Financial Panther watches Star Wars

[Financial Panther]

I’ve been thinking about this for a while. I haven’t seen a movie in about a year, and with all the hype around the new Star Wars movie, I think I’ll finally try to watch this series.

This won’t be easy. I avoid movies for a reason; namely that I usually can’t understand them because of prosopagnosia. I’m also not quite sure how I’ll review a movie; it’s hard enough reviewing a simple Simpsons episode. But I want to give it a shot.

I’ll start this within the next few days. Meanwhile, let’s kick off the posts with this: Should I watch the movies in the order they came out, or should I watch the prequels first?

[kupomog]

Please watch in the order they released.

[Nitsy]

I agree with kupomog; I think you should watch them in the order they were released. I finally got around to watching the original trilogy this summer, but I have yet to see anything else Star Wars-related. So I may follow this and watch the rest myself.

[CousinMerl]

This will be interesting and I look forward to it (and I mean that only in an postive way). Good luck with your watchthrough of the saga.

I'd also go with the release order over the chronological order, but I wouldn't be against you doing the latter instead if you would find it easier or something (and don't forget the 'A Star Wars Story' spin-off movies 'Rogue One' & 'Solo'). Hopefully you'll enjoy the films and find that you got something out of giving them a go.

[Financial Panther]

Well, I had every intention to start with episode IV, but my friend came over, and I offhandedly mentioned to him that I was planning to watch Star Wars. Unbeknownst to me, my friend is a huge Star Wars fan and demanded that I start with episode I. I tried to plead otherwise, but he was insistent. I didn’t want to make him angry because he was there with me and watching it too. So that’s why I started with:

EPISODE I: THE PHANTOM MENACE

I thought this was a good introduction to all the characters. They didn’t spend much time setting everything up before they got into the action, which was mostly a good thing. I didn’t really need to know the origins of the blockade, so just skipping that backstory and getting to the meat was a good move. The main protagonist in this movie, Qui-Gon Jinn, was a decent character. Not super interesting or deep, but I thought he served his role well. Obi-Wan Kenobi I can only hope will be fleshed out more in subsequent films, because he had basically no personality here.

Jar Jar Binks provided some comic relief and served as a good complement to the stone-faced Jinn. I thought the movie really started to kick into gear when everyone got to Tatooine and met Anakin. My friend ruined the fact that  Anakin becomes Darth Vader , but I’m still interested in seeing how it happens. I thought Anakin’s character was probably the highlight of this movie, and I liked the relationship he had with his mom. I kind of felt bad for his mom, but she took it pretty well that she would have to lose her son.

The race scene went on a bit too long for my liking, but it was still a solid bit of action. Speaking of action, the lightsaber duels in the movie were pretty fun to watch. Sheev Palpatine seemed a bit manipulative to me, as he seemed to be more focused on becoming the chancellor than he did about caring for the planet’s safety. One thing I wasn’t sure about in this was the handmaiden revealing herself to be the real queen. Was she telling the truth, or was she disguising herself for some reason?

Anakin was the hero in the end, which felt fitting to me. But it was only by disobeying Qui-Gon that they won, so maybe Qui-Gon really wasn’t super wise, or at least doesn’t always make the right decisions. I’m guessing his insistence to get Anakin to train as a Jedi was another mistake, but that’s to come later.

I was entertained by this movie for the most part, and I think it deserves a solid 4/5.

[CousinMerl]

Surprised to see your friend demanding you go with the chronological order but it works just fine, as Lucas intended (It's just that I'm used to Star Wars fans on various internet boards suggesting a new viewer go with release order).

Also nice to see an occasional positive review of TPM for a change. I've seen way too many tear the film to pieces. I can see how a newcomer (whom I assume have no preset demands of how the series and the characters should and should not be) would like it. I don't think it's as bad as it's reputation; It's not one of the best but an overall enjoyable space fantasy with good setpieces, worldbuilding & creativity. It's all right to me.

As for the queen's handmaiden reveal, she was telling the truth; the charade was so that she wouldn't be targeted by enemies while an real handmaiden disguised as the queen would, which explains the bodyguard thing (and in case you missed it, it was the real queen, Padme, who was the handmaiden who accompanied the group on Tatooine, the desert planet).

[Financial Panther]

EPISODE II: ATTACK OF THE CLONES

Well, I didn’t realize it until I watched this, but I think a big reason I enjoyed The Phantom Menace was that there was no romance plot. This one...oh boy. But first, Obi-Wan became more of a protagonist character this time, as I assumed he would, and his mission to track down Jango Fett was easy for me to follow. What was also easy to follow was the blossoming love between Padmé and Chadakin. I get that it probably adds more layers and complexity to later stories and probably has to do with Anakin’s eventual betrayal, but sheesh, this was slathered on thick. The scene I did like was when they went back to Tatooine and Anakin comforted his dying mother. That was a sweet moment but tough to watch.

The big battle at the climax where Anakin, Padmé, and Obi-Wan are about to be executed was a good action scene. This series can definitely be counted on to give those. Honestly, I couldn’t remember which clones were on which side, though. C-3PO and R2-D2 met and had a somewhat amusing relationship; I’m interested in seeing how the two bots interact from here. Jar Jar had a much reduced role compared to the first movie, and most of the humorous scenes were taken by C-3PO instead. As long as there’s some character to make a lighthearted quip every now and then, I’m happy.

Anakin definitely showed his flaws in this one, caving into his infatuation with Padmé and disobeying Obi-Wan (although the journey to Geonosis was Padmé’s idea). He showed that he was devoted to his mother and acted on his anger at her death extremely violently. Yoda seemed to be correct: Anakin was trouble. Speaking of Yoda, he’s the one character I’ve been disappointed in so far. Maybe it will change, but he doesn’t seem to have any traits other than “wise master.” With how famous of a character he is, I thought he’d bring a little more to the table than that.

Anyway, this movie wasn’t on the level of the first one, mostly because of the gag-inducing love plot. But I’ll give it credit for delving more into the characters and providing a story that was more coherent to me. 3/5.

[goodfella]

I remember watching attack of the clones in the cinema as a kid and being bored stiff - it wasn't until the end scene where anakin and padme are tied to those pillars and have to fight their way out of the pit that I started to enjoy it. The next film will most probably bore you a lot more - it definitely drags on although I feel its the strongest out of the prequels

[CousinMerl]

'Attack Of The Clones' I find pretty decent overall. I'm an Star Wars omnivore who enjoy most things SW and I don't really dislike any of the trilogies but this is probably one of the weakest episodes of them all and my least favorite of the prequels, but I don't hate it and it has it's moments.

The romance plot is pretty bland and mostly there because it needs to be but I do enjoy the Obi-Wan's mystery plot and the action is all solid (speeder chase through Coruscant, the Jango Fett scenes with the fight in the rain and the asteroid chase &, most importantly, the last 45 minutes with the arena battle & the start of the Clone War which is easily the highlight).

'Revenge Of The Sith' is better and often regarded as the best of the prequels but yeah, it's indeed possible you won't like it that much, @Financial Panther, and could find it kinda dull since it's rather talky and has even less action than 'Clones' but you could very well end up enjoying it the same (and it has a lot of really good stuff in it, like the climactic duel).

(Also, if you later on would want to expand your Star Wars viewing, I'd recommend the Clone Wars animated series from 2008. Most agree that it actually improves upon the prequels and I'm inclined to agree. Look it up if you'd like to).

[Kaine]

I have some very nostalgic memories of The Phantom Menace as it was one of the first Star Wars movies I watched as a kid. I don't think it holds up well growing older and see more of the movies flaws. The kid playing Anakin got bullied relentlessly, to the point that he quit acting. I still like watching the pod racing and Darth Maul fight to this day.

Attack Of The Clones has way to many politics and romance for me to enjoy. Its mostly just building up for Revenge of the Sith, where  the main villain from AotC survives this movie just to be killed off in the opening act of the next . I'd say that the final act is where this movie gets good though, with the battle in the arena and the Count Dooku fight. Also Obi-Wan vs Jango Fett was quite fun.

Revenge of the Sith is in my opinion one of the better movies. The only ones I consider better are A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back. A lot of the best Star Wars memes also comes from this movie.

[Sam]

bye kaine

[Financial Panther]

EPISODE III: REVENGE OF THE SITH

What I gathered from this movie is that love destroys everything and makes you go insane. Really though, this was very entertaining. Anakin’s slow transition to the dark side and the fight with himself were captivating and heartbreaking to watch. Anakin is an extremely deep and well-rounded character, which makes his journey fascinating to see unfold. Outside of Anakin, I felt there was something amiss about Palpatine, so I wasn’t surprised that he turned out to be a Sith Lord. The scene where Anakin had to choose between Palpatine and Obi-Wan was one of the best scenes in the movie, and the deformity that afflicted Palpatine was quite disturbing.

Before I started this series, based on my very limited knowledge of it, I assumed Darth Vader was purely evil. But I’ve realized it’s much more complicated than that. While Anakin was fairly impulsive and rash at times, the Jedi’s lack of faith in him to serve as a Jedi Master is one of the decisions that pushed Anakin over the edge. If they had appointed him as one, maybe this whole thing could have been avoided, although his faith in Palpatine and close relationship with him would have made that difficult. The Jedi were kind of stuck; whatever they did with Anakin, it would’ve led to disaster.

I thought the movie dragged a little bit after Anakin’s transition to Darth Vader, but the battles between Vader and Obi-Wan and the simultaneous one between Yoda and Sidious were some good action scenes. Yoda is still a flatter character than I thought he’d be, but he had some decent scenes in this movie. I also liked how Anakin’s dream (tired as the dream trope may be) that Padmé would die in childbirth came true, but only because of Anakin’s chosen actions. It was a bitter twist done well.

This is probably the best prequel movie. I’ll give it a 4.5, rounded up to 5/5.

[CousinMerl]

A little surprised you liked Episode III that much, @Financial Panther, but still glad you did. It's a good one and I understand those who rank it very highly among the saga.

So 'Solo: A Star Wars Story' and 'Rogue One: A Star Wars Story' next? Or jump to 'Episode IV: A New Hope' right away?

[Financial Panther]

I think I’ll just watch the main series for now.

[AlphaOmega]

Glad you liked ROTS Panther. It's the most fun Prequel film.

[CousinMerl]

To add something, I'm glad you enjoyed the prequels overall @Financial Panther and could overlook it's issues, which a lot of folks get hooked up on a lot (always found these films overhated). It's nice and interesting to see a fresh, unbiased perspective on them.

Oh and by the way, it is commonly agreed that the "deformity" that afflicted Palpatine is actually his real, actual face that he had kept hidden by masking it with the dark side.