good - double edged light-sabre big woop. And i believe the guy playing him was atrained dancer or something) but i found the prabcing around a bit too choreoggraphed. The final battle - also with Qui-Gon Jinn Who liked alot) reminded me too much of episode one sabre battles. It didn't really feel like a star wars film and to me over-player the effects more than the story itself. The pod racing, the double bladed lightsabre and the acrobatic sith apprentice are superficial elements of the film that I don't really care for. It was the elements of the original Star Wars trilogy that matter to me - scriptwriting, characterisation, mood & atmosphere plus the fantastic plot. Episode I is weaker than the original three on all of those counts, but those elements are slightly weaker still with Episode II. As for which of these I prefer, EP I and II are almost inseperable; although I'd take EP I if I had to choose. In my opinion, Episode II is the film that follows the original SW Trilogy template the least, so to me it's the film that feels the least Star Wars-y.
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Bones
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Post by Bones on Apr 7, 2007 18:26:00 GMT -5
I personally don't think Episode: I had any of that though - decent script/script writing characterisation, mood atmoshere or fantasic plot! Not like the originals, which is why it fails. But each to their own. So how do you think II didn't follow the Star Wars template?
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Post by Dillson on Apr 7, 2007 18:33:25 GMT -5
I will admit that Episode I doesn't come close to the original trilogy on the points that I mentioned were important to me. But I still feel some of those elements still remain in places. There was still some engaging dialogue and I didn't feel the film was dictated by the action scenes in the way that Episode II was.
I felt that Episode II was just like your average action film which revolves too much around the fighting. The 'climatic' final battle, in my opinion, was anything but. As a stepping stone between Episode I and the all important Episode III, it does an adequate job but I don't think I will find it anything more than that.
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Mara
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Post by Mara on Apr 9, 2007 16:58:57 GMT -5
I still enjoyed II mostly. I did feel that there were some parts that were strained or what not.. but all the films have that, lol.
I agree that the rolling around in the daises scene was a little much... And I also agree that there could have been a bit more emphasis on the Clone Wars... all we has is a few skirmishes and Yoda saying, "Began the Clone Wars have." If he hadn't said that, would we have known they started?
Plus there were lots of silly scenes with Obi-Wan, like when he went to the diner.
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Bones
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Post by Bones on Dec 17, 2008 15:12:34 GMT -5
I watched it again last weekend, at a little of the shine had worn of this time, although it's still my favourite of the prequels. With the rolling around in the daises - if it had just been the dialogue then Annakin pretending to fall it might have been okay, if they just cut the scene there, The rolling around however, unnecessary. There love story may have been neccasarry, but I think it was the handling of it that was done very clumsily and OTT. Han and Lie's was a great part of the original as well, but then, as I will keep saying the dialogue was better - even funny. Surely they could've got the test done for the poisoned dart anywhere? Or within the republic? It kind of felt like the cafe scene was just to show off more cgi aliens. The dialogue really didn't help, Hayden's acting - well I've said it was 50/50 in the past but now I think it's more 70 - 30, and not in a good way, But the dialogue really didn't help either, especially giving Annakin these whiney teenager "It's not fair!" lines, it was hard to take seriously.
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