Thoughts on Episode III
Went to the 12:01 AM showing of Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith last night. Here are some random thoughts concerning the movie...
The good:
It is the best installment of the prequels.
Visual effects were stunning, although hubby and I agreed that we were far more moved by the simpler effects of the original trilogy (OT).
Performances of Ian McDiarmid (Palpatine/Sidious) and Ewan McGregor (Obiwan) were good. McDiarmid was a little over-the-top at times, but it was a welcome diversion from the other performances (see below).
The bad:
Lamest love-scene dialogue EVER. "You're so... beautiful." "That's because I'm in love with you." "No, it's because I love YOU!" (Got a big laugh from the audience.)
In fact, all the dialogue was bad. This is the first movie I have ever been to in my entire adult life in which I got impatient with any scene containing dialogue and wished they would hurry up to the next bit of action.
Agree with Rolling Stone review re: Hayden Christensen's wooden performance.
Natalie Portman's performance was downright soggy. Oh how I longed for Princess Leia's feistiness.
Yoda does his little green tornado act again. I liked it a whole lot better when his power was something to be imagined, not seen.
You know that little disclaimer at the end of movies, "All characters and events portrayed in this story are fictional. Any resemblance and similarity to persons living or dead is purely coincidental... blah blah blah"? Baloney. The exchange between Vader and Obiwan before the big showdown is obviously inspired by President Bush. "I have saved the Republic! I have brought peace, blah blah blah, I have brought security!" "You are either with me or you are my enemy!" "Only the Sith deal in absolutes!"
Spoiler warning (although it ain't much of a spoiler)...
What the heck was Lucas thinking with that Frankenstein scene at the end?!? After the big showdown with Obiwan, Vader is being pieced together on a metal table a la Frankenstein's laboratory. The table slowly inclines while passionate music swells in the background, and slowly we see the black-masked visage of the Darth Vader we all know and love from the OT. He is cuffed to the table, but breaks his bonds one at a time and then takes a few staggering Frankenstein's-monster steps, at which point he is given some bad news about Padme and utters a resounding "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO... " with arms outstretched. Painfully corny. Just awful. (Did no one working on this movie tell Lucas that this scene was lame in the extreme?)
The confession:
I was oh-so-mildly aroused by Hayden Christensen with his shirt off. I feel so ashamed.
That's all for now. I'm gonna have to watch the OT this weekend to make up for this.
The good:
It is the best installment of the prequels.
Visual effects were stunning, although hubby and I agreed that we were far more moved by the simpler effects of the original trilogy (OT).
Performances of Ian McDiarmid (Palpatine/Sidious) and Ewan McGregor (Obiwan) were good. McDiarmid was a little over-the-top at times, but it was a welcome diversion from the other performances (see below).
The bad:
Lamest love-scene dialogue EVER. "You're so... beautiful." "That's because I'm in love with you." "No, it's because I love YOU!" (Got a big laugh from the audience.)
In fact, all the dialogue was bad. This is the first movie I have ever been to in my entire adult life in which I got impatient with any scene containing dialogue and wished they would hurry up to the next bit of action.
Agree with Rolling Stone review re: Hayden Christensen's wooden performance.
Natalie Portman's performance was downright soggy. Oh how I longed for Princess Leia's feistiness.
Yoda does his little green tornado act again. I liked it a whole lot better when his power was something to be imagined, not seen.
You know that little disclaimer at the end of movies, "All characters and events portrayed in this story are fictional. Any resemblance and similarity to persons living or dead is purely coincidental... blah blah blah"? Baloney. The exchange between Vader and Obiwan before the big showdown is obviously inspired by President Bush. "I have saved the Republic! I have brought peace, blah blah blah, I have brought security!" "You are either with me or you are my enemy!" "Only the Sith deal in absolutes!"
Spoiler warning (although it ain't much of a spoiler)...
What the heck was Lucas thinking with that Frankenstein scene at the end?!? After the big showdown with Obiwan, Vader is being pieced together on a metal table a la Frankenstein's laboratory. The table slowly inclines while passionate music swells in the background, and slowly we see the black-masked visage of the Darth Vader we all know and love from the OT. He is cuffed to the table, but breaks his bonds one at a time and then takes a few staggering Frankenstein's-monster steps, at which point he is given some bad news about Padme and utters a resounding "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO... " with arms outstretched. Painfully corny. Just awful. (Did no one working on this movie tell Lucas that this scene was lame in the extreme?)
The confession:
I was oh-so-mildly aroused by Hayden Christensen with his shirt off. I feel so ashamed.
That's all for now. I'm gonna have to watch the OT this weekend to make up for this.
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