oyuki

Thursday, May 19, 2005

Star Wars Episode III

Well I survived a midnight showing of what is supposed to be the final movie of the Star Wars franchise. Really. George Lucas said so.

Lets say the theatre was pretty full. And it seemed a large cohort of friends were in attendance and they seemed a bit boisterous. Did not want to know how come, though on a couple occasions did wish for a thermal detonator to calm them down. Luckily when the movie finally showed they settled down.

Had to suffer through commercials and trailers. One of the trailers after watching it, I said aloud “That is Macross Plus.” A person one row down agreed with me. The movie is called Stealth. Methinks will pass. Also saw a trailer for Chronicles of Narnia movie which is due out on December 9th. Looks like they used the effects crew from LotR.

But finally at last we got to see the movie we paid money for. The warning lights started flashing with the scrolling intro, which said ‘there were heroes on both sides.’ Say what?

If you thought the tender scenes in Episode II between Anakin and Padme were bad, there are some in III that are worse. You have been warned.

The transformation of the Republic into the Empire seemed to pretty much mirror the transformation of Weimar Germany into the Third Reich. Even had a Night of the Long Knives when the SS exterminated the SA. In the movie, it was the clone troopers, with Anakin’s help, killing off the Jedi order.

So for a while, as I sat in the dark theater, I was thinking those comments by Lucas in Cannes had to be misquotes. Until one scene in the movie. I think I understand how it slipped by. But still it is pretty incredible it did. Senator Organa has to attend a special session of the Senate. That is what Organa, Obi-Wan, and Yoda are discussing when Yoda makes as a comment ‘when special session of Congress.’ That pretty much settled it in my mind that George Lucas needs a few clues and those quotes were true. I wonder if in later versions of this movie, that goof will be changed? I bet so because it is pretty blatant this goof. And digital theatres will allow upgrades while a movie is still in its first run, maybe that is why Lucas wants digital theatres so he can quickly and without hardcopy evidence alter goofs in his movies.

Speaking of editing things. Considering things that happened in Episode III, before the next release of Episode VI it will have to be edited to reflect the Episode III continuity.

Oh did I mention George Lucas can not write a coherent script? One of the incidents that turns Anakin against the Jedi Council is them asking him to report on everything the Chancellor does since Anakin is his confidante. Later in the movie we see Obi-Wan reviewing security holograms inside the Chancellor’s quarters. I do not think I need to spell it out further.

And George Lucas might succeed with the last images of Padme to annoy Christians since how she is dressed is very reminiscent of the Virgin Mary. Luckily Christians are not jihadis so the worse he can expect is them boycotting the movie.

Well that is my review of the movie without giving out any spoilers.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I don't really can say what I think about the movie. I expected it to be worse (remembering I & II). The best thing is that Lukas didn't try to be too funny. The action is not too bad, but the characters are wooden and the plot is totally messed up. Somebody at "aintitcoolnews" wrote it delivers like a rushed homework. That nailed it.

Anna said...

Episode III I think will be justly labeled as a cotton-candy movie. It seems there is a story there, but when you look all you see is vague coloured gauze.

I think Lucas tried to cram into one movie three different styles of film. The doomed love story of Padme and Anakin[When Padme begged Anakin to flee far away I instead heard Juliet tell Romeo 'Deny thy father's name!']. The action movie genre with all the glowing lightsabres. And a bit artsy with how stylized the Jedi death scenes were composed. The blue Twilex Jedi being killed by Clone Troopers amidst all that beauty jumps to mind.

As for the wooden characters. I agree to some extent. Anakin as a churlish impatient immature and fearful Jedi. Padme turned from the brave and resourceful Senator to mushy tragic love interest. When Darth Vader broke the bindings that held him, I almost expected Emperor Palpatine to exclaim 'He's alive!' More like mis-characterization.

The only funny times were the one liners from the droids in the Droid Army. Well also when Sen. Organa tells Capt. Antilles to wipe C3PO's memories and C3PO goes 'oh dear!'