[karajorma]

Hey guys, the trailer for the first new star wars movie in a long time has got me really hyped! It's going to be soooooo good...



All of this has happened before. All of this will happen again...

Yeah, but Lucas isn't involved this time. Then again J.J "I took a big **** on the Star Trek universe" Abrams is. So I refuse to get hyped. I saw a lot of things that could be good if done the right way. So I'm not going to say it's bad or good. I'm reserving my judgement. On the other hand, if it is bad, this is where we should draw a line in the sand and insist that the next two films become the biggest loss making films of all time.

[Swifty]

Yeah, but Lucas isn't involved this time. Then again J.J "I took a big **** on the Star Trek universe" Abrams is. So I refuse to get hyped. I saw a lot of things that could be good if done the right way. So I'm not going to say it's bad or good. I'm reserving my judgement. On the other hand, if it is bad, this is where we should draw a line in the sand and insist that the next two films become the biggest loss making films of all time.

I think the reason why the Star Trek movies came out the way they did was because Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman wrote them. I've enjoyed the shows they write (Lost, Fringe, Alias), but their insistence on writing to intentionally subvert expectations works better for serialized mass produced network television rather than a Star Trek movie.

That's not the case with the Star Wars sequels. Lawrence Kasdan was one of the writers for Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. I'd argue he's the one that charted the Star Wars mythology to go beyond the limitations of George Lucas' narrative range. The fact that Disney hired Lawrence Kasdan to chart the narrative direction of the Star Wars sequels (He's writing both Force Awakens and Episode IX) is something any Star Wars fan should be excited about. I'd go as far to say that his lack of involvement in the prequels (combined with George Lucas' creative monopoly) are the reasons why they became the crapfest they were.

[Sushi]

We'll find out soon enough. Like Kara, I'm simply keeping my expectations firmly in check.

[karajorma]

That's not the case with the Star Wars sequels. Lawrence Kasdan was one of the writers for Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. I'd argue he's the one that charted the Star Wars mythology to go beyond the limitations of George Lucas' narrative range. The fact that Disney hired Lawrence Kasdan to chart the narrative direction of the Star Wars sequels (He's writing both Force Awakens and Episode IX) is something any Star Wars fan should be excited about. I'd go as far to say that his lack of involvement in the prequels (combined with George Lucas' creative monopoly) are the reasons why they became the crapfest they were.

I would tend to agree with you that Kasdan's involvement is a good thing but it is worth noting that he's barely written anything in the last 10 years (apart from one film which was a complete flop). Everyone was really happy that Lucas was the director of the first prequel for similar reasons. After all Lucas created the first film and was responsible for a lot of the good writing in the second and third one.

So I'm going to simply say I'm going to watch the film but I'm not going to get excited until a few minutes into the film at the earliest.

[Snarks]

I've never seen or played anything Star Wars related. Would it be ill-advised to start by watching this one?

[Fury]

Yes. Watch the original trilogy, then the prequel trilogy. Then you're good to go to watch this new one.

[The E]

Although there are strong arguments for not bothering with Episode 1. Or Episode 2.

[AdmiralRalwood]

There's also a strong argument to be made for the "Machete Order" of 4, 5, 2, 3, 6. It maintains the, uh, really famous spoiler at the end of 5 that way.

[Luis Dias]

You can also not bother with episode 3. In fact, just pretend 1, 2 and 3 don't exist.


Regarding the "Oh I'm not gonna be hyped now", yeah **** that ****, I'm HYPED and the trick is just not take it seriously!

[The E]

There's also a strong argument to be made for the "Hatchet Order" of 4, 5, 2, 3, 6. It maintains the, uh, really famous spoiler at the end of 5 that way.

This is also a really strong recommendation.

[Phantom Hoover]

machete order, people. not hatchet

[Luis Dias]

I will never understand the sadomasochistic advices of telling people to watch the prequels. Sometimes I feel that people are just being devious beyond belief .

[Fury]

They're not THAT bad.

[Luis Dias]

They are not EVEN bad, you mean.

[GhylTarvoke]

Of course I prefer the originals, but the prequels are good as eye candy. <raises flame shield> I mean, even in Episode I, the podracing and Darth Maul scenes are pretty darn cool.

EDIT: And droidekas are the coolest robots ever. Even cooler than The Matrix's sentinels.

[Klaustrophobia]

"The prequels are bad" is pretty much the same as "Nickleback sucks" at this point.  Yes, you're SO above such drivel.  Who in their right mind would like this? Certainly not me, because I want to be cool like everyone else.

To which I say, grow the **** up.  I have watched the prequels many times and enjoyed them.  "Not as good as" is WAY different than "bad."

[Phantom Hoover]

No they actually are really bad. Watch the Plinkett reviews.

[The E]

To which I say, grow the **** up.  I have watched the prequels many times and enjoyed them.  "Not as good as" is WAY different than "bad."

I watched them in the Cinema, and was entertained. But then I watched them on DVD, and boy did they not hold up at all. They're not as good as the original trilogy. They're not as good as a whole lot of films. At their best, the Prequels aspire to mediocrity; They lack the simple focus of the OT, the actors lack chemistry, the script is atrocious, the art direction is lackluster (and more concerned with being atoy advert rather than a worldbuilding tool) and the effects look dated as ****.

Now, that's not to say that your enjoyment is somehow wrong or anything. We all have pieces of media we enjoy that fail on quite a lot of levels. The problem with the prequels is that I have done exactly what you told me to do: I grew up. I can't overlook the various incoherent elements of the prequels. I can't in all honesty recommend them to anyone.

[Luis Dias]

Nickelback is ****ing amazing in comparison to the prequels. It's like Beethoven.

[Hades]

Plus Nickleback unironically sucks too.