I can use all kinds of excuses: I didn’t have time. I was afraid nostalgia would betray me. I was burnt out by the fanbase. The list goes on. But since I have a Disney+ account, and since the movies are streaming for no extra charge, I figured now was a good time. So that’s what I’m doing. There are several ways to approach this too, but I’ll go the route of my Lord of the Rings piece.
1999-2005 was a formative time period for me. Growing up with Autism, I found I consistently lagged behind my peers. My biggest outlet of expression was media, as it never talked back or insulted my intelligence. Much of that was Star Wars, a franchise that began 13 years before I was born, yet was a cultural force even in my infancy. So when I was first introduced to a Star Wars movie at a friend’s birthday party in 1999, I lapped it up. It didn’t matter that the movie I was watching was “trash”.
I felt the same about its sequels. As a kid, these were magical experiences, something that’d keep me grounded. 3 years between releases was also enough to absorb what I’d watched, since a lot was happening to me personally anyway. For perspective, when the first Prequel came out in 1999, I was struggling in elementary school, had an almost non-existent social life and couldn’t articulate that I was flustered by both. When the final Prequel came out in 2005, I was in high school, had come into my own, was playing social and academic catchup and was at peace with my disability. In both instances, the Prequels bookended my intellectual and emotional growth.
But reminiscing isn’t as important as re-evaluating if they hold up. How are they now?
They’re fine. Not the greatest movies ever, but I’ve seen worse. That’s why the constant nonsense they’ve inspired is so baffling. They aren’t the “Trilogy from Hell”, but they’re also not a “Godsend of brilliance”. They’re (admittedly) mediocre movies that are impossible to despise. They’re also a downgrade from the trilogy they precede. And this is with Star Wars Ep. VI: Return of the Jedi being the weakest of the original films.
For starters, the Prequels are unbelievably racist. Right from the first words Nute Gunray, leader of The Trade Federation, utters, it’s clear George Lucas wasn’t being considerate of minorities. The aforementioned Gunray, as well as his associates, is a caricature of Chinese people, right down to his accent. Jar Jar Binks, the representative of the Gungans, is a stereotype of a Jamaican, right down to, once again, his accent. And Watto, the Toydarian from Tatooine who owns Anakin and Shmi Skywalker, is an Antisemitic archetype.
This sort of racism gets less overt as the movies progress, but it’s definitely distracting. I’m unsure why Lucas and company didn’t vet this through sensitivity readers: did they not exist in Hollywood yet? Is it because they cost extra? Or did Lucas simply not care? We’ll never know, but it’s really jarring.
Unfortunately, the acting and dialogue aren’t much better. I know Lucas had a specific vision, but it doesn’t translate well to film. Characters have awkward line reads, frequently don’t emote properly, and sometimes contradict their developments. They’re all seemingly bad actors in the literal sense, in that they “can’t act”. This is especially true of Shmi Skywalker’s actress, Pernilla August, who, more than Jake Lloyd and Hayden Christensen, gets the rawest deal: each read sounds like she’s completely lost. It’s a shame, since her presence is meant to ground Anakin.
If any good comes from this issue, however, it’s that the acting becomes more tolerable over time. By the finale, you even have moments of genuine emoting. I especially thought Natalie Portman’s emotional moments in Star Wars Ep. III: Revenge of the Sith, corny as they were, landed, if only because she’s a better actress than the material presented. I also thought that Ewan McGregor and Ian McDiarmid were consistent exceptions to the “wooden acting” rule, as, again, they were too good for the material presented.
This sort of racism gets less overt as the movies progress, but it’s definitely distracting. I’m unsure why Lucas and company didn’t vet this through sensitivity readers: did they not exist in Hollywood yet? Is it because they cost extra? Or did Lucas simply not care? We’ll never know, but it’s really jarring.
Unfortunately, the acting and dialogue aren’t much better. I know Lucas had a specific vision, but it doesn’t translate well to film. Characters have awkward line reads, frequently don’t emote properly, and sometimes contradict their developments. They’re all seemingly bad actors in the literal sense, in that they “can’t act”. This is especially true of Shmi Skywalker’s actress, Pernilla August, who, more than Jake Lloyd and Hayden Christensen, gets the rawest deal: each read sounds like she’s completely lost. It’s a shame, since her presence is meant to ground Anakin.
If any good comes from this issue, however, it’s that the acting becomes more tolerable over time. By the finale, you even have moments of genuine emoting. I especially thought Natalie Portman’s emotional moments in Star Wars Ep. III: Revenge of the Sith, corny as they were, landed, if only because she’s a better actress than the material presented. I also thought that Ewan McGregor and Ian McDiarmid were consistent exceptions to the “wooden acting” rule, as, again, they were too good for the material presented.
It's unfortunate the line reads and scripting are bad, because the underlying story has potential. This is a three movie saga about how corruption in politics leads to the beginnings of Fascism. It’s also how the arrogance of peacekeepers can blind them to their doom. There are makings of a Shakespearean tragedy here, which is fitting if you remember that Shakespeare was a schmaltzy writer. It’s stuff that little me found confusing, but adult me respects.
And that’s where the issues with these movies start overlapping with their strengths. Putting aside the above, I love the designs of the worlds in these films. Naboo’s a fitting marshland, while Tatooine’s a rough desert. Coruscant’s the industrial city planet, complete with tech that still blows my mind. Even planets like Kamino and Mustafar, both of which play big parts in their respective films, have personality in their own right, fitting with themes that justify their inclusions. If all else, Lucas is a great idea man.
I also like the alien designs. Despite the racist characterizations, the Gungans being amphibians that jump high distances makes lots of sense. As do the Kaminoans being amphibians who look like fish. Even less-important ones, like Obi-Wan’s transport on Utapau, make sense as a hybrid of an iguana and a horse. Star Wars has always been known for its array of varied and interesting aliens, even if most of its focus characters are humans.
Speaking of, the sound design from Ben Burtt is top-notch. There are so many great noises in this trilogy, bringing a hybrid of the familiar and the alien. Droids beep and whirr like machines, blasters and lightsabers spurt and hum like weapons, and background characters growl and shriek like believable aliens. Even minor sounds, like Jango Fett’s ship having bombs with delayed explosions, match their sound effects.
And that’s where the issues with these movies start overlapping with their strengths. Putting aside the above, I love the designs of the worlds in these films. Naboo’s a fitting marshland, while Tatooine’s a rough desert. Coruscant’s the industrial city planet, complete with tech that still blows my mind. Even planets like Kamino and Mustafar, both of which play big parts in their respective films, have personality in their own right, fitting with themes that justify their inclusions. If all else, Lucas is a great idea man.
I also like the alien designs. Despite the racist characterizations, the Gungans being amphibians that jump high distances makes lots of sense. As do the Kaminoans being amphibians who look like fish. Even less-important ones, like Obi-Wan’s transport on Utapau, make sense as a hybrid of an iguana and a horse. Star Wars has always been known for its array of varied and interesting aliens, even if most of its focus characters are humans.
Speaking of, the sound design from Ben Burtt is top-notch. There are so many great noises in this trilogy, bringing a hybrid of the familiar and the alien. Droids beep and whirr like machines, blasters and lightsabers spurt and hum like weapons, and background characters growl and shriek like believable aliens. Even minor sounds, like Jango Fett’s ship having bombs with delayed explosions, match their sound effects.
I also love the visual effects. They’re dated now, but it’s surprising how much care went into them. I especially appreciate how many practical effects were used. Lucas wasn’t averse to miniatures and actual scenery shots, even if the results varied. And they only got better over time, with later movies even adding dirt and grime to make everything feel lived-in.
But the cherry on top is the score. John Williams is one of Hollywood’s greatest living composers, and Star Wars contains some of his best work. The Prequels are no exception, with Duel of the Fates, Across the Stars and Battle of the Heroes being the highlights. I especially like how the movies uses these as motifs alongside older motifs, complimenting the franchise’s reputation for memorable music. It’s great.
There are other aspects that deserve praise. The lightsaber work, while over-choreographed, is intense. Yoda fighting Count Dooku is one of the highlights of Star Wars Ep. II: Attack of the Clones. And Order 66’s montage, where the Jedi are taken out, is still heartbreaking to watch. I know this doesn’t save these movies, but it elevates them above complete trash. It’s humbling when you remember that movies are difficult to make, and even bad ones aren’t bad 100% of the time.
Ultimately, I’m conflicted over these films. Are they as good as I remember? No, but neither is The Matrix. And if I can find enjoyment in that film despite its problems, then why can’t I say the same here too? I’d even argue they got better over time, as each instalment expanded on and improved upon what came before. So while there are better movies in hindsight, I appreciate this trilogy as a time capsule of entertainment from the late-90’s to mid-2000’s.
But the cherry on top is the score. John Williams is one of Hollywood’s greatest living composers, and Star Wars contains some of his best work. The Prequels are no exception, with Duel of the Fates, Across the Stars and Battle of the Heroes being the highlights. I especially like how the movies uses these as motifs alongside older motifs, complimenting the franchise’s reputation for memorable music. It’s great.
There are other aspects that deserve praise. The lightsaber work, while over-choreographed, is intense. Yoda fighting Count Dooku is one of the highlights of Star Wars Ep. II: Attack of the Clones. And Order 66’s montage, where the Jedi are taken out, is still heartbreaking to watch. I know this doesn’t save these movies, but it elevates them above complete trash. It’s humbling when you remember that movies are difficult to make, and even bad ones aren’t bad 100% of the time.
Ultimately, I’m conflicted over these films. Are they as good as I remember? No, but neither is The Matrix. And if I can find enjoyment in that film despite its problems, then why can’t I say the same here too? I’d even argue they got better over time, as each instalment expanded on and improved upon what came before. So while there are better movies in hindsight, I appreciate this trilogy as a time capsule of entertainment from the late-90’s to mid-2000’s.
(Besides, the original Star Wars movies had issues too. But that’s for another day…)
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