Okay... it's taken many years and a lot of thought, analysis, and reflection to come to the following conclusion:
I'm finally okay with the Star Wars prequels.
Before you pick up those rotten vegetables and begin hurling them, let me explain.
When the first Star Wars film was released in 1977, I was nine years old. The magic immediately captivated me, and I was hooked for life. It became my major focus for every Christmas and birthday wish list for many years (and still is, to some extent). I read every comic I could, every behind-the-scenes reference I could lay my hands on, and the passion continued through the two sequels. Moving forward, I continued to absorb all things Star Wars. It was now firmly engrained into my being; I was one with Star Wars.
Then 22 years later, the first new Star Wars movie was released: "Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace". After watching it for the first time, I remember thinking, "Not bad, but not good, either. Has Lucas forgotten how to make movies? The writing is terrible and stilted. The characters are missing a sense of depth. Really, this kinda stinks."
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As the years went on, I would find more elements to the film that I did like, but the list of things that bugged me was still quite extensive. And, though each successive prequel was better than the last, none of them held a candle to the original trilogy. Yes, they had super-clean, shiny CGI and lots of action, but they just didn't hold up to the level of their predecessors... at least, not to me.
When my oldest son (now 17) was old enough to start watching the movies, Episode I was the first one he saw on the big screen. And, for many years after, it was always his favorite. He has watched the original trilogy with me at home, but the magic of seeing it on the big screen, experiencing it with young, new eyes, etched it into his memory. That's really when Star Wars came alive for him. For my younger son, it was Episode III. I've explained why I prefer the original movies, and we have watched them all multiple times. And, though they see my point, the prequel fils are still their favorites.
Then, as the Clone Wars animated series began, I figured, "this is intended purely to capture a younger audience", and it was... and it did. I've been to a number of events with the Rebel Legion and 501st, and though they might recognize Han Solo and Luke Skywalker, the younger ones always migrate to the clone troopers, or anyone dressed as Anakin Skywalker or the younger Obi-Wan Kenobi. That's really when it hit me: There are elements of the Star Wars universe that appeal to everyone, and — depending on when that element was introduced to them — that can really be the "force" that holds a special place in their heart. Do I have to agree with their love of Episode I and Jar Jar? Absolutely not. Do they need to agree with me that "The Empire Strikes Back" is the greatest of all the Star Wars films? Nope. The fact remains that we love the same expansive universe, we hold the same desire to own a lightsaber, to fly a fighter craft through an asteroid field, to have a droid follow us around.
Though I may not care for the prequels like I do the original films, I have finally come to terms with them, and admit that their place in the Star Wars universe is a very important one. It's the love of these films by the newer generations that has kept the franchise growing and vibrant. All of us together keep buying the books, games action figures, video games, and let the filmmakers know that we want more. And, we all wish J. J. Abrams the best of luck and all the Force he can muster to make Episode VII a smashing success for ALL generations.
When my oldest son (now 17) was old enough to start watching the movies, Episode I was the first one he saw on the big screen. And, for many years after, it was always his favorite. He has watched the original trilogy with me at home, but the magic of seeing it on the big screen, experiencing it with young, new eyes, etched it into his memory. That's really when Star Wars came alive for him. For my younger son, it was Episode III. I've explained why I prefer the original movies, and we have watched them all multiple times. And, though they see my point, the prequel fils are still their favorites.
Then, as the Clone Wars animated series began, I figured, "this is intended purely to capture a younger audience", and it was... and it did. I've been to a number of events with the Rebel Legion and 501st, and though they might recognize Han Solo and Luke Skywalker, the younger ones always migrate to the clone troopers, or anyone dressed as Anakin Skywalker or the younger Obi-Wan Kenobi. That's really when it hit me: There are elements of the Star Wars universe that appeal to everyone, and — depending on when that element was introduced to them — that can really be the "force" that holds a special place in their heart. Do I have to agree with their love of Episode I and Jar Jar? Absolutely not. Do they need to agree with me that "The Empire Strikes Back" is the greatest of all the Star Wars films? Nope. The fact remains that we love the same expansive universe, we hold the same desire to own a lightsaber, to fly a fighter craft through an asteroid field, to have a droid follow us around.
Though I may not care for the prequels like I do the original films, I have finally come to terms with them, and admit that their place in the Star Wars universe is a very important one. It's the love of these films by the newer generations that has kept the franchise growing and vibrant. All of us together keep buying the books, games action figures, video games, and let the filmmakers know that we want more. And, we all wish J. J. Abrams the best of luck and all the Force he can muster to make Episode VII a smashing success for ALL generations.
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