George Lucas is many things to many people. Visionary, innovator, nut-job, fanatical perfectionist... Depending on the conversation, he has either molded or destroyed your childhood. What no one can deny that he has helped mold modern science fiction movies and helped to elevate a genre from b-movies to blockbusters. He has always been ahead of the curve when it came to using, and in some cases inventing, new technologies to push the limits of what can be shown on the motion picture screen. Given that, it was only a matter of time before Lucas used modern 3D techniques to change (yet again) both his classic and modern Star Wars trilogies and have an excuse to release them in theatres yet again. This weekend the cycle of releasing the movies began anew with the re-release in stunning 3D of Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace. Was it worth it? Has a little time made this low point in the Star Wars movies more bearable? Did the movie hold my kids' attention? Is Jar Jar better in 3D? Let's just see...
Overall, the movie is the movie that most people remember and no amount of 3D can make that initial marquee scroll at the beginning remotely interesting. Jar Jar is still insufferable. The overall plot of the whole things is still boring as hell. What really did change for me this time around was actually seeing it with my kids and how I felt about young Anakin. Yeah, he was kind of whiny and annoying at times but I understood him a little better this time around and my kids actually kind of identified with him. They laughed with him and I think I finally see what Lucas was going for with his characterization. Lucas was trying to make him as normal as a kid in the situation he is in can be. Him and Padme making googly eyes was still kinda creepy, but I get it...after all these years, I get it. As for the 3D treatment, it is kind of hit and miss. The parts that you expect to be amazing really were for the most part. Space battles, the war on Naboo, pod racing, and the big light saber battle were all pretty amazing. The same level of care doesn't really seem to be taken everywhere else, but I guess there is only so much you can do to make the senate debate remotely exciting. So, is it worth your time? Yeah, I think so, but only if you really like Star Wars anyway. Darth Maul is still scary as hell and Yoda is still a bit of a dick. Overall the 3D just enhances the experience ane you will probably end up liking it about as much as you did before. Though, I do recommend taking a kid with you this time. Might change your overall view a little bit...if nothing else, you will have someone with you to laugh at all the poop and fart jokes
1 comment:
I agree. What's funny is there was a little boy who was obviously seeing it for the 1st time in the theater with us. He was laughing and cheering in all the right places for his age, which was probably 7 or 8 years old. We love Star Wars anyway and having seen this movie in a (VERY) crowded theater with Matt the first time when we were in High School, this was a different experience. Yes, the 3D isn't the best ever, but that Pod Race and the Darth Maul scenes made it worth it to us. I'll see the rest of them when they come out because-as I told my husband- "IT'S STAR WARS ON THE BIG SCREEN....WHY WOULDN'T I GO???"
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