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Rebooting the prequels and what to change

vvvrulz

Coach
Messages
13,298
Having gone through the prequels again recently, this going to sound odd but I have a new appreciation for them.

Ok Episode I sucks, that was a pure aberration where Lucas went mad.

But both II and III have solid enough plots, character set up, interesting set designs and introduced new themes and ideas in the universe. The pacing, unlike the sequels, was much more unhurried which allowed things to process and bake longer. They got the core concepts started - the conflicting father figures, duty vs instinct, supreme rule vs elected rule, grey Jedi, unnatural birth etc.

It went wrong when Lucas simply can't write basic human dialogue and took a lot of lazy shortcuts with his CGI. Some lines weren't bad, some were excruciating, most mediocre. The editing was appalling especially Episode II, the deleted scenes were surprisingly good and added a lot of humanity and character depth especially for Padme. But it was sacrificed for more chasing, laser fights and pointless winks to the original trilogy.

With some good set design, editing and a script doctor, II and III could have been great movies.

As they are, they're good enough to watch and add plenty to the overall universe.
 

adamkungl

Immortal
Messages
42,955
Having gone through the prequels again recently, this going to sound odd but I have a new appreciation for them.

Ok Episode I sucks, that was a pure aberration where Lucas went mad.

But both II and III have solid enough plots, character set up, interesting set designs and introduced new themes and ideas in the universe. The pacing, unlike the sequels, was much more unhurried which allowed things to process and bake longer. They got the core concepts started - the conflicting father figures, duty vs instinct, supreme rule vs elected rule, grey Jedi, unnatural birth etc.

It went wrong when Lucas simply can't write basic human dialogue and took a lot of lazy shortcuts with his CGI. Some lines weren't bad, some were excruciating, most mediocre. The editing was appalling especially Episode II, the deleted scenes were surprisingly good and added a lot of humanity and character depth especially for Padme. But it was sacrificed for more chasing, laser fights and pointless winks to the original trilogy.

With some good set design, editing and a script doctor, II and III could have been great movies.

As they are, they're good enough to watch and add plenty to the overall universe.

Lucas directing and scripting is the biggest flaw with them. He should have written the plot and handed it to someone else.
But by this time he was too much of a Big Deal for anyone to call him on it.
 

Mr Spock!

Referee
Messages
22,502
Lucas directing and scripting is the biggest flaw with them. He should have written the plot and handed it to someone else.
But by this time he was too much of a Big Deal for anyone to call him on it.
Lucas was a genius compared to the clowns running the show now.
 

SpaceMonkey

Immortal
Messages
37,540
Having gone through the prequels again recently, this going to sound odd but I have a new appreciation for them.

Ok Episode I sucks, that was a pure aberration where Lucas went mad.

But both II and III have solid enough plots, character set up, interesting set designs and introduced new themes and ideas in the universe. The pacing, unlike the sequels, was much more unhurried which allowed things to process and bake longer. They got the core concepts started - the conflicting father figures, duty vs instinct, supreme rule vs elected rule, grey Jedi, unnatural birth etc.

It went wrong when Lucas simply can't write basic human dialogue and took a lot of lazy shortcuts with his CGI. Some lines weren't bad, some were excruciating, most mediocre. The editing was appalling especially Episode II, the deleted scenes were surprisingly good and added a lot of humanity and character depth especially for Padme. But it was sacrificed for more chasing, laser fights and pointless winks to the original trilogy.

With some good set design, editing and a script doctor, II and III could have been great movies.

As they are, they're good enough to watch and add plenty to the overall universe.

Lucas directing and scripting is the biggest flaw with them. He should have written the plot and handed it to someone else.
But by this time he was too much of a Big Deal for anyone to call him on it.

Yep you guys pretty much nailed it. The basic storyline and plot progression of the prequels was fine, had Lucas handed over to better scriptwriter/director they'd have been much better.

The other main problem with them was that they came out in the early heydey of CGI everything so there's far too much reliance on shiny digital effects which detract from any sense of reality.

In terms of major plot points I'd change, the main thing I'd do is age Anakin up so he is an adolescent in the first film and maybe 30 when he turns in the third. This would improve a bunch of things:
1: make him a similar age as Padme, less creepy/more believable when they hook up
2: make the whole genius mechanic/pod racer thing more believable
3: If hes an angsty adolescent at the time the Jedi take him and leave his mother it would make his bitterness much more obvious, and also make the argument that hes too old for Jedi training pertinent (given he'd also be closer to Luke's age in Ep 4)
4: Having his as a grown man in Ep 2 would make the romance stuff less cringy
5: Having him turn to the dark side as a mature man would make him more menacing in Ep 3.
6: And of course no Hayden Christiansen......
 

Danish

Referee
Messages
31,835
One of the biggest annoyances I have with the prequels is that they made the Jedi council a well known and highly respected part of the galaxy. Literally hundreds if not thousands of jedis all about the place, with yoda and acting as commander in chief of the entire republic's army and defences....


.... then we are supposed to believe that in the space of about 18 years everyone in the entire galaxy has forgotten about them to the point that Han Solo - who would have lived through the clone wars himself - doesn't even believe they ever existed by ANH.

Just makes absolutely no sense.

The Jedi should have been kept as a small, mysterious group that from the outside mostly just looked like a relgious sect of monks or similar... but were always working behind the scenes to help keep order in the galaxy.

Basically the Jedi should have operated as the good version of how Lucas handles the Sith. Only ever really spoken of in whispers and applying their influence so subtly that most aren't aware of what they are doing.
 
Messages
14,479
For mine the prequels should have been a love triangle with Obi-Wan and Anakin looking for Padme's affections.

Then it makes the descent of Anakin all the more tragic as Padme would have chosen him, only for him to kill her and Obi-Wan is left with the kids from that union.
 

vvvrulz

Coach
Messages
13,298
In terms of major plot points I'd change, the main thing I'd do is age Anakin up so he is an adolescent in the first film and maybe 30 when he turns in the third..

For mine the prequels should have been a love triangle with Obi-Wan and Anakin looking for Padme's affections.

Then it makes the descent of Anakin all the more tragic as Padme would have chosen him, only for him to kill her and Obi-Wan is left with the kids from that union.

Spot on with this.

Ep 1 should have started out with AOTC aged Anakin.

I didn't mind the pod race but that is where the movie should have started and without any Trade Dispute, Jar Jar or Jedi interference; start with a young Anakin building his own pod race to try and buy his own way to freedom. Immediately we have a protagonist we care about and an action set piece that is actually relevant.

Perhaps have him as a massive underdog who loses, but in the process catches the eye of Obi-Wan who befriends him seeing his skill and ambition, and pulls a few strings to get him into the Pilot Acadamy where Obi-Wan is also training to be a pilot. The Acadamy should drive the movie from here, not that boring unengaging political drama. Anakin (and us) would also naturally be blown away by the world building such as Coruscant.

That's also where you'd bring in the Padme character, juxtaposed with her and Obi's privileged backgrounds with Anakin's humble one - and also separate the two leading men by making Anakin impulsive and rash but with incredible piloting skills and that Han Solo roguish charm, while Obi is more level and pragmatic and obviously the 'safe' bet.

Keep lots of tension between the three, but she won't make a choice until AOTC.

Obi-wan could then introduce Anakin to the cultish Jedi which runs in the background, Anakin again being a natural with the force, seduced by it and on starting the path to becoming a slave to it. That would be when you'd bring in the political backdrop and introduce the father figure characters of Mace (immediately threatened as this brash kid is force strong - no midichlorians), and Palpatine who also sees this but takes on a sympathetic role for the ulterior motives we already know. Sort of like Platoon but even less black and white.

The climax of episode one could have worked - no gungans vs droid army but a space battle followed by a saber fight would have been just fine.

No Qui-gon - utterly pointless character.

No Yoda, at least not for ep 1 - that was crappy fan service

Get Dooku in early, he works well as the fallen Jedi, chasing absolute power with a mysterious leader behind him. He could even be Obi Wan's master, furthering Obi's character with him choosing the 'good' side.

Maul is fine as a black box villain - serving to showcase Anakin's power and/or anger, or used as a pawn the way Dooku was.

.... haven't really thought about it much after that, but that's how I'd go for episode 1 at least.

I thought eps 2 and 3 had decent enough plots but suffered from not having the backstory and character development as it's foundation.
 

LESStar58

Referee
Messages
25,496
Well, based on what I am hearing on the internet regarding "Solo" and another "Star Wars Story" which is sounding more and more likely to get made (it's really a no-brainer as to what that SWS film is and who the protagonist will be) @strong_latte and @RoosTah had better start counting out the grand a piece that they are gonna owe me cos I am a better chance of banging Stormy Daniels than the prequels are of getting rebooted (as if they ever were to begin with).
 

RoosTah

Juniors
Messages
2,257
f**k me dead... I'd completely forgotten about this thread till you tagged me in it lol.

To be honest I actually kinda liked Episode VIII - there's plenty of shit that makes zero sense and a lot of random characters jammed in there that we've never heard of before, but apparently are super revered, but I liked the movie's much more nuanced take on the force and the whole theme of burning the past.

It had good ideas in there, the only problem was they could have been a bit smarter about it in parts.
 

LESStar58

Referee
Messages
25,496
f**k me dead... I'd completely forgotten about this thread till you tagged me in it lol.

To be honest I actually kinda liked Episode VIII - there's plenty of shit that makes zero sense and a lot of random characters jammed in there that we've never heard of before, but apparently are super revered, but I liked the movie's much more nuanced take on the force and the whole theme of burning the past.

It had good ideas in there, the only problem was they could have been a bit smarter about it in parts.

I didn't like it at first but it grew on me when I got it on blu ray.

Phasma is still the most pointless SW character ever.
 

RoosTah

Juniors
Messages
2,257
I didn't like it at first but it grew on me when I got it on blu ray.

Phasma is still the most pointless SW character ever.

Phasma, followed closely by that purpled haired chick. Her entire plot line just shitted me and seemed entirely intended to be a irrationally difficult to Po so they could ram that point across that there's a difference between being brave and selfless and brave and stupid.
 

LESStar58

Referee
Messages
25,496
Phasma, followed closely by that purpled haired chick. Her entire plot line just shitted me and seemed entirely intended to be a irrationally difficult to Po so they could ram that point across that there's a difference between being brave and selfless and brave and stupid.

Rose was worse than Holdo.
 

LESStar58

Referee
Messages
25,496
Clone Wars being revived. Anakin still looks like Hayden Christensen and all the clones still sound like Jake The Muss.

Pay up, suckers.
 

Walt Flanigan

Referee
Messages
20,727
Clone Wars being revived. Anakin still looks like Hayden Christensen and all the clones still sound like Jake The Muss.

Pay up, suckers.
Just about to finish my Rebels binge (which I really have enjoyed), so will hit up the Clone Wars next. Resistance comes out later in the year too which has the same guy behind it. I think these animated series have given a lot of good depth to the Star Wars universe so hopefully Resistance can add some strength to the new Trilogy.
 

LESStar58

Referee
Messages
25,496
Just about to finish my Rebels binge (which I really have enjoyed), so will hit up the Clone Wars next. Resistance comes out later in the year too which has the same guy behind it. I think these animated series have given a lot of good depth to the Star Wars universe so hopefully Resistance can add some strength to the new Trilogy.

Clone Wars looks like too hard a slog for me tbh. 6 seasons? Yeah that's too much for me. I've seen Rebels season 1 but nothing beyond that.

I'm jonesing for Favreau's live action TV show more than anything.
 
Messages
2,857
Yep you guys pretty much nailed it. The basic storyline and plot progression of the prequels was fine, had Lucas handed over to better scriptwriter/director they'd have been much better.

The other main problem with them was that they came out in the early heydey of CGI everything so there's far too much reliance on shiny digital effects which detract from any sense of reality.

In terms of major plot points I'd change, the main thing I'd do is age Anakin up so he is an adolescent in the first film and maybe 30 when he turns in the third. This would improve a bunch of things:
1: make him a similar age as Padme, less creepy/more believable when they hook up
2: make the whole genius mechanic/pod racer thing more believable
3: If hes an angsty adolescent at the time the Jedi take him and leave his mother it would make his bitterness much more obvious, and also make the argument that hes too old for Jedi training pertinent (given he'd also be closer to Luke's age in Ep 4)
4: Having his as a grown man in Ep 2 would make the romance stuff less cringy
5: Having him turn to the dark side as a mature man would make him more menacing in Ep 3.
6: And of course no Hayden Christiansen......
No Hayden? Seriously? Did you watch the original trilogy

The merkin has a son that's much more whiny

I wanted Hayden to replace that sooky merkin Mark after 20 minutes of a new hope

'But I don't wanna stay another season waaaaah' f**k off you massive androtop
 

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