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Star Warsby John
Since the release of Episode I: The Phantom Menace in 1999, Star Wars can no longer be brought up without bitter complaints about how the new prequels suffer in comparison to the classic trilogy. Certainly, the two trilogies are different in story and style, though both tell personal stories set against larger epic backdrops. For the uninitiated, the original trilogy - consisting of Star Wars in 1977, The Empire Strikes Back in 1980, and Return of the Jedi in 1983 - depicts a youth named Luke Skywalker who comes of age, discovers the secrets of his past and ultimately redeems his corrupted father, Darth Vader. Meanwhile, the Empire - the totalitarian government that rules the galaxy with an iron fist - is eventually defeated by a grassroots rebellion called the Rebel Alliance. The original trilogy is known for its upbeat spirit of adventure, reflected in both the writing and directing, as well as a healthy balance between action-driven special effects and a character-driven story. The new films, starting with Menace, continuing with Attack of the Clones in 2002 and ending with Revenge of the Sith in 2005, take place a full generation before the events seen in the original trilogy. The focus here is how a youth named Anakin Skywalker becomes corrupted and adopts the persona of Darth Vader, while the sprawling Republic, which has grown increasingly complacent and corrupt, is transformed into the Empire depicted in the original trilogy. The prequels, however, have been derided for their flat and awkward style, stilted acting and dialogue, unwieldy narratives and weak plotting. On top of that, an over-reliance on computer-generated effects has made the new films feel empty and insubstantial, further magnifying the lack of emphasis on story and character. This criticism is certainly justified. The main problem with the new films is simple: they aren't well written. This is apparent in Menace and especially Clones. However, to be fair, judging one trilogy against the other is also slightly problematic, as they don't have the same storytelling goals.
The original trilogy focuses on the new generation's ascendancy: the rise of Luke Skywalker and the victory of the Rebels. The prequels, however, are focused on the old generation's decline: the fall of Anakin Skywalker and the demise of the Republic. Therefore, the styles of the two trilogies will automatically differ; the new films are not meant to have that same gleeful, folksy spirit of exuberance as the old films. Also, since prequels by definition exist to explain backstory, they're inevitably going to be more plot-driven and complex than the originals, which have less grand exposition to tell and storylines to set up. Therefore, the prequels will feel more detached, much like a third-person narration as opposed to a more personal first-person narration. Still, even judging the new films on their own merits, you can't ignore the weak writing and excessive presence of special effects. The restrictions in effects technology in the 70s and 80s put a restraint on creator George Lucas' imagination, and as frustrating as this was for him, it most likely served the original trilogy well, as it forced him to focus less on eye-popping effects and more on the story and characters. While the new movies don't stand very well on their own, their greatest strength is how they tie into and deepen the original story presented in the classic trilogy. The prequels essentially act as footnotes to the original films, giving backstory that reveals added explanation and meaning to the characters, storylines and especially the themes presented in Star Wars, Empire and Jedi. So, an interest in the new films generally presupposes an interest in the originals. Besides attracting a new young audience (which would account for the new forays into kiddie humor), the prequels are of most interest to pre-established fans, limiting their appeal and inevitably pigeonholing the prequels as just serving a franchise - which is an obvious and inescapable fate when you decide to make prequels anyway. All things considered, both trilogies are essentially popcorn movies intended for preteens, but enjoyable for older folks as well, and perhaps that's the fairest way to look at them. However, if looked at more closely, there's more going in the Star Wars franchise than lightsaber battles and roaring Wookiees. Part II : Inspirations Behind the Films Part III: Politics of Freedom and Tyranny |
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