I like the PT, especially 1 and 3. Are they great films? No, but they did expand upon and keep the Star Wars universe relevant. If not for 1-3 making George Lucas a ton of money and proving that Star Wars was still a cash cow, even when the current movie was less than stellar, Disney would never have bought the franchise and Star Wars would have died out. We might not even have this game we all love. The PT are not great cinema, but the story is ok and enjoyable. Take them for what they are, and you'll enjoy them more.

And unlike, say, The Matrix or The Lord of the Rings, people are still talking about the prequels. I sometimes get the idea that every single prequel film gave more memorable scenes than those respective franchises combined.

Here is a really good review of Attack of the Clones: https://wondersinthedark.wordpress.com/2010/04/08/bob-strikes-back-at-attack-of-the-clones-naysayers/

It's not a positive review ("the weakest film of Lucas' career") but the author is willing to see what AOTC is really about. Discarding the prequels because of an aversion Buzz Droids is dumb, and depriving oneself of some really good cinema. And that is a shame, especially because this is Star Wars, of all things. Isn't that what we all like? We have hours of extremely lavish, multi-faceted, top quality Star Wars film, and actual Star Wars fans are demanding that this stuff is burned ?

The Eta's faster than the A-wing - 5,200 G to the A-Wing's 5,100 G.

Not sure if that difference would be big enough to justify higher-speed green maneuvers though - speed 3 banks or even turns.

The ETA-2 would be an amazing knife-fighter for a few Jedi Veterans to come along and use in The Rebellion and I desperately want it in the game.

It's a beast.

I like the PT, especially 1 and 3. Are they great films? No, but they did expand upon and keep the Star Wars universe relevant. If not for 1-3 making George Lucas a ton of money and proving that Star Wars was still a cash cow, even when the current movie was less than stellar, Disney would never have bought the franchise and Star Wars would have died out. We might not even have this game we all love. The PT are not great cinema, but the story is ok and enjoyable. Take them for what they are, and you'll enjoy them more.

What makes the prequels remarkable is that they are not an attempt to simply continue the SW franchise, like, for example, another Avengers film or most superhero blockbusters. What sets them apart is that Lucas really tried to make the best films he could, and consequently they're quite layered. Perhaps that is why I generally watch the prequel DVDs more often than the OT DVDs; it is not simple preference, but because the prequels simply contain more. They may be flawed (like all of Star Wars, so what's the big deal there?) but if I am continually drawn to them, the prequels cannot be bad films for me.

And unlike, say, The Matrix or The Lord of the Rings, people are still talking about the prequels. I sometimes get the idea that every single prequel film gave more memorable scenes than those respective franchises combined.

Here is a really good review of Attack of the Clones: https://wondersinthedark.wordpress.com/2010/04/08/bob-strikes-back-at-attack-of-the-clones-naysayers/

It's not a positive review ("the weakest film of Lucas' career") but the author is willing to see what AOTC is really about. Discarding the prequels because of an aversion Buzz Droids is dumb, and depriving oneself of some really good cinema. And that is a shame, especially because this is Star Wars, of all things. Isn't that what we all like? We have hours of extremely lavish, multi-faceted, top quality Star Wars film, and actual Star Wars fans are demanding that this stuff is burned ?

You and I are friends now. You have absolutely no choice in this.

PT > TFA

It told an original story to fill in the backstory. It wasn't just a "updated" (read poorer) version of Episode IV. Nope, the similarities are on the surface only - TFA did a lot of different and new things. It shows that Disney was not willing to take risks, which is a shame, but it doesn't ruin the movie at all.

Some of the things I liked:

The lightsaber scenes were WAY better. I disagree. They looked more like ballet - appropriate for a more sophisticated time, but, at least for me, disengaging to watch - TFAs fighting was more of a brawl and I was in the moment.

Jango Fett and Slave I are a better combo than Kylo Ren and that shuttle. Well, it is a copy of Boba after all, who managed to amass a giant fanbase by just being there.

General Grevious is more interesting than Captain Phasma as a "baddie sidekick" Both were wasted characters, but Phasma at least is going to get at least another movie to evolve. TCW made Grievous awesome, though. Btw have you seen the action figure LEGO kit of him, so cool!

Clonetroopers look better than FO Troopers and have better training and indoctrination. Looks are pretty subjective. There are cool clone designs, but I do like the iTrooper as well. The comment about training means nothing. Clones are pretty much battle droids with a soul, iTroopers are people - I found both to be pretty scary as opponents.

The pod racing scene was cool. Hell yes!

It showed a planet full of Wookies....AAARRRGGHH!

So by all means hate the PT all you like, it won't change a thing.

Both the PT and TFA have good elements. The PT has failed as movies, though. It introduced a great enviroment that spawned good things like TCW, Darth Plagueis and an array of games and I can appreciate it for that, but I can only enjoy it in a fun bad movie sense. TFA similarly introduced great things to the universe - I love the whole portrayal of the First Order. The burning fanatism is what I expect in the remnants of a collapsed empire. It has the advantage of being an enjoyable movie, it also hasn't added as much to the universe, but we still have two movies coming, so that comparison is incomplete.

PT > TFA

It told an original story to fill in the backstory. It wasn't just a "updated" (read poorer) version of Episode IV.

Some of the things I liked:

The lightsaber scenes were WAY better.

Jango Fett and Slave I are a better combo than Kylo Ren and that shuttle.

General Grevious is more interesting than Captain Phasma as a "baddie sidekick"

Clonetroopers look better than FO Troopers and have better training and indoctrination.

The pod racing scene was cool.

It showed a planet full of Wookies....AAARRRGGHH!

So by all means hate the PT all you like, it won't change a thing.

The lightsaber fights were bleedin awful they were soulless and had non of the subtext involved with the original fights.

The last fight in Sith was so dragged out and dull it's untrue.

I'd have said the best way to watch the PT is 'going up in smoke on a bonfire'

Can you tell i'm not a fan of them ?

Oh I dunno, don't get me wrong the PT was bad, but... some parts were okay.

Yeah, the first five minutes were pretty fun, if you ignore the casual racism. It all went downhill VERY fast after that, and kept going.

Also, don't forget that there is another one:

Okay and Sir Christopher Lloyd was ******* unbelievable, but he always is.

DB and Lingula.

I appreciate your opinions on the PTs, but I think you guys are both way off. I really did come back to these movies with an open mind, and I tried to see all those good things you guys mentioned. It's simply not there. I've stacked lumber that was more lively. I know this is personal opinion, but I just have such a hard time seeing the value in those films above and beyond the casual chuckle. I know it's subjective, but I have to ask, are you guys sure you're not looking at these movies through rose coloured glasses?

Thing is, the prequels were well received when they came out, as good as any Star Wars film, and better in the case of Revenge of the Sith. The massive backlash against them is largely an internet/media fabrication that snowballed. Some people are unable to see beyond that mass opinion and prefer to conform to it.

Yes, I am partial to the prequels - but I happen to think that this is because they are pretty good movies. At no point have I ever experienced why someone would be unable to see this, unless peer pressure is involved. Maybe I can't see beyond that, but why should I? It doesn't seem like an odd limitation for a fan, and a good review, even if negative, is still that.

Because Darkcloak, you clearly did not read the excellent and in-depth review I linked. It is more than critical. There is someone taking a step back to look at Attack of the Clones with as little bias as possible - the very thing I applaud, but what you ironically are accusing me off. I didn't link that as a joke, or just to throw a wall of text in your face.

Watch the Red Letter Media reviews of the PT movies.

Unlike the PT Movies, the reviews are incredibly well made and very funny. It almost makes it okay that the PT movies exist; almost.

Comparing the PT to Matrix and LOTR is bold. LOTR is still a big thing, still very cool. Matrix... Defined a genre I think. It's sequels were bad but the original was for the time groundbreaking.

The prequels... I've gotten over hating them, but they did some horrid things.

They did have good scenes though. They even had good lines. Like it or not, they were Star Wars films.

The only cardinal sin I think that the prequels really did, ultimately was try to de-mystify the force with Midichlorians.

Problems with the PT

(and dont get me wrong after hating them when they came out i tried to give them a fresh viewing with an open mind but kept falling asleep through the second one....)

1. Space nazis vs resistance becomes a dispute over income tax returns and the jedi are used as bailiffs

2. the Tao like 'force' is turned into a fungal infection like athletes foot

3. Too much GCI

4. Too many things happening in space battles for you to appreciate any one thing

5. Jar jar binks

6. ludicrous light sabre fights with yoda acting like a green pinball or a game of angry birds

7. Whiny annikin

8. Each episode brought in a 'badass bad guy' then pretty much killed him... no arch enemy was given time to develop

9. gaping plot holes in how people knew each other which made sense from ep1 going on but meant that by EPIV vader had severe amnesia... 'i feel a tremor in the force!'... he should have been having a seizure seeing as his old teacher, his kids, both his robots, a wookie he used to know and his own lightsabre had just arrived on the death star.....

I could go on but whats the point, hopefully they will fade into obscurity along with other mediocre film

I honestly tried to watch them *without* the anticipation i had when i saw them at the cinema

EPIII was 'ok', the other two were very poor

edit:

Point 10... the jedi are like used to kill people for welching on a trade dispute but are totally ok with slavery..... (as in annikins mother)

Thing is, the prequels were well received when they came out, as good as any Star Wars film, and better in the case of Revenge of the Sith. The massive backlash against them is largely an internet/media fabrication that snowballed. Some people are unable to see beyond that mass opinion and prefer to conform to it.

Yes, I am partial to the prequels - but I happen to think that this is because they are pretty good movies. At no point have I ever experienced why someone would be unable to see this, unless peer pressure is involved. Maybe I can't see beyond that, but why should I? It doesn't seem like an odd limitation for a fan, and a good review, even if negative, is still that.

Because Darkcloak, you clearly did not read the excellent and in-depth review I linked. It is more than critical. There is someone taking a step back to look at Attack of the Clones with as little bias as possible - the very thing I applaud, but what you ironically are accusing me off. I didn't link that as a joke, or just to throw a wall of text in your face.

I'm not sure I get where you're coming from. I'm not attacking you, I'm genuinely perplexed by your stance. I am looking at these films with an open mind, and they're just bad. It's not even about Star Wars at this point, it's about film. Lucas really dropped the ball with all three of those movies, and I hate to say it, but when people say that the OT is bad and fans make excuse for it? Well, the same can be said for the PTs. They are held up by the crutch of their forebearers, and they fail miserably when compared to any other movie of that time. If I had to pick between Phantom Menace or Bicentennial Man, I'd pick Robin. Heck, I'd rather watch Dogma again.

It kinda seems like the expectation put forward by you is that if I really did have an open mind I would arrive at the same conclusion as you about these movies. That's just silly.

At any rate, I think everyone gets far more enjoyment talking about the PTs than they ever do watching them. Well... Pod Racing. But that's another thing altogether!

Nope, burn it all to the ground. It's the only way we can collectively forget about that abomination.

This kind of response is what bugs me whenever the Prequels are brought up- a knee-jerk, vitriolic, adamant dismissal (a response that has only been exacerbated since people can now just point to the Plinkett videos and leave their thoughts on the matter at that). It's a complete non-starter.

Now in my opinion, the Prequel Trilogy is responsible for some incredibly imaginative elements in the Star Wars universe; unfortunately, as many have said, they're also marred by stilted, trite, lifeless writing that utterly squanders the talented casts; an awkward sense of tone and pacing; oft-dated effects; and plots that are both incredibly dense and utterly senseless. The Red Letter Media videos, as hyperbolic and crass as they are, have some genuine insights into the art of cinematography. That's one of the principle reasons I enjoy the Clone Wars cartoon- everything that feels rushed and underdeveloped in the films is given the time and attention it deserves (e.g. Palpatine's influence over Anakin, the decline of the Jedi Order, the MO of the Separatists, the evolution of Anakin's issues with death, fear, jealousy and anger, etc.)

But it's important to remember that for every one of these

There's something like this

Every time I watch Phantom Menace, rolling my eyes at Jar Jar, cringing in anticipation of even more of his stereotypical people, I find myself drawn in to this moment, genuinely struck with awe and wonderment at the underwater city looming before them. And sure, it's a CGI illusion, just like the coliseum scene, but it's not a bunch of randos swinging swords at invisible computer-made robots- there's a sense of discovery and illumination, a reminder that this universe still has the ability to capture you.

Going back to the title of the topic, what is the best way to watch the prequels?

Maybe the answer is: Silently??

Someone did an experiment where they watched the prequel films on mute, while playing the John Williams scores, and the results are pretty interesting.

Without that ridiculous "No!" this image becomes something entirely more chilling:

Okay and Sir Christopher Lloyd was ******* unbelievable, but he always is.

DB and Lingula.

I appreciate your opinions on the PTs, but I think you guys are both way off. I really did come back to these movies with an open mind, and I tried to see all those good things you guys mentioned. It's simply not there. I've stacked lumber that was more lively. I know this is personal opinion, but I just have such a hard time seeing the value in those films above and beyond the casual chuckle. I know it's subjective, but I have to ask, are you guys sure you're not looking at these movies through rose coloured glasses?

1. Christopher Lee.

2. Are you sure you're not looking at them through "Prequel Hate" groupthink?

That clip is funny because you can really see Ewan having a blast, even though the choreographer was clearly on smoke break, lol!

Okay and Sir Christopher Lloyd was ******* unbelievable, but he always is.

DB and Lingula.

I appreciate your opinions on the PTs, but I think you guys are both way off. I really did come back to these movies with an open mind, and I tried to see all those good things you guys mentioned. It's simply not there. I've stacked lumber that was more lively. I know this is personal opinion, but I just have such a hard time seeing the value in those films above and beyond the casual chuckle. I know it's subjective, but I have to ask, are you guys sure you're not looking at these movies through rose coloured glasses?

1. Christopher Lee.

2. Are you sure you're not looking at them through "Prequel Hate" groupthink?

Um....

No. That's what I've been saying this whole time. I have been watching them, probably gonna try to finish # 3 today. I am actively trying to find ways to enjoy the movies and well... Weird Al.

That's the conclusion I came to. Look goddammit, I didn't come here to listen to fans defend crappy movies because Star Wars reasons! I posted this so we could all have a laugh about a terri-bad movie, and maybe just maybe, give em another chance, like I have been trying to. Is it really so hard to watch the video and laugh about it? JGDMFC!

Now go back and watch the vidya! And sing along this time dammit!

edit: Yeah... that's a bit of a typo though innit? I guess I just typed Count Dooku's wrong name out of hand...

That clip is funny because you can really see Ewan having a blast, even though the choreographer was clearly on smoke break, lol!

Apparently, Ewan often made the lightsaber noises himself as he swung his around (to the point where Liam Neeson once walked off-set in frustration), despite Lucas's reminders that "You know we have sound people, right?"

Actually to the person who said 'the prequals were well recieved at the time'

I remember seeing it at Leicester Square in London the week it came out and all the audience looking really unimpressed.

Counter that to watching TFA in December with an audience *cheering* at the end.

Thing is, the prequels were well received when they came out, as good as any Star Wars film, and better in the case of Revenge of the Sith. The massive backlash against them is largely an internet/media fabrication that snowballed. Some people are unable to see beyond that mass opinion and prefer to conform to it.

Yes, I am partial to the prequels - but I happen to think that this is because they are pretty good movies. At no point have I ever experienced why someone would be unable to see this, unless peer pressure is involved. Maybe I can't see beyond that, but why should I? It doesn't seem like an odd limitation for a fan, and a good review, even if negative, is still that.

Because Darkcloak, you clearly did not read the excellent and in-depth review I linked. It is more than critical. There is someone taking a step back to look at Attack of the Clones with as little bias as possible - the very thing I applaud, but what you ironically are accusing me off. I didn't link that as a joke, or just to throw a wall of text in your face.

I'm not sure I get where you're coming from. I'm not attacking you, I'm genuinely perplexed by your stance. I am looking at these films with an open mind, and they're just bad. It's not even about Star Wars at this point, it's about film. Lucas really dropped the ball with all three of those movies, and I hate to say it, but when people say that the OT is bad and fans make excuse for it? Well, the same can be said for the PTs. They are held up by the crutch of their forebearers, and they fail miserably when compared to any other movie of that time. If I had to pick between Phantom Menace or Bicentennial Man, I'd pick Robin. Heck, I'd rather watch Dogma again.

It kinda seems like the expectation put forward by you is that if I really did have an open mind I would arrive at the same conclusion as you about these movies. That's just silly.

Or is your problem that my point is subjective? That is even more baffling; what TF is wrong with being an advocate for three Star Wars films on an effing Star Wars board? There are sometimes remarks about 'negativity' - well prequel negativity is the kind I hate the most, especially because it's so old, sounds like a broken record and is soooo often completely vapid. Plenty of examples in this very thread. And oh-oh-oh, aren't we all disturbed by the 'negativity'.

The best way to watch pretty much any Star Wars film at this point is:

With your best friends

Cool (or hot) beverage of choice in hand

Using the other hand to roll dice, place templates, and maneuver little plastic ships.

Seriously, you get to skip any unpleasant parts you dislike and even when you're not watching it, just the soundtrack in the background allows you to visualize what's happening.

I don't recommend doing this EVERY time you "watch" but it never hurts to have those rebel propganda films in the background while you're blowing those rebel scum into space-dust in the starfields.

I've seen worse movies. I'm not saying the PT doesn't have issues. It does. I am saying however that it's issues are certainly exaggerated by many. Hence my comments of Scape-goat Jar Jar in the past. Jar Jar needs to die, but not entirely for being the lamest character ever.

Actually to the person who said 'the prequals were well recieved at the time'

I remember seeing it at Leicester Square in London the week it came out and all the audience looking really unimpressed.

Counter that to watching TFA in December with an audience *cheering* at the end.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/film/star-wars-the-force-awakens/best-worst-movies-poll/

First of all, take that word younglings out back, shoot it and bury it next to padawan.

This was released prior to Phantom Menace, wasn't it?

Padawan comes from an early draft of The Star Wars. You know, before 1977. Same with Mace Windu, although back then it was Windi.

And the whole business with Palpatine going from senator to 'president of the senate' to Emperor was on the first page of the original Novelization, and also the threat of 'the organs of commerce' (Commerce Guilds and Trade Federation, ect) and the growing corruption in the Relublic. The Prequels have been in the background of SW since he beginning. Which is why it is so mind boggling that the actual movies could get things so wrong. We waited decades to see the Clone wars and Obi Wan's fight with young Vader and got handed something that will just have to do.

First of all, take that word younglings out back, shoot it and bury it next to padawan.

This was released prior to Phantom Menace, wasn't it?

Padawan comes from an early draft of The Star Wars.

Which is no reason to revive it. Starkiller was dropped as well, and C-3PO was supposed to talk like a used car salesman.