Finally got to see it

[cornerofmadness]

I'm watching Momma House Wren trying to teach her babies how to fly. Right now that means fat chicks hopping cluelessly on my back porch.

I finally got to see  Revenge of the Sith, the last person on the planet to finally do so (literally. It was the last day for the movie at our theatre). We waited because like I’ve said before my parents took me for my tenth birthday to see A New Hope and now they wanted to take me for my birthday to the last one. (okay we’re about 3 weeks late but I wasn’t here for my birthday).

 

Unlike the first two in this trilogy, I really enjoyed this one and it had everything to do with the fight scenes. Personally I could sit there and watch those for hours without needing a plot (probably a by-product of this strange Saturday afternoon TV show in the TV’s that showed nothing but plot less Kung Fu movies). It’s hard to pick which is my favorite fight scene probably the Obi-Wan vs. Anakin smack down. The action scenes sold this movie and I loved the way they tied it into the older movies (barring the blip of Obi-Wan not knowing about Leia), at the end with giving Threepio and R2 to Captain Antilles.
 
However there are some major caveats to my enjoyment. Because this movie was not without some massive problems.
 
A)    The acting. Good lord, was this entire movie shot in one take? I know these actors. I know what they’re capable of and it sounded like they were reading from cue cards, especially Padame, Anakin and Windoo. This was some of the most wooden acting ever
B)      Obi-Wan letting Anakin roast like a pig. That was merciless. I would have preferred Obi-Wan to have done his slice and dice on the platform and have it give out dumping Anakin to his “death” on the lava.
C)    Padame dies in childbirth? Um, these guys can rebuild a body from next to nothing but they can’t save a woman in childbirth? To me it would have made it far far more believable if Anakin dreamt of Padame dying with Obi-Wan over her just like he did see and have Palpatine spin it so that the ‘evil’ Jedi were out to kill her because of Anakin. That would have sealed Anakin to him more believable.
D)    George, get someone to write your romance scenes next time. Blech.
 

That said, Mom was panting over Ewan McGregor and I’d go to the Dark Side for Anakin any day.

 

Comments

[librissimma.livejournal.com]

I get Padame's death in childbirth.
1) She'd lost the will to live, they couldn't rebuild her body, because their was nothing wrong with her body. On the other hand, Darth's anger and desire for revenge fueled his will to live.
2)It was her fate and in classic myth, fates cannot be avoided. Anakin presciented her death in childbirth and his tragic heroicness was that rather than saving her from her death, he caused her death.

I agree with you about the acting, especially the love scenes, but my husband reminded me that the acting has always been bad/campy in the movies.

Definately the Obi Wan letting Anakin die was horrible. It continues to give credence to Anakin's turn to the dark side. The first time I watched the movie I found Anakin's descent not so believable (but then I know how this ends) but when I watched I second time I was on the lookout for all the things that may have set Anakin off and I was surprised by how many times the Jedi's made mistakes. I don't mean about not letting Anakin join the council, that made sense, but all the little betrayals they asked of him, that weren't completely ethical. He had high standards for them and they didn't meet them.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

See I didn't buy into Padame giving up hope even (probably bad acting). It didn't work for me at all.

But I'll agree about the mistakes the Jedi's made. Hell they never wanted Anakin there from the time he was a child. He reminds me of Connor, his head so screwed around by people who were supposed to be friends and family that he couldn't think straight. Still, his turn was a little TOO quick for me

bad pacing

[librissimma.livejournal.com]

I agree that the pacing of the movie was definately off. I think that there needed to be a better balance between fight scenes and plot development, but Lucas' gift is with the fight scene (and rehashing archetypes), so he did what he did best.

Re: bad pacing

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

no argument.

[dragonydreams.livejournal.com]

I have to agree with you on most of those points. Personally, I couldn't stand Hayden Christenson in any of the prequels, and Natalie Portman was so not at her best in this film. But I did enjoy this one the most of the new movies. They did a good job of tying everything to what we already knew. Although some of them seemed like they were thrown in at the last minute.

If you want to see some obsessive Stars Wars info, go to http://www.wikipedia.org and do a search for Star Wars. I ended up there when I was trying to find out how old Anakin was in the third movie and was blown away by some of the information that I found there. I was able to find out how Han Solo and Chewbakka ended up flying together at least.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

well now I'll have to go poke at that. thanks...for nothing :-) I'll be there forever.

I didn't like Hayden in the second movie but I was okay with him here. I've seen him do better. I've seen them ALL do better. Samuel Jackson is usually amazing but in this ...blech

[dragonydreams.livejournal.com]

Sorry, but it's somewhat fascinating at just how much information is there. It looks like they've pulled information from every movie, book, game and TV show ever written involving Star Wars.

I'll give you that Hayden was better in this film than the previous one, but he still left much to be desired. Although, him being shirtless for even that one scene made up for a lot - and the longer hair - YUM!

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

I love wikipedia.

Yes, he was improved but yes, he still wasn't all that good. Sigh. Made Mark Hamill look good. But I'm with you, the shirtless scene and the gorgeous hair made my hormones kick my brain into drooling silence

[catlove.livejournal.com]

Obi-Wan vs. Anakin is going down in history as one of the best fight ever. Perhaps not for the action itself, but the concept. I hear you re-the bad acting though, but I thought Hayden Christensen was muuuuch better in this one comparing it with episode II -in which he just sucked-

Padame dies in childbirth? Um, these guys can rebuild a body from next to nothing but they can’t save a woman in childbirth?

That's actually bad also because in the original trilogy Leia tells Luke that she remembers her mother and that she was always looking sad. So there's something wrong with continuity there.

Ewan McGregor with facial hair is such a waste. But Anakin's dark side is the best he has ;)

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

Agreed about the fight scene and Hayden's acting abilities. At least they improved.

Well maybe she meant her adoptive mother? Or in 30 years Lucas forgot...

Ewan McGregor with facial hair is such a waste. But Anakin's dark side is the best he has ;)

Agreed. At least Ewan has on pants. I've seen his penis enough. I'm not impressed.

[ba4ever.livejournal.com]

That said, Mom was panting over Ewan McGregor and I’d go to the Dark Side for Anakin any day.

LMAO. You're Mom said that?

Eh, I haven't seen SW, I might be the only person in the world, not entirely interested, I saw all the other one, but I hated the last one.

I don't get the big deal over Hayden, he can't act for shit..well not in this movie at least. I've seen him in others and he CAN act..so what's up with this?

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

That IS the question isn't it. ALL of these actors can act so why did no one DO it in Star Wars?

[ba4ever.livejournal.com]

I have NO idea. It pisses me off. Natalie, Hayden, I mean they had freaking Liam Neeson and Ewan McGregor in these movies..

And none of them is WILLING TO ACT! ACK! *SCREAMS*

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

that really did blow my mind, knowing what these guys could give a movie...and chose not to especially KNOWING the huge fan base for this. You'd think they'd make it their best performances ever

[ba4ever.livejournal.com]

I think that's what has turned me off the SW movies. I much prefer the old school Han and Luke days. They seemed to have more heart.

They've sacrificed special effects and digital sound for quality acting. *sighs* why didn't they just use robots as actors.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

As DL said, George would have if he could have

[dlgood.livejournal.com]

My guess - crappy dialogue and crappy direction from a George Lucas who would make a movie entirely by himself and without any other human input if he could.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

that's my guess too DL

[lejlkwiet.livejournal.com]

You're not the only one who hasn't seen it...I haven't watched it either, they stopped showing it in the cinemas exactly as I finished my exams. I mean to watch it though, hopefully it's better than the 2nd one (I actually fell asleep in that. I NEVER fall asleep during movies!)

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

definitely better than the second one. I actually liked this one for all my bitching. The second was a nightmare