Clones!

[liralen]

I got to see it Wednesday. As most folks did, I liked it better than 1, but not nearly as much as the original series when it came out.



Pretty. Flashy. Good video game material. Interesting, complex Obi Wan. Way keen Yoda fight, just like the old, old masters in kung-fu movies, all grace. Very, very little Jar Jar. The whole political plot was felt pretty tight, whether or not it was. I liked that the whole Republic versus the Federation thing, how the Dark Sith Lord is playing everyone for patsies (ok, especially Jar Jar, but having such a weak link for such a powerful mistake felt... too easy? too pat, again, something that was just *easy* for the writers to use rather than what would make better sense like Amidala didn't tell Binks, specifically to NOT VOTE FOR THE ARMY), and how the army works out is really getting interesting. I enjoyed the discovery of the clones and the whole Fett family idea. I really enjoyed Padme's lock picking in the arena. I found the arena fight fun and the whole Stormtroopers working for the Jedi thing a really interesting emotional twist.

Wooden Anakin. Okay, so why would the Senator wear a leather bustier and a collar for godsake if she didn't want him to Go There, Especially With A Teenager? And what would a 28 year old see in a broody, rebellious *teenager*? Okay... so there were many moments when the 'plot' made me want to just pull out my hair. Agh! WHY did they *do* that? This makes no sense at *all*.

I'm good at suspension of belief. I like most Disney movies. I really enjoy Bond movies. I love adventure movies, comic books, and lots of stuff that just doesn't get critical acclaim. But this had emotional plots just sucked big time. I couldn't get over some bits where it was obvious that something happened because the writers said it had to, and they couldn't be bothered to figure out a way to make it *make* *sense*.

The *worst* was why Anakin's mom died the moment he got there. That made absolutely no sense to me at all. The love affair was part of that. The whole rebellion against Obi-wan had *some* supports, but few enough that it felt very shaky to me. It's like all the character-driven emotional plots were never really thought out compared to the great overweening political plot.

Comments

[chrysoula.livejournal.com]

She was 14 in the first movie! So only a four year age difference, I think!

:-)

[liralen.livejournal.com]

Okay, even *more* befuddling, then, is why any general populous would VOTE IN a 14-year-old Queen?

She's cool!

[chrysoula.livejournal.com]

She was in jr. legislature! She was the best Queen /ever/! They wanted to remove the term limit for her! (term limit???)

Okay, so I love Amidala, so I don't have any problem with her being a prodigy. She makes a better prodigy than Young Anakin, after all. She can pick locks. And shoot people! And win landslide elections! Chibi-Amidala!

Re: She's cool!

[liralen.livejournal.com]

*hee*

I liked her a lot, too. There were definitely flashes of the Leia-to-be in some of Padme's decision making and her way of doing things.

[bryant]

For about half an hour in the middle of the movie, I was hoping against hope that Dooku was sincere in his speech to Obi-Wan. I thought that just maybe there was a complex political situation going on, with three corners, rather than a black and white dichotomy. Ah well...

The Yoda fight... hm. I couldn't quite get over the fact that Yoda is three feet tall, and Christopher Lee is six foot seven. This is not a recipie for an even duel. I would have liked it if Yoda had summoned some kind of Force simulacrum of himself, and used that to fight. Or something. Just had trouble with the reach differential, you know?

Good review. Thanks!

[liralen.livejournal.com]

Oh, yeah. It is a very, very *simplified* political plot. I agree, it's not... satisfying, that way.

I actually really liked Yoda's style given the height difference. That actually fit my experiences, but I could see how that would be hard to believe, too.

[bryant]

Fair enough. :)

[agrimony.livejournal.com]

You know, it's not the size of the Jedi Master that counts, it's the size of his "force" :)

[bryant]

I think if you want to speculate about Yoda's lightsaber, you should do it in your own journal. Perv.

[marypcb.livejournal.com]

After Phantom I was really keen to see how the sense of impending tragedy unfolded, to see Ani develop into Darth Vader - and now I don't give a damn. Anikin isn't turning to the dark side through seduction and tragedy, he's doing it because he's a whiny pouting arrogant kid. I wanted to feel a sense of lost opportunities and missed steps where he could have been a force for good but all I felt was the urge to slap him! I liked the in-jokes and the parallelism though... and I liked this

How To Get a Gorgeous and Powerful Female to Fall in Love With You George Lucas' "How To Get a Gorgeous and Powerful Female to Fall in Love With You in 10 Easy Steps"

1. (General personality) Be a whining, snivelling little prick.

2. (Maturity) Throw temper tantrums when Obi-wan doesn't let you "get your way." Say things like "He doesn't understand me," or "He treats me like a kid," and "He's just jealous of me."

3. (Appearance/Grooming) Hair braid - like those "tails" from the 80s.

4. (Moral Disposition) (a) Massacre an entire village of men, women and children Tuskans (b) Explain to your diplomat girlfriend how the Universe really needs an all powerful despot who will rule with an iron fist.

5. (Physical Prowess) must be able to "tear the ears off a Gundark"

6. (Humility) talk all the time about just how "great" you are - how you will ultimately become THE MOST POWERFUL JEDI in the entire galaxy!

7. (Charm) Talk about sand.

8. (Sweet Talk) "I've been in pain ever since we met" - that one gets 'em every time.

9. (Intelligence) Suggest having a secret affair in the midst of about 500 mindreading Jedis.

10. (Talent) Not a requirement.

From Film Threat <http://www.filmthreat.com/features.asp?file=featuresone.inc&id=491>

[janne.livejournal.com]

I think the age difference was just about the only part of that romance I didn't have a problem with. (Hey, nobody would have batted an eye if it had been a 20-something *man* in love with a teenager, would they? Go Padme;)) But the ten objections listed by another commenter all hold (Sand! Gah! Whiny Stalker Twit!)

Re: Padme and Anakin...

[johnpalmer.livejournal.com]

My figuring was that it wasn't that she fell for *HIM*... it was that she fell for "the good old days", where things were simpler and there was great hope and great potential. He's a link to that. He wants things to be easier and more clear cut, and she does too.