I think I'm a clone now

[vovat]

So, Attack of the Clones. Let's see here. I know there are both Star Wars fans and Star Wars haters on my friends list. I fall more on the fan side, although I don't love the movies as much as a lot of people I know do. I somehow missed seeing Episode 2 in the theater, but I've heard good things about Episode 3, and wanted to watch it on the big screen. So I'm bringing myself up to speed, and will probably see Episode 3 in the near future.


It's been a while since I saw Episode 1. Six years, I guess, since I DID see that one at the theater, and haven't rewatched it since. Still, I'm inclined to think Episode 2 was better, mostly because of a more interesting plot and less annoying stuff. I actually liked the idea of the clone army, and it was interesting to see how Palpatine was manipulating everyone to get himself into power. But, really, what was up with Anakin? I'm not just talking about his out-of-control teen angst, but just the way he talked in general. I mean, I guess you could say that most of the dialogue in the Star Wars films is pretty corny, but most of the characters/actors are able to pull it off pretty well. Anakin's delivery often just made it sound like there was something wrong with him, though. And did he have the lamest pickup lines ever, or what? I mean, that thing about "you're everything soft and smooth"? Come on!

I've heard people say that using Boba Fett's father as a major villain was simply a way to work an inexplicably popular character from the original trilogy into the new one, which is probably true. Still, I'm pretty sure the original movies didn't tell us anything about Boba's past, so it doesn't come off as anywhere near as ridiculous as, say, Anakin building C-3PO in Episode 1. Yes, a nine-year-old boy builds a fully functioning robot, complete with artificial intelligence and the ability to understand nine million languages, out of scraps from the junkyard. Did he get the instructions out of a magazine, or what? Speaking of C-3PO, doesn't it seem like Owen would recognize him in Episode 4, considering that the droid used to belong to his dad? Since he was apparently handmade, rather than mass-produced, it seems like he'd be particularly recognizable. Oh, well. I did like seeing how Owen was related to the Skywalkers, which was something I wondered after seeing Episode 1.

Incidentally, whenever a character referred to something as happening a certain number of years ago, it made me wonder how they defined "years." I mean, for us, the year is the length of time it takes the Earth to make one revolution around the Sun. When you have a whole lot of planets and suns under one government, though, which planet defines the years? I guess it would make sense for everyone to adopt Coruscant years, but still. Similarly, there's one part where Obi-Wan refers to a star system as "south" of another. How do directions like "south" work in space? I'm sure some nerd has already worked out explanations for these things. At least they got the definition of a parsec right this time (it's a unit of distance). And while I'm talking about technical things, how come nobody ever got hurt when falling from a great height? Even when Padme fell out of the ship to the sand towards the end of the film, she just lay there for a few minutes, and then got up and walked around normally.

By the way, I'm assuming that Jar Jar's appointment as interim Senator was done simply to annoy people. Maybe it was George Lucas' revenge for the fans causing a stink about his plan to put *NSync in the movie. At least we didn't actually see that much of Jar Jar.

So, yeah, I had some problems with it, but it wasn't bad overall, I guess. Maybe in a little while I'll have seen Episode 3, and be totally caught up.

Comments

[countblastula.livejournal.com]

George Lucas explains the parsec thing in the Episode IV commentary, but I won't bore you with the long-winded details. Besides, I'm pretty sure he's lying.

[vovat.livejournal.com]

I seem to recall hearing some explanation about Kessel (or whatever planet it was) being in an area with a lot of black holes, so getting through the area while covering less distance was a good thing. Something like that, anyway. I'm pretty sure that was after-the-fact rationalization, but I suppose that's better than going back and changing stuff, which seems to have become Lucas' typical MO.

From what I understand, the parsec is based on stellar parallax as seen from Earth, so it doesn't make that much sense that would have been using the unit in a galaxy that had never heard of Earth. Lucas probably just used the word because it sounded cool. I remember playing a video game called PARSEC for my old Texas Instruments computer, so the people who made that probably had the same basic idea.

[arfies.livejournal.com]

Yeah- the original trilogy, needless to say, is waaaaaayyyy better... but Episode 3 is the best of the new ones by far. Like, it actually has a plot and all.

In the original trilogy, C-3PO sees another droid that looks exactly like him- several, in fact- so how could Anakin have made him a one-of-a-kind thing?

Stupid George. Just playing with his computer-animated toys.

[vovat.livejournal.com]

In the original trilogy, C-3PO sees another droid that looks exactly like him- several, in fact- so how could Anakin have made him a one-of-a-kind thing?

I guess there's a set way that a protocol droid looks. Which adds fuel to my semi-joking idea that Anakin built C-3PO based on a magazine or something, I suppose. {g}

[rockinlibrarian.livejournal.com]

I noticed mostly the same things in Episode II. I do like it better than One (especially Obi-Wan, I think he's GREAT, and I agree with you about Palpatine), and Anakin DID have exceedingly dumb lines or at least delivery or something-- luckily he's a lot better in III, I think. (Personally, I really enjoyed III a LOT). C-3PO got all shiny-ed up after he left Tatooine the first time, so maybe, since he's the exact same shape as lots of other protocol droids (Anakin actually wasn't the one to finish him and give him that shape, actually), that's why Uncle Owen doesn't recognise him-- at least, that's my theory, actual oversight though it probably is. And Jar Jar being appointed may have annoyed some people, but when you think about it, what he DID with his responsibilities was completely screw everything up (in character at that), which was the major plot point. After all, you don't want somebody everybody LIKES to be the one to give Palpatine complete power!

[vovat.livejournal.com]

Yeah, Obi-Wan was pretty cool in Episode 2. I liked his part of the story better than Anakin's.

And Jar Jar being appointed may have annoyed some people, but when you think about it, what he DID with his responsibilities was completely screw everything up (in character at that), which was the major plot point.

That's a good point. Of course, everyone else in the Senate automatically agrees, which suggests that they might not be much smarter than Jar Jar. But, hey, they're politicians, I suppose. {g}

[loz]

I enjoyed reading all of that.

In don't hate Star Wars, I don't love it. I'm one of those strange people who want to go see it, but then does, and then goes "ehh" or "oooh" depending.

Hayden Christensen's performance constantly confuses me. I've seen him be good in other things, so how he manages to be so monotone, lifeless and badly timed in SW is a mystery to me.

[vovat.livejournal.com]

I enjoyed reading all of that.

Thanks.

In don't hate Star Wars, I don't love it. I'm one of those strange people who want to go see it, but then does, and then goes "ehh" or "oooh" depending.

I guess I'm sort of the same way. My dad is a pretty big Star Wars fan, so I was influenced somewhat by him, I'd say.

[k1cup.livejournal.com]

I love Star Wars, prequel and quel. I don't even mind Jar-Jar because I think C3PO is ten times more annoying.

Anakin, as a nine year-old, building a protocol droid isn't so far-fetched in the Star Wars universe as you'd think. His extraordinary connection to the Force is what makes his understanding of mechanics ordinary. Uh, I guess you'd have to read the Jedi Apprentice and Jedi Quest books to get a more fleshed-out explanation of the Force. They're very well-written books.

Inre: Teenakin: I think Lucas just wrote bad lines and Christensen did the best that anyone could. The scenes between him and Padme in III are also pretty painful to watch.

All in all, I like the prequels because I love the Star Wars mythology. Yes, the IV-VI cast had a definite chemistry that can't be reproduced. However, the prequels' mission to lay the foundation for the Republic's downfall may have prevented creating a swashbuckling character reminiscent of Han Solo. The Jedi Code did not really allow for spontaneity, etc. Whereas, during Luke, Leia, and Han's time, they had to recreate the Code. Incidentally, there's also a whole series of books about the New Jedi Order. If you know all this, please excuse my enthusiasm.

I can't believe the Gathering Shadow was Senate redistricting!

[vovat.livejournal.com]

Anakin, as a nine year-old, building a protocol droid isn't so far-fetched in the Star Wars universe as you'd think. His extraordinary connection to the Force is what makes his understanding of mechanics ordinary.

Yeah, I actually thought of that when he mentioned in Episode 2 that he was really good at fixing things. Still, it would seem like a protocol droid would require knowledge of programming as well as mechanics. But maybe the Force made him good at both of those things.

Your point about the prequels and the Jedi Order is reasonable. The prequels seem to be the story of chaos coming to an organized-but-somewhat-ineffective galaxy. The politics and such are a necessary aspect to show how the Emperor managed to seize power.