A not so long time ago in a galaxy... well, this galaxy, three movies were released to expand upon the immensely popular "Star Wars" saga. These movies, which served as precursors to the previous three, were cast down as terrible movies that are largely ignored by the die hard original trilogy fans. However, are they as bad as everyone says they are?
Now, before I am forced to walk the plank by the millions of lightsaber wielding fans, I want to say that I also believe that the three most recent films in this saga are the weakest. Having said that, there are some truly amazing and great moments that are often overshadowed by trade disputes, terrible political allegories and the character-who-must-not-be-named.
Since the newest installment of the "Star Wars" saga, "The Force Awakens," is arriving in theaters this December and since the Pope just recently visited the United States, it's time to absolve the prequel trilogy of their sins and look on the bright side of what are considered the weakest of the "Star Wars" films.
"The Phantom Menace"
This is arguably the worst of the three black sheep in the Star Wars Saga, but there are some surprisingly good moments and scenes in "Phantom Menace." The choreography in this movie and its two successors is lightyears ahead of the original trilogy. One only has to look to the final battle towards the end of the movie between Qui-Gon Jinn, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Darth Maul on Naboo. The sheer athleticism of Ray Park (Darth Maul) and the swordsmanship of all three characters makes for a compelling and surprisingly suspenseful climax.
While on the subject of Darth Maul, this was a cool character who's potential was ultimately wasted. The menace (heh) that dripped off him without uttering more than two lines of dialogue was palpable, and he really seemed like a legitimate threat to the heroes. He even managed to kill a major character (only to this movie as he's only mentioned in passing throughout the rest of the trilogy) before being sliced in half. He managed to create such an impression on the universe that he was ultimately resurrected in "The Clone Wars" series.
Seeing the origins of some of the most well known characters in the franchise as well as the world building in general could be applauded in this film. Seeing a padawan, Obi-Wan Kenobi, that does not have the restraint at times that the elder Ben Kenobi had was great to see, as well as the Jedi Order before it was only one green alien on a swamp planet. It really showed audiences what the Star Wars galaxy was like before the Empire gained control and was a nice window into the past.
"Attack of the Clones"
Episode II managed to put a mystery element into the saga that I really found compelling with the disappearance of Kamino from the Jedi archives and Obi-Wan's unraveling of a plot to make a clone army. It was an interesting story that made up for the (un)exciting blockades of planets due to trading issues with racist fish people. The space battle between Obi-Wan and Jango Fett through the asteroid field as well as their fight on Kamino were great action pieces, and who can forget the final battle on Genosis with the clone army, the Jedi knights, and the battle droids duking it out as Dooku, Obi-Wan, Anakin and surprisingly the frail, yet acrobatic, Yoda fight for their lives? It was an epic conclusion to the middle segment of the trilogy.
The inclusion of Boba Fett as a young boy, whose father served as the template for the clone army was also a true fanboy moment for yours truly, and I wish they would have checked back on him during "Sith." Also the inclusion of the late Christopher Lee as the fallen Jedi Count Dooku was a stroke of genius, as it not only added another prolific actor to the prequel trilogy (Liam Neeson and Samuel L. Jackson also spring to mind) but also paid tribute to the original trilogy, since both Lee and Peter Cushing who played Grand Moff Tarkin in "A New Hope" appeared in the Hammer Horror movies of the 60's and 70's. Lee adds a gravitas to the words he speaks, making his performance a star next to this trilogy's record.
The buildup of Anakin and Padme's romance, though excruciatingly drawn out as it is, ended up really building these characters' relationship enough that the eventual fall of Anakin was that more painful. You really want them to be able to live happily ever after, even though their love is a forbidden one. The tragedy of Anakin losing his mother and the slaughter of the Tusken Raider camp is a surprisingly horrifying scene. The anger and hatred really shows in Hayden Chirstensen's acting, and though he may have some rougher moments in other scenes, ("I don't like sand. It's coarse and rough and irritating and it gets everywhere") this moment really shows the struggle with his emotions.
"Revenge of the Sith"
The emotional scenes in "Revenge of the Sith" were very well done, such as the Order 66 eradication of the Jedi as Yoda collapses in despair and pain or the scene in which Obi-Wan laments Anakin's fall to the dark side as he burns up from the lavas of Mustafar. Ewan McGregor really sold the brotherhood that he and Anakin shared during that scene and showed just how much Anakin meant to him. It's honestly one of the best performances in the "Star Wars" saga. Even some of the more mood setting scenes work really well, such as Palpatine telling Anakin the Tragedy of Darth Plageius the Wise in the Opera House. It is a haunting scene that really shows the two characters and their ultimate goals.
The action in this film is arguably the best in the prequel trilogy and even rivals some of the fights in the originals. The space battles and lightsaber duels as well as the scenes of the Clone Wars were adrenaline pumpers and really harkened back to some of the most memorable scenes in Star Wars history. The character of General Grievous was also an amazing addition to this film, and the fact that he could wield four lightsabers was mind-blowing. Though he fell short on the threat level in the end, it was still a cool design for a neat concept.
While Anakin's fall to the dark side was slightly abrupt and some scenes featuring Hayden Christensen were (again) a bit on the terribly acted side, the film really showed how much he had to lose, and succeeded in making him a tragic figure through the raising of the stakes with his wife, Padme. Seeing his motivations and decisions firsthand gave some interesting insight to the character that would become one of the most sinister figures in cinema history: Darth Vader.
Ultimately the prequel trilogy has better effects and choreography than the original trilogy because with the growth of technology comes the growth of special effects in the movie. However, the lack of practical sets compared to blue or green screen effects and the overuse of computer generated elements cause these movies to seem, surprisingly, more fake than their forefathers. Regardless of whether or not these films should be considered amazing or terrible, the fact of the matter is that the hype and buildup of these films made it impossible for them to be seen in a positive light as compared to "A New Hope," "The Empire Strikes Back" or "Return of the Jedi." Those movies have cemented themselves in film history as pioneers in their field. What "Phantom Menace," "Attack of the Clones" and "Revenge of the Sith" should be praised for was their ability to take us back into that time long, long ago and to that galaxy far, far away.
