Initial ROTS Reviews Hit the Internet 475
Trunks writes "The first reviews of Episode III: Revenge of the Sith have started to trickle onto the Net. Reviews are posted at ComingSoon.net, Ain't It Cool News, Variety, and there are three separate reviews at TheForce.net. The current issue of Time magazine has a review as well. The reviews have all been positive so far, and the consensus appears to be that this is the best film of the prequels and it should satisfy fans who were unhappy with the first two."
No it won't (Score:5, Funny)
Re:No it won't (Score:5, Funny)
Re:No it won't (Score:5, Funny)
I agree, I think Lucas should remake the first two.
Don't worry. If history is any guide, he will.
Re:No it won't (Score:3, Informative)
http://movieweb.com/news/news.php?id=7210 [movieweb.com]
Re:No it won't (Score:5, Funny)
He'll do Return of the Jedi too
Anything else while I'm here sir, or will that be all?
Re:No it won't (Score:3, Funny)
Re:No it won't (Score:4, Funny)
Oh boy! Oh boy! Does this mean we get to see Jar-Jar Binks die in a horrible way? Will he be killed by Anakin? Personally, it would make my day if I heard Jar Jar say something like this:
"Ahhhh!!! Mee-sa skins-a burning! AAHHHH!!!"
Re:No it won't (Score:5, Funny)
Re:No it won't (Score:3, Funny)
Re:No it won't (Score:2, Interesting)
How does a decent third movie make up for the crap that was the first two movies. If George Lucas only had enough content for one prequel he should have only made one prequel. Force fitting this prequel nonsense into a trilogy just to squeeze more dollars out of the fans has made me no longer a fan...
Re:No it won't (Score:4, Funny)
"Yes yes, but are you going to watch it?"
Yours
George
Re:No it won't (Score:3, Funny)
About friggin time! (Score:5, Funny)
Bonus poiints if there is a scene where Anakin kills Jar-Jar.
Re:About friggin time! (Score:2)
Obi-Wan kills Jar-Jar.
Re:About friggin time! (Score:2)
Yes, I can imagine the applauses, yells and whistles of all the fans - just like when Yoda took out his light saber and began to fight.
Re:About friggin time! (Score:5, Funny)
Double bonus points if there's a 10-second scene with no dialog or other characters except for Jar-Jar putting a laser pistol in his mouth and pulling the trigger.
Re:About friggin time! (Score:3, Funny)
Laser pistol in the mouth woudl be too quick and easy and unsatisfying.
Let him fall into the lava pit and be horribly burned and scream for a few minutes before someone goes down and puts a couple in him to shut him up ala Austin Powers:
"Meesa alive, but meesa verri badlee burnded!!"
BAM!
"How could you missa!!"
BAM!
Re:About friggin time! (Score:2, Interesting)
Bittorrent (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Bittorrent (Score:5, Insightful)
This would prove once and for all to 'the powers that be' on a legal level that P2p CAN lose money for people. Especially considering the lack of tanking reviews, if this movie fails or is even disappointing for ANY reason econommically, there is 0 chance that if there is a torrent out there it will not get blamed.
From what I've seen, the pre-teen crowd might be not going to this movie, which could hurt its success. The question is whether this loss is enough. But really, if this movie fails and there's a torrent out there, there will be a witch hunt. Lucas might not even do it. In fact, I can't see him doing it, seeing as he's not that much of a luddite. But really, the WORST thing I can think of happening to Digital Copyright Stuff is this movie getting leaked.
Re:Bittorrent (Score:5, Funny)
Sir, we've analyzed the bittorrent scene and there is a danger, we have your legal team standing by?
- Litigate? In our moment of triumph? I think you overestimate their chances!
Re:Bittorrent (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Bittorrent (Score:3, Interesting)
Reviews like these, and news of the PG-13 rating are startging to get my geeky hopes up for this one. Do we dare hope that this movie could be good?
Re:Bittorrent (Score:3, Interesting)
Not Really.. this is where Lucas Marketing whiz wheels kick in to action..
Instead of kids going to the movie alone, or with other kids (PG), now they drag their parents along to watch it with them. Additional revenue that would otherwise been not there..
Re:Bittorrent (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Bittorrent (Score:3)
Re:Bittorrent (Score:5, Funny)
I'm not going to mind going and seeing it in the theater. Biggest issue I see with going to the theater is sharing a space with drooling geeks. That place is going to stink of B.O. like crazy!
Re:Bittorrent (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Bittorrent (Score:5, Funny)
This may be funny to some people, but it can lead to a very real, and tragic, experience. When the Fellowship of the Ring opened up, I saw it at midnight in the Loews on Boston Common. There were definitely people that took it way too seriously, but everyone seemed like they were having fun, so whatever. They let us into the theater proper about a half hour before the show. Everyone was cheering and people were in a jolly mood. "Rob" came out to tell us that he was very happy we all came to his theater and that he is very excited that we are excited and says "if there is anything I can do, let me know." Everyone clapped and Rob left. There was no air conditioning in the theater, which is not really a problem in December, but it was noticeable that the air wsn't "fresh." After about 15 minutes of hundreds of (MIT) people in the theater, we start to notice the odor. Clearly not everyone notices. Most in fact have no clue. They continue laughing at the "ents" in the audience and checking out their promo Lord of the Rings cards. But we did see some people looking around and wrinkling their nose. Five more minutes go by and more people are making faces. I decide its time to do something about this. I leave the theater and find Rob. "Hey Rob, real glad you guys are doing his. Everyone is pretty excited. One thing: it's uh... kinda warm in there... and uhh... well, some of these people haven't showered in a few days... could you.. uh... turn on the AC or something." Rob laughs and says "sure." 5 minutes before the movie starts, the AC kicks in. 5 more minutes and the smell has (virtually) disappated and everyone enjoyed the movie.
Let this be a lesson. Please, if you are reading slashdot, do your part on movie-night. Take a shower. It will be appreciated.
-truth
Poll? (Score:5, Funny)
I will see RotS:
Even Spielberg chimed in [timeout.com], while making a plug for his travesty of War of the Worlds.
"You'll cry at the end."
baaaawwwwlll! I want my money back!!
Satisfy? (Score:5, Funny)
No... Nothing can take the pain away...
Rotten tomatoes (Score:5, Informative)
Even RT is vulnerable to the "Hype Shift" (Score:3, Interesting)
The reviews for Episode II said the same sorts of "It marks a return to The Empire Strikes Back" stuff
Dark matter and lightsabers (Score:5, Funny)
Because, let's face it, SW is really all about the lightsabers. You know you want one, and so do I.
Re:Dark matter and lightsabers (Score:5, Funny)
I want and need one, but I'm afraid that the rest of you couldn't be trusted with one.
Re:Dark matter and lightsabers (Score:2)
Awesome.
Re:Dark matter and lightsabers (Score:2)
I'm not interested in creating a new mythology to attach to the star wars of my childhood.
But lightsabers, man. Lightsabers are awesome, and I would be honestly happy if this movie just WAS two hours of lightsaber fights punctuated by occasional emotional scenes.
Lightsabers.
How can you not see it? (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:How can you not see it? (Score:3, Insightful)
Easy. I just wont see it.
ugh (Score:2, Interesting)
You're right- I can't, because each time was less memorable than the first. Ever since I purposely watched it- probably over 10 years ago- the only times I've seen it have been when absolutely nothing else was on TV, and it was being re-run for the fiftieth time on the SciFi channel.
This'll get me marked as a troll by all the rabid SW fanboys (or the Space Fetishists) with mod points, but he
Re:How can you not see it? (Score:3, Funny)
Simple answer: wait (Score:3, Insightful)
That is exactly what Lucas counts on. My simple answer: wait. Wait and rent it. Why the impatience? You know it will come out on video/DVD eventually. I waited for Episode II, and I don't regret it one bit. I watched that entire movie in about an hour. FFWD is your friend. Remember those excruciating dialogue scenes in EPII?
But They Say That Every Time (Score:5, Insightful)
Every time one of these comes out, they say that it's better than the previous one. And each time, I'm sorely disappointed. This one will be no different, I suspect. The hype machine is in full spin mode.
Jedi Master: "This IS the film you are looking for."
Former Fan: Your Jedi mind tricks won't work on me this time. Sure, you got me to see the Phantom Menace, and I regretted it. You coaxed me into seeing Attack of the Clones and I swore revenge. This time, NO WAY. My mind is too strong!
Re:But They Say That Every Time (Score:2)
But thats true. Episode II was way better than Episode I. Even within the movie, the last half of Episode II is a lot better than the first half.
So the movies have been getting better. And after the Clone Wars cartoon, I have my hopes up even more for this movie.
Face it. Lucas should have made just ONE prequel, he really didn't have story material for 3.
Re:But They Say That Every Time (Score:3, Insightful)
What the hell are you talking about? That's only happened once! There's been _ONE_ sequel to a prequel so far.
But (Score:5, Funny)
Re:But (Score:5, Funny)
It's true, from a certain point of view.
Dissapointed... (Score:5, Funny)
Yoda in a lot of action, more cool bad guys, and no Jar Jar (well, at least no Jar Jar dialogue)
You see, I searched through the TFA's and what is missing is very dissapointing:
Jar Jar dies in a hideous 5 min torture scene where Annie cuts him slowly into kebabs with his lightsaber.
That scene alone would have made the movie. Hopefully, someone will add it later.
Re:Dissapointed... (Score:5, Insightful)
Jar Jar dies in a hideous 5 min torture scene where Annie cuts him slowly into kebabs with his lightsaber.
That scene alone would have made the movie. Hopefully, someone will add it later.
Lucas couldn't kill Jar-jar, even if he wanted to. Even if he had intended, since the very introduction of the character, that he should be killed by Darth Vader, there is no way he could have done it now. Why? Because the audience would have applauded!
I can see it now - dramactic scene where Anakin draws his light saber and decapitates Jar-Jar with one single swipe. Obi-Wan screams "Nooooooooo" in ones of those Lucasesque I-would-not-know-emotion-if-it-hit-me-on-the-head pieces of dialogue. Dramatic camera cut to Jar-Jar's body. Meanwhile, the audience cheers and applauds.
Re:Dissapointed... (Score:2)
That scene alone would have made the movie. Hopefully, someone will add it later.
Trust me, it will. It will be in a special edition box set, that comes out a year or two after the first full box set (which you will buy), and because it contains this scene and a poster, it will cost twice as much.
My first glance at the title of TFA... (Score:4, Funny)
Re:My first glance at the title of TFA... (Score:2)
Re:My first glance at the title of TFA... (Score:2)
Even if it somehow does suck.. (Score:2)
Can't leave that last piece out of the puzzle. Sure, we know how the rest of the story goes, but that's not enough.
Heck, we might even take a work-sponsored outing to go see it. Like I'll turn *that* down. heh.
I & II weren't that bad (Score:5, Interesting)
I didn't really mind the first two movies. You could tell that they were leading up to some sort of finale with the details surrounding Anakin's turn to the dark side. They were not instant gratification movies and I don't think they were meant to be either.
True, some parts/characters could have been left out of the final production but it/they didn't take so much away from the movies that it rendered the movies horrible.Re:I & II weren't that bad (Score:3, Insightful)
Erm. Yes they did.
Honestly though, I like esp 4,5 and 6 (roughly in that order of appreciation as well) but I struggle to find anything good to say about 1&2. The acting, script, editing and special effects were all dire... what did I miss? I'd honestly have left the cinema in episode 2, except that I was in the middle of a row. And
Re:I & II weren't that bad (Score:2)
Messa thinks biased sample. (Score:2)
Re:Messa thinks biased sample. (Score:2)
Re:Messa thinks biased sample. (Score:3, Informative)
Vader: So, you have accepted the truth.
Luke: I have accepted the truth that you were once Anakin Skywalker, my father.
Vader: That name no longer has any meaning for me.
Re:Messa thinks biased sample. (Score:3, Informative)
From Box Office Mojo:
The Phantom Menace
Worldwide: $924,488,301
Opening Weekend: $64,820,970
(2,970 screens, $21,825 average)
Attack of the Clones
Worldwide: $649,476,740
Opening Weekend: $80,027,814
(3161 screens $25,317 average)
Episode 2 had a bigger opening weekend, and each screen had a higher gross. Your reasoning is not really based in fact, but more personal judgement. Sure AotC made less money w
Someone please post the full Time review! (Score:3, Funny)
But does Jar Jar... (Score:4, Funny)
Surprise, Mikey Likes It! (Score:2)
Isn't that what they said about the Hitchhiker movie? Brillaint? True to Adam's vision? Except critics are pretty much split about it [rottentomatoes.com]...and many Hitchhiker fans all have the same thing to say, which is that it really wasn't that funny, because it didn't have that mix of absurdity and sophistication his books had- ie, it wasn't true to Adams at all. Example- we don
Re:Surprise, Mikey Likes It! (Score:2)
Is that similar to how 51% is an overwhelming election victory?
yep. (Score:2)
Considering most of the reviews marked "plusses" say things like "it was an insult to Adams, but it's saved by decent graphics and acting"- yeah. A lot of critics tried really hard to have something nice to say about it.
Is that similar to how 51% is an overwhelming election victory?
That is a "mandate", citizen! Prepare for re-education!
Here's hoping they get all they can out of PG-13 (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Here's hoping they get all they can out of PG-1 (Score:2)
Re:Here's hoping they get all they can out of PG-1 (Score:3, Funny)
Padme: Is that a Lightsabre in your pocket or are you just pleased to see me
Re:Here's hoping they get all they can out of PG-1 (Score:3, Funny)
I sure wouldn't want to be the person sitting in front of you.
I have an idea (Score:2)
Rots? (Score:2)
The Matrix (Score:2, Interesting)
It does look however as if the Star Wars prequels will actually achieve the polar opposite levels of critical acclaim as the Matrix trilogy did (i.e. Matrix/SWEP3:ROTS - great, Matrix Reloaded/SWEP2:AOTC - good-ish, Matrix Revolutions/SWEP1:TPM - dire)
A couple of things to keep in mind: (Score:5, Interesting)
1. The action scenes and special effects will be cool. The storyline will be OK, the fall of the senate and rise of emperor and empire will be interesting. It will be nice to see the "straw that breaks the camel's back" and see Anakin finally snap.
2. The acting and the dialogue will be incredibly stiff. It's Lucas after all. I can imagine that exchanges between Padme and Anakin will be just as meaningless as before. (Padme looked pretty convincing though, crying on one of the trailers.)
If you keep those 2 in mind as you go see the movie, it should be a cool and a welcome conclusion to what started out as a kickass story, turned into a disappointment.
Re:A couple of things to keep in mind: (Score:4, Informative)
http://www.starwars.com/episode-iii/bts/profile/f
Why ruin slashdot (Score:2, Funny)
That horse is dead and the users are know bleaching the bones.
Another review here... just FYI (Score:2)
SW:ROTS reviews (Score:5, Interesting)
I have seen all of the Star Wars episodes as they have been released, and each time I make it a point not to expect anything. I watch and enjoy. The cliche "it is what it is" fits here.
These movies are aimed at multiple audiences: pre-teens, teenagers, adult sci-fi nerds, moms, dads, etc. That's why there's always a Jar-Jar, a tragic love affair, a love triangle, a classic struggle between good and evil affecting the future of a civilization, or whatever.
If you go in thinking you want the plot to go a certain way or for there to be a final explanation of any particular story line, you'll usually be disappointed.
Just keep your eyes open, sit back, and enjoy the popcorn.
Re:SW:ROTS reviews (Score:3, Informative)
Actually Episode 1 was TOO highbrow. Who cares about the "Trade Federation"? Nobody, that's who. There was no Han
Re:SW:ROTS reviews (Score:5, Insightful)
What should have happend was AOTC as Ep 1. Then Ep 2 can cover the Clone Wars, with ROTS still being Ep 3. That would have been a more effective story because it would have built Anakin up as a hero more, making his Fall greater. As it stands, he is a whiny jerk who wants power. What it should have been is a War Hero who saved the Galaxy. THEN he got hungry with power.
Re:SW:ROTS reviews (Score:4, Insightful)
This is actually rather insightful. If Episode 1 had featured Anakin being roughly Luke's age or a little younger then, for instance, the love story with whoever was going to be Luke's mother could have been introduced or strongly hinted at in Ep1, properly developed in an unhurried way in Ep2, then suitably tragically broken in Ep3.
The impression I had gotten from Ep4-6 was that Obi Wan had found himself out in the ass end of space, mostly out of touch with the Jedi council, and had encountered this great pilot with a lot of natural ability with the force. Unable to discuss the matter with the Jedi council Obi wan took it upon himself (still young and inexperienced at the time) to train Anakin, fucked it up, and fell right into the hands of the empire. That would have made some sense to me, and would have offered, as you say, a great chance to really develop Anakin as a heor, to really develop the love story over a couple of films, and to contrast the way in which Obi Wan teaches Luke with the way he teaches Anakin. Ah well, too late now.
Jedidiah.
Re:SW:ROTS reviews (Score:4, Insightful)
Actually thinking about this part a little more, I think you are again on to something. One could easily develop a story a little akin to say Red Son [superman.ws] which does a fine job of turning the all powerful hero into something of a villain in an elegant and believable way. Just add some material about Anakin's rage at not being able to control everything the way he feels he should/deserves to (perhaps the death of his wife could come in here somewhere) and thus falling to the dark side and you would have a much more compeeling story.
Jedidiah.
Because we grew up... (Score:3, Interesting)
Lucas himself claims in latest Wired [wired.com] "to have a stack of ideas piling up on his desk for "highly abstract, esoteric" films even more daring than his 1971 debut, THX 1138".
Revisiting a classic set of movies a few decades after the original should have been a opportunity to showcase their sophistication and growth, but they turned out more fizzle then a
I posted one of the reviews on AICN... (Score:4, Informative)
1. It is darker than the other movies...but not much darker than Empire. I think it's only two scenes that, if removed, would have given this the same rating as the other movies.
2. The acting and writing is bad. Some good acting moments, but not many.
3. The action and music and special effects are great.
My biggest beefs were the dialogue between Padme and Anakin.
You WILL need to see this movie more than one time, if for any reason then for the initial space battle scene. There is simply so much going on I wish I could have played that in slo-mo to check everything out.
So go out, grab some popcorn and enjoy the hell out of the movie and try not to analyze it too much. It's an easy trap to fall into (Right Admiral Ackbar?), cuz I know I did.
Kevin Smith's review (Score:4, Interesting)
He more or less said that this is the prequel all you whiners and complainers have been waiting for.
He's a big Star Wars fan himself, and he flat out said that it's a damn good movie... darker than Empire Strikes Back... so you know it's good.
Dear Slashdot (Score:5, Insightful)
As I near the big 30 I look back at Star Wars with embarrasment. Somewhere along the line I learned about life and that silly things like "What was the 4th stormtroopers middle inital" were in fact trivial. I also look back at Motley Crue, Poison, and most of the 80s with a sense of distrurbed horror.
I realize that movies I liked as a child suck. I had emotion attached to the older shows but if a new one came out in a similar fashion, without the emotional attachment, I would say that the new one sucks. I loved Looney Toons, I loved Spiderman and Friends, but I sure as hell don't like the new stuff. But when I see an old one that I liked as a kid the nostalgic attachment alters how I see it. I can watch an old re-run and not gasp at how horrible the animtion is because the old emotion and perception of the show softens the blow. Come on, watch a few episodes of Thundercats and you'll know what I mean....
But also dealing with children I realize that they "get" that emotional attachment to the prequals because they're new to them. The fact is that all these Star Wars dorks (75.43% of
Think I'm wrong? Put in that Whinnie the Pooh tape you used to watch as a kid 50 times a day and see if you can watch it twice in a row... didn't think so...
Re:Dear Slashdot (Score:5, Insightful)
When TPM came out and I was able to take my child age 6 to see the show (I was 6 when I first saw Star Wars with my father.)
And you know what -- When she fell in love with Jar-Jar, and had to have the Jar-Jar Shirt, the Jar-Jar action figure, the Jar-Jar Bowl and Plate set with matching fork and spoon....I understood things a whole lot better than most of the people who where "original star wars" fans that despised TPM....
Well George I got it. You were giving to my kids the same thing you gave to me. (My Dad thought C3-PO and Chewbacca were strange role models...)
What sucks is that most of you "fanboys" did not "get it". You wanted TPM to be Star Wars mixed with Blade Runner and The Matrix. You wanted George to cater to the original fans after 20+ years of hard liven'. George catered to the same crowd he did before.....Just you were no longer in it.
Re:the force is strong with this one (Score:2)
But seriously: This should be good. I didn't have many expectations for the first two. I knew there was a vaperous past.
And I had one major disapointment. Boba Fett was a guy named Jaster Meril long before Lucas wrote him in as the "son" of the template for the first clone warriors.
That was an annoying. I mean. Those books were written and stamped down as the universe. Sure Lucas created it, but he also let them be published. It's like he said "I don't care about those authors" or something.
Re:Best film of the prequels (Score:2)
Don't forget, 'Jedi' gave us Boba Fett going down like a bitch and Ewoks.
Re:Best film of the prequels (Score:3, Insightful)
The more influence he has over the directing, the crappier the blocking and acting it.
Lucas reminds me of an old programmer. He's great at painting the big picture, but keep his hands off the source code, he'll just fuck it up. Lucas is an architect, not a carpenter.
Re:Looks great.. (Score:5, Funny)
digital actors raped my childhood?
Re:Looks great.. (Score:2)
Do you express similar disdain for those who shit on Microsoft or SCO? I don't hate Star Wars, but my opinion of George Lucas as a storyteller and filmmaker has undergone serious revision since about 1984. That has nothing to do with Slashdot groupthink.
But please, spare us the
Re:Looks great.. (Score:5, Insightful)
The problem with the first two prequels was not the digital actors. The problem was the real ones.
Jar-jar may have grated on a lot of people, but at least it wasn't a dull, wooden performance by a performer who's obvioulsy capable of far better work.
Portman, Jackson, Neeson, McGregor, Stamp, and yes even Christiansen... all have proven in other films that they are perfectly capable actors, yet Lucas seems to have a unique ability as a director to take these extremely talented people and suck all signs of life and soul out of their performances. It's really quite remarkable.
Harrison Ford? (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Harrison Ford? (Score:4, Insightful)
Ahh, a "Bitch at Slashdot" post.. original.. (Score:2)
"But at this point, most of the slashdot crowd has their opinions engrained in their minds at this point. Many people might like it, but I'm going to bitch at the few that complain about it. I will write a whole post about how it's old, and dumb, and to come up with something original - all the while I'm being dumb, unoriginal, and old. But since it's "cool" to bitch at Slashdot, we'll see the usual posts shitting on Slashdot."
"But please,
Re:Uh... (Score:2)
That's not what's being implied.
Re:I'm boycotting ... (Score:3, Funny)
Re:ROTS? (Score:4, Funny)
Well, in a word, yeah.
Why, does it bother you?
Re:Obi Wan and the droids (Score:5, Interesting)
Which, as far as the prequels have indicated, is true. C-3PO was Anakin's creation, and R2-D2 was assigned to Padme's ship.
He was also attempting to lead Luke on the trail to become a jedi. Ben told Luke certain things at certain times to give him "a certain point of view." If he just came out and said, "Vadar is your father, Owen is your step brother, your sister was adopted by members of the royal court of alderan, and I've been bidding my time here waiting to undo 'bringing balance to the force.' So come with me becasue the entire galaxy depends on you and your daddy meeting and coming to terms," Luke might have ended up seeking out Vader to overthrow palpatine and take his place at his side.
Of course, one might wonder if Vader should've recognized the duo, but then again, there's probably a ton of similar looking droids running around.
Do you think Vader cared about a toy he built as a child and an astromech droid. Those droids, like the name anikan, no longer held any meaning for him. He didnt react to seeing them becasue destroying would mean acknowledging the droids and his "former self" held any signifigance.