WARNING: Strong Language

http://www.slashfilm.com/2009/12/17/wat ... om-menace/

This is one of the funniest things I've seen in a long time. This is not your cookie-cutter "JarJar sucks, Jake Lloyd sucks, too much CGI, etc" rant. While hilarious this 7-part review is also extremely insightful and pinpoints exactly why the original movies are great and why the first prequel fails on so many levels. In fact, he points out flaws in the movie that I had not even noticed before. I mean... he absolutely rips this movie apart and he does it brilliantly. There's also a level of self-awareness and he manages to satirize the kind of person who would do an in-depth 70 minute video review of why The Phantom Menace is terrible. You'll know what I'm talking about when you're like 2/3 through Part 2.

70 minutes might seem like a long time but it absolutely flies by. Last night I was only planning on watching the first couple of minutes but ended up watching the entire thing.

Anyway, enjoy.

EraOfDesann wrote:and why the first prequel fails on so many levels.

The problem is that it doesn't stop at Episode 1. Some of that is very on-point, but it extends to any of them, really.

Episode one was actually my favorite of all the prequels, for all its deficiencies - and at least given the context of the original movies - it felt much more reminiscent of original Star Wars than any of the two movies that followed, for a number of reasons (character-focused [this is to say it focused on a small band of characters rather than a spanning story] story, sound design, new places introduced and explored).

I'd say that Episode II is probably the weakest installment of the prequel trilogy so I'd love to see his take on that. 'Menace has that SW swashbuckling feel going for it, something I think the other two installments are lacking. But those behind-the-scenes clips with Lucas and the others discussing the film after the initial viewing are very telling. I'm not even sure where those clips are from because I don't think they were on the DVD and I can't imagine that Lucasfilm would want to include them on there.

EraOfDesann wrote:I'd say that Episode II is probably the weakest installment of the prequel trilogy so I'd love to see his take on that.

Ya that would be great. He could make fun of all the romance between Anakin and Padme, which in my opinion was what made the movie weak.

DarthHamster wrote:

EraOfDesann wrote:I'd say that Episode II is probably the weakest installment of the prequel trilogy so I'd love to see his take on that.

Ya that would be great. He could make fun of all the romance between Anakin and Padme, which in my opinion was what made the movie weak.

That, and it got a bit intense in some parts.

Bahaha, that was great! I'm up to part five and have been laughing the whole time. Favorite part so far has to be minute 8:00-9:00 in part three.

Ha Ha Ha Ha! I almost died laughing. My favorite part was 3:50-5:30 in Part 5.

DarthHamster wrote:Ha Ha Ha Ha! I almost died laughing. My favorite part was 3:50-5:30 in Part 5.

Agreed. This is brilliance.

You call yourselves Star Wars fans?!?! This is a bunch of bull crap! Not brilliant, not hysterical, just stupid.

No offense to anyone here, but the review sucks!

darthtyren wrote:You call yourselves Star Wars fans?!?! This is a bunch of bull crap! Not brilliant, not hysterical, just stupid.

No offense to anyone here, but the review sucks!

Ah... yes, your well thought and elaborate arguments convinced me that your point of view is correct.

I have a feeling you're missing the big picture...

darthtyren wrote:You call yourselves Star Wars fans?!?! This is a bunch of bull crap! Not brilliant, not hysterical, just stupid.

No offense to anyone here, but the review sucks!

Can you actually back up your opinion that the review "sucks" or are you simply going into fanboy defense mode?

First of all, The Phantom Menace is the 2nd best movie in the entire saga. There is a point to everything this guy says there is no point to. Everything that he says that sucks about this movie is why everyone should like it. And he's cussing out all of the REAL Star Wars fans. I rest my case, and I'm leaving this topic for eternity.

darthtyren wrote:First of all, The Phantom Menace is the 2nd best movie in the entire saga.

I suppose when you confront the topic with facts like this, anyone who disagrees with you must be indefinitely put in his place.

There is a point to everything this guy says there is no point to.

Name some? Or have a sense of humor, one of the two.

everyone should like it

everyone should like it

everyone should like it

Incredible! There has to be some kind of award we could give you.

darthtyren wrote:First of all, The Phantom Menace is the 2nd best movie in the entire saga.

Your blasphemies will be dealt with.

"Dantooine is too remote to make an effective demonstration but don't worry, we will deal with your Rebel friends soon enough."

DarthHamster wrote:Ha Ha Ha Ha! I almost died laughing. My favorite part was 3:50-5:30 in Part 5.

Just watch this part and then after your done laughing come and post here. He makes a good point here.

@darthtyren: I disagree with you saying its the second best in the saga, although I think I would have enjoyed it more if they had done one thing...

Gotten Rid Of Jar Jar!

He is so annoying.

darthtyren wrote:First of all, The Phantom Menace is the 2nd best movie in the entire saga.

You believe that facts and opinions are synonymous?

darthtyren wrote:There is a point to everything this guy says there is no point to.

Give some examples and explain why he's mistaken.

darthtyren wrote:Everything that he says that sucks about this movie is why everyone should like it.

I don't even know where to begin...

darthtyren wrote:And he's cussing out all of the REAL Star Wars fans.

I only seem to recall him insulting those who found The Empire Strikes Back "the most boringest." Are you in that camp? What makes someone a "real" Star Wars fan? Why are you so sensitive? What's wrong with your face?

darthtyren wrote:I'm leaving this topic for eternity.

Alright.

EraOfDesann wrote:What's wrong with your face?

You made my day.

I agree with Mav on Episode 1 being the lesser of three evils. But still, I had no investment in the characters and was waiting for them to die horribly. (And through some weird deus ex machina, Obi-wan survives, Anakin survives and his acting skill have gone through the roof, and the romance in episode 2 is brief and out of the way. And then in episode 3, everything is pretty much the same except Grievous gets more screen time, he survives mysteriously, and becomes a janitor at whatever school Luke Skywalker went to.)

There. Now we won't have to go into that creepy basement.

Good news! Trailer for his upcoming Episode II review:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkxQ6HYD ... re=related