Who liked star wars *spoiler* (if you haven't seen it, don't come in.)

I just saw it this Saturday past and I have to chime in and say I loved it. I am no Star Wars groupie or anything, God knows there's enough of them out there, but I have always like the movies and books about this epic adventure.
This movie by no means surpasses the original, but it does have alot of events in there that could have been added to the original.
I especially liked all of the time given to the two Jedi's and the fact that while this movie answers alot of questions it leaves enough open for the next two to answer.
All in all I say 2 thumbs up(Better make that 1 thumb up now.
wink.gif
)

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God bless!

Romans 10:9-10

"Military" Fans Unite!!

 
Saw it last week as a "team building exercise" with some of the gang at work. (Read, wookie hookie.) Cool eye candy, Maul and the Muskrat lightsaber ruled. I was hoping it would "stand alone" a bit more as its own story, and some of the characters from this episode could have used a bit more setup or background development. I mean, one of my favorite characters of the series so far, Maul was here and gone in one episode (or will he be back, hmmm?). I'm sort of a "skimming" movie goer in that I don't think everybody should wait until a 2nd or 3rd episode to find out who a character is (sort of like some of those X-Files episodes. But I also realize that it's part of a bigger story, so it about evened out. Jar Jar was a bit annoying, his slobbery, blubbering, spitting boss or leader was almost embarassing. What the heck was that all about? I spent part of the movie watching for "recognizable" props and effects, sort of like recogizing the parts that make up the robots on MST3K. Things like some of the podracer engine pods looking remarkably like GE or Pratt and Whitney turbofans (complete with afterburners, whoohoo!) or the Gungan army's energy looking like those "plasma globes" available through Sharper Image and other catalog gift outlets.

Cool, fun, great effects and fight and battle scenes, with enough predictability to let you enjoy the eye-candy without thinking too hard. My wife and I are waiting until the evening and weekend fury dies down some and we'll go so she can see it.

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Don LeHue

The pen is mightier than the sword...outside of arm's reach. Modify radius accordingly for rifle.


 
I think the media hyped it too much to live u to. But all in all, it was a cool movie. If not the best story, the jaw dropping fx were worth the ticket, and it makes you feel like a kid again!
 
I saw it the afternoon of opening day. No, I'm not one to stand in line for hours or days. It was a last minute thing. I just happened to be home that day. I enjoyed it, but would agree with some that it didn't have as much what I would call 'depth' as the original. I didn't really expect it to affect me the way Star Wars did in '77. One percieves the world (and movies) in a much different way when you're ten years old. I thoroughly enjoyed the film and was pleased to discover I can take my 4 year old son to see it later this week. As someone said earlier, no blood, no profanity and no nudity. Things dad likes, but not for the young one. I/m really looking forward to seeing my son's face as we watch the movie together.

Peace - TY
 
I know that I can't really say anything that hasn't been said yet. I was really impressed since I purposefully didn't get my hopes up too high. It was great watching it with so many kids around, and not having to worry about "adult themes" nudity, language, violence, etc. like many action adventure movies today would tend to spill forth profusely. If you haven't seen it yet, Go for it! After reading this thread, if it doesn't convince you then you have probably lost your inner child. BTW that Darth Maul was way cool!

Daniel Dorn
 
I give it a mixed review. Qui Gon, Obi Wan and Darth Maul were great. I liked Queen Amidala more than I thought I would after seeing the trailers. The story was pretty slow in some parts and too fast in others. Overall the pacing was bad. The pod racing wasn't very exciting (if you want to see it done right go see Ben Hur on a big screen).

My final comment is-KILL Jar Jar and Anikin. Jar Jar is annoying and the kid that plays Anikin is a truly *horrible* actor. Seriously, I hope they find someone else to play Anikin in future films. I saw the film at the Chinese Theater in Hollywood. People were laughing out loud at that kid.

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Ciao

Mike Melone
memelone@yahoo.com
"One loves to possess arms, though they hope never to have occasion for them." --Thomas Jefferson to George Washington, 1796

 
I was entertained, and that's all I really ask of a movie. Now...the critique.
I was quite annoyed at the little boy (Anikin?), who I suppose is the little Darth Vader. Now I have visions of young Darth Vader saying, "Cooool!" and "Whoa!" I'm not a Star Wars groupie, but now I'm just this far from picturing Vader saying, "Cowabunga!"
My thoughts on the kid notwithstanding, I was impressed by Liam Neeson and the actor playing Obi-Wan Kenobi...they sure picked the right guy to play him in youth!
I thought the light-saber duel was nicely done, but Darth Maul lacked the menace projected by Darth Vader in the original, simply because you never really get to know anything about his abilities, and he says all of one sentence in the film. He did move better, though I felt there was a dance production look to some of the fight.
I really liked the all-too-brief giant monster scenes, too.
Jim
 
Here is the funniest synopsis I have seen of the movie anywhere: (Off Usenet)

"Subject: The Phantom Menace: The Abridged Script
From: xavier@NOSPAMvoicenet.com (Rod Hilton)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.movies.current-films

I didn't think there was nearly enough discussion about The Phantom
Menace in here, so I decided to contribute my little abridged script for
the film. I hope someone out there likes it.
smile.gif
It's a sort of
review/parody hybrid.


STAR WARS: THE PHANTOM MENACE: THE ABRIDGED SCRIPT

By Rod Hilton

FADE IN:

INT. SPACESHIP

LIAM NEESON
It is vitally important we enter trade
negotiations with the federation.

EWAN MCGREGOR
I agree. This one planet and how it
trades with other planets is certainly
an important enough topic to be the
entire plot of a Star Wars film.

INT. SPACESHIP - MAIN DECK

EVIL ALIEN
Werr. What wirr we do now? My evil,
obviousry Asian race must prevair. I
wirr not face de Jedi. Send de droid.

INT. SPACESHIP - BACK TO THE JEDI

A droid enters.

LIAM NEESON
I sense a disturbance in the force.

EWAN MCGREGOR
Well, Shi t.

Suddenly, numerous pieces of CGI enter and begin
attacking the Jedi. The Jedi use the high concentration
of midichlorians in their bodies to use the force to
destroy the CGI. They run outside.

EXT. NABOO

They run until they smack into some more CGI.

JAR JAR
Who might you be?

LIAM NEESON
(staring in the general
direction of Jar Jar, but
not really staring at him)
I am a Jedi. There are bad things
coming. Take me to your homeland.

JAR JAR
I see. That is quite interesting. I
will guide you to the land from which
I have come.

Suddenly, GEORGE LUCAS realizes the Jar Jar toys aren't
selling well enough.

JAR JAR (cont^Òd)
Oh! Meesa sorry! Meesa ment to
saysa: Weesa can go back to Jamaica
mon, okeyday?

EWAN MCGREGOR
(staring at something right
above Jar Jar)
Good. Do you have a hotel room for me
and Liam? We have..uh..Jedi business
to attend to.

JAR JAR
Weesa can smokesa some ganja, mon.

AUDIENCE
Die. Die, Jar Jar. Nobody likes you.

INT. SPACESHIP - MAIN DECK

The queen appears over some kind of thing which appears
to be better in technology than the kinds of things in
the original trilogy.

NATALIE PORTMAN
I am the queen. You've gone too far
this time. I will tell the senate and
you will be in a lot of trouble.

EVIL ALIEN
I'm so sorry, Amidala.

NATALIE PORTMAN
No, no, I'm Padme now.

EVIL ALIEN
I thought when in the makeup, you were
the queen.

NATALIE PORTMAN
No, I'm whoever is playing the queen
at the time. The voice changes don't
help you figure this out.

EVIL ALIEN
Stop trying to confoose me! Droids,
capture the queen.. or Padme.. er..
just capture everyone!

LIAM and EWAN and, Dumba** JAR JAR too take NATALIE PORTMAN
and other members of her staff onto a ship and they
escape. They go to Tatooine.

INT. TATOOINE - SOME SHOP WHERE JAKE LLOYD IS HELD SLAVE

JAKE LLOYD
Hi there! Golly I'm cute.

NATALIE PORTMAN
You certainly are, little boy.

JAKE LLOYD
I'm the only one disturbed by the fact
that I'm gonna bone you in episode
two?

LIAM NEESON
Jake, I need you to have a pod race so
I can get the parts I need and free
you.

JAKE'S MOM
No, I won't allow him to pod race.
He'll get hurt.
(pause)
Ok, I will. Nevermind. Good luck.

They pod race. It looks really COOL.

GEORGE LUCAS
(attempting subtlety)
Oh! Look! There's a video game of
this scene... uh.. buy it! Hey, I had
to sacrifice a part of my grand vision
for these movies to include a part
that could be turned into a game, so
buy it or I'll do it even more in
episode 2.

JAKE wins! He has to leave his mother, which will become
very important in the next movie. He also has to leave
his protocol droid, THREEPIO.

AUDIENCE
He built C-3PO? Why wasn't this ever
mentioned in the original trilogy?

GEORGE LUCAS
Because I just made it up. Speaking
of stuff I'm just making up, how do
you like the midichlorian bullshi t I
pulled out of my ass?

They all get into their ship and go to Coruscant.

INT. CORUSCANT - JEDI COUNCIL

LIAM NEESON
I want to train this boy.

YODA
Nope. Sorry. Too old the boy is.
Clouded his future seems. Vague my
worries are.

LIAM NEESON
Well, he is the chosen one. He will
bring balance to the force. I'm
training him.

SAMUEL L. JACKSON
Yoda told you no, mutha**** a. What
the fu** is wrong with you, bitchass?
I'll F***in' kill you! I'm gonna be a
F***in bad ass in the next two F***in
movies, you know. My toy has a
F***in lightsaber.

LIAM NEESON
I'm going to go over your head and
train him myself, then. So there.

He exits.

INT. GALACTIC SENATE MEETING

IAN MCDIARMID
Damn I'm evil.

Suddenly, we see E.T! This does not make the film HYPER-
CUTESEY like Return of the Jedi, but CLEVER.

EXT. NABOO

NATALIE PORTMAN
I am either the queen or Padme now.
Regardless, your cheesy-looking race
of annoying, unrealistic characters
need to ally with our badly acting
race of creatures so we can capture
this one guy.

BOSS NASS
One guy? The climax of this film
revolves entirely around us capturing
one, pretty insignificant guy?
Doesn't that make this whole thing
kinda pointless?

NATALIE PORTMAN
No more pointless than the fact that
this entire film revolves around taxes
on trade and the cutting off of one,
pathetic little planet half-filled
with annoying creatures.

They go after the bad guy or whatever. Who cares?

Finally DARTH MAUL shows up for a prolonged fight
sequence. Darth wears black boots, a black cloak, a
black shirt, has a red lightsaber, wears red and black
face paint, and has horns. He is EVIL.

Meanwhile, the Naboo people go after this one
insignificant guy and we really don't care.

Meanwhile, the Gungans go against a bunch of droids and
we really don't care except we want the Gungans to die.

Meanwhile, Anakin takes off into space to join the space-
battle, which is mostly over by the time he arrives. We
care a little bit.

INT. SOME KIND OF THINGY WITH SOME RED FORCE FIELDS

MAUL, LIAM, and EWAN all have a huge lightsaber battle
which has had a lot of effort put into the choreography
and is thousands of times better than any other
lightsaber battle in a Star Wars film.

AUDIENCE
Whoa! This is really cool!

Suddenly, we go back to one of the other three stupid
battles going on at the time. Eventually, we return to
the good one.

DARTH MAUL
(menacing as hell)
Grrr.

Eventually, MAUL stabs LIAM, which is very surprising,
especially to those of us who bought the film score which
has a song whose title gives away the ending. He then
kicks EWAN into a shaft. EWAN grabs onto something on
the side and holds on for dear life.

EWAN MCGREGOR
Well, you certainly are an experienced
fighter and there is little question
you could kick pretty much anyone's
ass.

DARTH MAUL (cont^Òd)
Muahahahaha.

Slowly, EWAN uses the force to grab LIAM'S lightsaber,
jump up out of the shaft, over MAUL, press the button
on the saber, and slice MAUL in half while MAUL stands
there like an idiot and does nothing at all. He dies.

EXT. SPACE

JAKE LLOYD
Whoaaaaa! I'm in space! Now this is
pod racing! Yipee! Uh oh! Man, I'm
so cute.

JAKE goes into a hangar, where the main reactor for the
ship is kept. He accidentally blows it to shi t.

JAKE LLOYD (cont^Òd)
Uh oh! I better leave! Let's leave
Artoo!

They exit quickly. The ship explodes, which stops all
the droids and just makes everything great, because it's
always enjoyable when a serious conflict is resolved with
a slapstick accident.

EXT. THE STREETS OF NABOO

The Gungans are dancing and such, still alive. A huge
party ensues.

AUDIENCE
Wow! Watching this party and all this
celebration has convinced me that the
tiny, pathetic problem that has been
taken care of is actually really
significant! Hooray!

Suddenly, the AUDIENCE realizes that behind all the
mindless celebration and kiddie cartoon bullshi t, what
actually happened was the future-emperor has actually
manipulated everything, come into great power, and that
one tiny problem has actually been resolved, but
thousands more have been created.

GEORGE LUCAS
Three years, suckers. I'd make them
come out sooner, but I work very hard
on my films, as I am an independent
filmmaker due to my disgust with
Hollywood's commercialism. Now go buy
some Star Wars toys!

END

[This message has been edited by SammyB (edited 26 May 1999).]
 
How could I follow that? Especially while I'm laughing until Mountain Dew comes out of my nose!

I just want to make one suggestion: if George Lucas wants to get my ticket money for the next film, the previews / commercials for the next film must include one of the following two things:

1) A brief image of Jar Jar dying horribly while the opening crawl is still going by, or

2) The information that "Jar Jar" is now a wookie and no one in the film will make mention of the change or act as if he were anything else in the first film. Wookies are quiet. Wookies are dignified. Wookies are tall actors in hairy suits, not offensive ethnic stereotypes made by computers. Me like wookies.

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-Corduroy
(Why else would a bear want a pocket?)
 
Sammy,
Just got back from Phantom Menace. I liked the synopsis better. The special effects were cool, the cinematography excellent. You left out the truly good part though - the CGI's. Big copper ping pong balls that roll up and transform into blaster weilding whatevers. And they have shields too! I loved the fight scenes. Definitely some serious choreography in them. Now, get the CGI's to kill the child actor or give George another 3 years to make Episode II and hope he uses someone else for adolescent Anikin.
Dave
 
SammyB - Thanks for posting the synopsis...far more entertaining than any review I've seen

Corduroy - yeah, Jar Jar dying would be fun to see...I'm not sure I could take him being such a big part of episodes 2 or 3


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JP Bullivant
 
For those of you who have seen it - did you pick up on the fact Palpatine IS Lord Sideous? And this whole movie was not just the entry of Skywalker - but Palpatines Rise to Emporer...

This movie is very deep, and you will have to watch i ta few times to get every thing out of it.

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I want a Light Saber.

 
Um... with all due respect, I thought that the movie was about as deep as the rain that collects in an old hubcap. They virtually rammed Palpatine's identity down your throat, and the Queen's double identity was obvious from the first minute that her guard (general? advisor? do we have any idea who he was? what was his name???) uncomfortably presented her "handmaiden" to accompany the group on Tatooine.

And talk about your "deep" characters - Darth Maul. At first he appears to be just a big, dark, evil guy; but as the movie progresses, we learn he's really a big, dark, evil guy *with horns*. Yeah, great character development. What drove him? What were his goals? Did he want to always be second fiddle or did he have higher aspirations? What event in his life turned him to the dark side? WHO WAS HE???

Guess we'll never know, 'cause he got chopped in half like an idiot while he stood there and watched Obi-Wan achieve the ONLY victory for the good guys that did not not occur by sheer, dumb luck.

Yeah, "deep" movie.

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-Corduroy
(Why else would a bear want a pocket?)
 
Corduroy - I have to agree. I think to anyone who's seen Star Wars before (the original tilogy), it was obvious before going in that Senator Palpatine was going to be the emperor.

The movie isn't deep at all, and that's not what it was trying to be at all. It should be enjoyed simply for what it is.


------------------
JP Bullivant
 
The TOP 10 Things Samuel L. Jackson's character "Jedi Master Mace Windu" should have said in the Star Wars Prequels.

10. You don't need to see my g*dd*** identification, 'cause these ain't the motherf****n' droids you're looking for.

9. Womp rat may taste like pumpkin pie, but I'll never know, 'cause even if it did I wouldn't eat the filthy motherf****r.

8. This is your father's lightsaber. When you absolutely, positively, have to kill every motherf****n' stormtrooper in the room... accept no substitutes.

7. If Obi-wan ain't home then I don't know what the f*** we're gonna do. I ain't got no other connections on Tattooine.

6. Feel the Force, motherf*****.

5. What ain't no planet I've ever heard of! Do they speak Bocce on What?

4. You sendin' the Fett? S***, Hutt, that's all you had to say!

3. Yeah Chewie Rocky Horror's got a hair problem. What the brother gonna do? He's a wookie.

2. Does Jabba the Hutt look like a bitch?

1. Hand me my lightsaber... it's the one that says, "Bad Mother F*****."
 
I saw the movie earlier this week and I loved it! I thought it was an exciting thrill ride that I want to see again. Was it perfect? No, in fact there were a few plot points that really disliked (not to mention Jar Jar). But I think that many people want to see all of the drama of the original trilogy packed into one film. But if you look at it as the first chapter of a six part story, I think it does very well. In fact, in the days before I saw the film I watched the Trilogy again. It might be a step below the originals, but I think the film compares well to any of them and it's still better than a lot of other films out there.

As far as being a "deep" film, in terms of plot it may not be. I don't think any of the films were. But in terms of the universe that was created, there was so much to see that you can't take it all in the first time. And Darth Maul? There's a lot of criticism that he wasn't well developed. Look at one of the coolest characters of the original films: Boba Fett. He had only a couple of lines of dialog in two films combined and was killed by a blind Han Solo saying, "What? Boba Fett? Where?" Still, he's one of the most popular characters. I think Darth Maul will be a favorite for the same reasons--there's so much mystery surrounding him.

I think if you overanalyze it, you won't enjoy the film. That's the case with most "fun" type films. After I saw it, the bottom line for me was that I had a good time and I would go see it again. Then again, I'm easily distracted by bright shiny objects.
smile.gif


Alan
 
Good movie, but I think the scene set here would make a great parody of this overhyped and underdone event....
Overall I liked it, but hey I enjoy a good joke. Thanks SammyB.

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God bless!

Romans 10:9-10

"Military" Fans Unite!!

 
I think people are taking this movie far too seriously. It's supposed to be a fun movie, a space-aged fairy tale. It accomplishes what it is supposed to very well..

With that being said, I thought I'd let you in on a rumor I read on aint-it-cool-news.com the other day. The person they are considering casting for Anakin in Episode II is...

Leonardo DiCaprio

yeah, you read that right... sorry
smile.gif


And you thought you wanted Jar Jar to suffer a horrible death
smile.gif

 
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