MovieChat Forums > Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999) Discussion > Why continue to BASH the PREQUELS when t...

Why continue to BASH the PREQUELS when there are WORSE Star Wars movies OUT THERE???

posted 2 years ago by [deleted]
6 replies | jump to latest

I can understand people not liking the Prequels back in the 1990s and early Noughties when they first came out, but since the 2010s, Star Wars movies that are much worse have come out since then, namely the shitty Disney Sequel Trilogy!

So why keep bashing the Prequels when they are better than the ST by comparison?

Or is it the general opinion of all original Star Wars fans from the 1970s that NO Star Wars movie should be bad AT ALL, that they should all be of excellent quality? Then how do you explain the averageness of ROTJ, then?

[–] pjl69 (2539) a year ago

Only The Empire Strikes Back is on masterpiece level of film making and where everybody involved exceeded themselves. Its my understanding that Lucas financed the movie out of his own pocket and that's probably the only time he had to play safe about his financial future and make a shining piece of art. Altough majority of the paying mass audience don't care for art and Lucas probably learned it along the way.

[–] Ace_Spade (9458) a year ago

I think I would argue that A New Hope hits that masterpiece level, too. It's not as polished as Empire, but the script is tightly plotted, and I would argue a bit more focused on its main plot. Empire splits in two, following Luke's path and Han/Leia's path. I think they each represented marvellous storytelling, though.

I'm not sure what you're getting at exactly with the bit about Lucas' only time he had to play safe, but I think he played ROTJ safe on several points. They didn't kill Han (which was discussed), they didn't let Luke turn to the Dark Side (which was discussed as well), and they cuted up the Ewoks to sell toys. Now, I think the former two are fine decisions - I don't mind a happy ending - but these were decisions that were not pushing the envelope. But Lucas also plays it safe a bunch during the prequels, so I don't think either could be deemed the only time he played it safe.

[–] Ace_Spade (9458) a year ago

Well, lots of reasons.

First, just because there are worse movies doesn't mean the prequels aren't bad. Could I not just as easily say, "There are worse/more "average" movies than ROTJ, so why did you bring it up?" People do this with hardship in life, too. "So and so has it harder than you, you know," as though one must be the single most suffering person on Earth at any given time to validly complain.

"Better than X" does not mean "good".

But I think the biggest reason people continue to dunk on the prequels is because there are a lot of people who have sprung up recently who want to tout them as great movies. They usually do this in comparison to or in relief of the sequel trilogy, saying the movies they like (prequels) are great and the sequels are bad. Sometimes I see conversations like that and I weigh in. I didn't like the sequels, either, but the prequels aren't good movies, and I enjoy watching TFA as much or more as any of them.

[–] Bubbathegut (17285) a year ago

Thats what Prequel haters do. I like all real Star Wars movies. The Prequels are better movies in my opinion as well.

[–] Kino (441) a year ago

Bashing, whining and mouthing off is what Moviechat is all about.

It feels good to bash movies and celebrities. It gives us a moment of happiness in our simple and boring lives.

[–] blue1981 (6983) a year ago

I'm watching The Phantom Menace on Disney plus tonight for the first time in many years. The hype leading up to the release in 1999 was just too big that nothing could lead up to the huge expectations. With that said the prequels are not the worst Star Wars movies anymore as that dubious honor goes to the Sequel Trilogy.