The re-release and Special Editions of the Original Trilogy raised the bar very high for everyone only a few years before Ep 1 came out. The OT was all about action and iconic moments and explosions. Stuff Lucas wrote when he was in his 20s and made as a younger adult.
Then Episode 1 shows up after years of anticipation and it’s about a child with some very child-focused moments (because Lucas did make this a more kid-friendly movie because of his kids and being in his 50s). So it just feels very jerky and segmented, with mixed focus about establishing a big plot and then…what, blood flukes cause The Force? Jar Jar was too distracting, and most of the acting was very wooden except for a few good moments for Portman, Neson and MacGregor. Product tie-ins were on par with Stranger Things - everywhere and everything. I see more parallels to the movie Hook in Ep. 1 than I do with other Star Wars IP at this point. It’s like a highly-produced stylized caricature of itself.
Fans were in shock a bit because it wasn’t a particularly amazing movie, and when making comparisons that were inevitable, other than visual likeness, it just felt a universe away (no pun intended).
And it’s basic story-centered aspects. This guy did a series of videos where he made basic changes to the Prequel Trilogy, and yeah, he’s right. His concept is a better story.
Important note - this guy 100% called 50% robo-Darth Maul years before Dave Filioni did it in Clone Wars.
By that point, it was too late. Fan hate set the tone and Ep. 2 was years away to balance things out. And Ep. 2 isn’t terrible IMO, it just didn’t capture anyone. I actually like Ep 3. because it starts to bring in more starfighter action and some fun moments with a serious end.
Watching all 3 movies in a row completely negates all of the feels at the time, the huge lull between movies, and the comparison to the OT as the standard.
Velypso@sh.itjust.works 1 day ago
You dont get the hate for the movies?
Poorly acted main character - yes child version and adult version, shit ass villian in 2 and partially 3, racist caricature of bojangles in 1 and 2, padme dies of “sadness”, the “objectively good” jedi gamble a childs life, fucking star wipes for every damn scene change, poorly fleshed out bad guys in 1, lame justification for senate take over.
criss_cross@lemmy.world 1 day ago
There’s a weird subset of people that got introduced to these films through the memes that didn’t watch the films without that. So when it’s not The Room level bad they think it’s okay. Not realizing these were major blockbusters at the time with insane marketing. Expectations are a bit different lol.
After watching the sequels I personally appreciate the attempt at telling a different story and if some of the motifs were fleshed out they could have been real cool (like the Jedi being more of the bad guys in the beginning). But they didn’t and the execution, for all of the reasons you mentioned, is atrocious.
And yeah the amount of racist caricatures in the films is absurd.
Jomega@lemmy.world 19 hours ago
I think there’s a bigger demographic of people who just saw these movies as kids when their standards were lower and are too blinded by nostalgia to see their flaws. I remember really liking them when I was 8 years old, (especially RotS) and I’m sure I’m not the only one. These days I’m much more critical of course, but some part of me can’t help but the things this very flawed trilogy got right.
I’m not going to defend the very racially coded aliens though. That shit’s cringe as fuck.
mr_satan@lemmy.zip 18 hours ago
I saw the movies when I was a child. I remember pod racing, cool red guy with horns and lightsabers. Shit was cool, I liked it.
Now I haven’t seen the movies since then and I can’t bring myself to. Tried to watch the new Disney ones and they were just boring as fuck.
I would agree with your theory about different expectations.
I recently watched Game of Thrones and I was confused about all the hate I’ve remember when the show aired.
I wathced the show for the first time and didn’t have all the same expectations as someone who was hyped for it when it aired. And I just liked it, yes the end felt rushed, but it’s nothing to riot about. It wasn’t bad and I was in the similar boat with this show as with Star Wars.
FinjaminPoach@lemmy.world 14 hours ago
RotS is truly good unless lone delivrty is everything to you
Daft_ish@lemmy.dbzer0.com 22 hours ago
Remember the 3 year run up where they screened the remastered originals? Yeah, the hype was at such high levels after starving every one out 20 years that the only option was disappointment.
criss_cross@lemmy.world 21 hours ago
I remember the McDonalds Monopoly game where you collected episode 1 characters and every restaurant had a Jar Jar Binks cutout proudly on display (these all went away for episode 2 and 3 lol)
nomecks@lemmy.wtf 1 day ago
You forgot Jarjar was actually a sith and Lucas pussied out due to fan backlash
Siethron@lemmy.world 1 day ago
Would have been a great reveal too.
yngmnwntr@lemmy.ml 1 day ago
I don’t think Jarjar has a canon death. He could come back as an older, darker, more serious villain in Mandalorian or something. Grogu vs. Jarjar.
Lawnman23@lemmy.world 1 day ago
Please, tell us how you really feel about the prequels.
SaharaMaleikuhm@feddit.org 1 day ago
Exactly the prequels and the originals are shit. The new trilogy is where it’s at! Great writing, amazing actors, better CGI.