Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2 3 4

Original poster

To think Anakin Skywalker is the most tedious character in the history of film?

91 replies

TinklyLittleLaugh · 21/01/2017 20:51

DS(10) has inflicted a Star Wars marathon on us for the last few weekends. The old Star Wars, 4,5 and 6 were harmless hoakum, much enlivened by the lovely Harrisson Ford; Episode 1 was okay, (Liam Neeson is my favourite Jedi). But last nights Episode 2 and tonight's 3 are just dire.

Anakin is whingey, arrogant, humourless and creepy. His love scenes with Padme are like they were written by someone who has never actually spoken to a member of the opposite sex, let alone had a relationship. And his scenes with Ewan McGregor are not much better.

The actor is just so so poor. DD(17) and I are just sitting here cringing. DH has gone to sleep. DS is loving it.

OP posts:

rumbelina · 21/01/2017 23:18

YADDDDDDDDDDDNBU!

And both actors are dreadful choices.

YouTheCat · 21/01/2017 23:21

YABsoU I don't even know where to start.

rumbelina · 21/01/2017 23:22

I cried 5 times in Rogue One, much to DH's bemusement

TheLivingAsheth · 21/01/2017 23:23

Having been in the room while DS watched The Clone Wars, I actually quite like Anakin, but not in the films. But then I like Obi-Wan too, in the films as well. We haven't seen the Sith one though.

TaliZorahVasNormandy · 22/01/2017 01:11

One part of Star Wars that bugs the fuck out of me is Padme's death. In ROTJ Leia tells Luke what she remembers about their mother, but in ROTS Padme dies just after child birth. So how does Leia remember her mother at all?

Hellmouth · 22/01/2017 01:13

I like to pretend that episodes 1-3 didn't happen :D

TaliZorahVasNormandy · 22/01/2017 01:14

So do I Hellmouth. Ruined a perfectly good series with that shit.

maggiecate · 22/01/2017 01:54

The general consensus in Star Wars fandom is that the writing and direction from George Lucas in 1-3 were terrible. Lucas was more interested in the effects and technology and forgot the human store basically. They had no direction or instruction as to how it was to be played, which gave some of the more experienced actors problems, never mind newcomers like Haydn. He's done some decent work since - OK, so he's no Harrison Ford, but they only come along once in a while!

OneWithTheForce · 22/01/2017 02:07

Lucas was more interested in the effects and technology and forgot the human store basically.

Well he needn't have bothered. DS and I watched a new hope for the first time after seeing the force awakens and rogue one. Both of us agreed that film could have been made this year. It hadnt dated at all. 1-3 on the other hand? Cringe!!

CorporalNobbyNobbs · 22/01/2017 03:08

Padme was 14 in Ep 1. Still weird but only 6 years older so when they got together not too bad.

Sugarcoma · 22/01/2017 03:21

At least the continuity sort of works - in Episode IV Luke is also ridiculously whiny, especially when he's asked to do some chores!

FartnissEverbeans · 22/01/2017 05:23

I can't believe nobody has mentioned midichlorians yet!

OldBooks · 22/01/2017 07:02

Hah hah Fartniss nothing like taking the mystical and adding a bit of science to annoy the hell out of the fandom!

I always thought it was a bit throw-away that the Emperor says he found a way to use the Force to create life - eg he is Anakin's 'father' in some kind of strange virgin birth Jesus parallel. That's not fully explored, what impact would that revelation have on Anakin? He was always lacking a father figure and then Obi Wan let him down in that regard

Boofeckinghoo · 22/01/2017 08:27

I came out of the Phantom Menace in 1999 wondering what the hell I'd just watched. The only redeemable character was Darth Maul and he hardly spoke.
The dialogue is appallingly clunky and naive, like a child has written it.
I don't think you can blame the actors. It must have seemed a good career move to them at the time given the original movie's success but once you're contracted in what choice did they have really?
The story of how Darth Vader came to be could have been really interesting in the hands of another director instead we get some weird Mills and Boon cringe fest with Darth Vader wailing "Nooooooooo!" at the end.
Then George decides to mess about with the original movies too...
I saw George in London once. Just moseying down Leicester Square near HMV (security guard was laughing at me and my friend's reaction saying George always comes in to buy dvds there) and I was dying to buy him a coffee and just ask him what he really thought of the prequels, was she just trolling us?

Some people really like the prequels but I just don't get them at all.

unicornsIlovethem · 22/01/2017 09:34

IMO the prequels are more disappointing now that Force awakens and rogue one are both out. While there were a few very small clunks in rogue one (mainly right at the end where it doesn't absolutely gel with a new hope) it's a fab story which works.

I can't watch ROTS anymore. The whole "I'll never turn to the dark side, oh okay then" is just such bollocky bollocks.

iklboo · 22/01/2017 09:53

I'm 8 years older than DH. Does that mean he's going to go all Vader in middle age

There's terrible dialogue all through 1-3:

'It is a pity Ambassador Amadala cannot be here'

'Mmmm'

Cut to a different scene!

sonyaya · 22/01/2017 22:45

To go against the grain, I enjoyed the prequels and really fancy Hayden Christensen.

BadLad · 23/01/2017 00:55

If you ignore the guy's weirdness, the redletter media reviews of these films are extremely funny and insightful. They are very odd, though.

Darmody · 23/01/2017 09:41

They made a total mess of the character - Anakin should have been a revolutionary firebrand, not a mopey wet blanket - but I've always thought Jake Lloyd and Hayden Christensen were treated very poorly. Both were inexperienced actors, working for a director who tries to suck the life out of performers at every turn.

Ewan McGregor and Liam Neeson have their moments, but vocal performers aside the only actors who come out of the films with any credit are Ian McDiarmid and Christopher Lee. It's a shame for young actors to be pilloried when George Lucas' direction and script managed to defeat the likes of Natalie Portman and Samuel L Jackson.

Original poster

TinklyLittleLaugh · 23/01/2017 11:53

When Episode 1 came out, DS1, who was about 8 at the time and a massive Star Wars fan, got this really cool poster of little boy Annakin, only his shadow was Darth Vader. I remember we were both so excited to see the character's journey (and we enjoyed Episode 1 to be fair). But yeah, after that it definitely went to pieces.

OP posts:

Original poster

TinklyLittleLaugh · 23/01/2017 11:58

And even the second one " A Jedi must not know anger, or hatred.....or love". I remember going past the cinema, seeing that and thinking Oooh.

But Annakin hardly wrestled with his conscience did he?

OP posts:

Darmody · 23/01/2017 12:20

The Force Awakens go it pretty much spot-on with Kylo Ren - a misguided zealot utterly convinced of his own righteousness, convinced that he's the good guy, but just barely in control of his own powers. That's what Anakin should have been like, but instead he was written as a goofy 50s-era teen, who goes over to the Dark Side more or less by accident.

Watching Attack of the Clones on DVD, it's amazing how technically inept it is - the editing in the fight scenes is appalling, the locations never look like anything but poorly drawn sets, and Ewan McGregor's hair and beard change from shot-to-shot!

amispartacus · 23/01/2017 12:24

The Force Awakens go it pretty much spot-on with Kylo Ren

Love this scene with the stormtroopers.

Darmody · 23/01/2017 12:27

Great scene - The Force Awakens had it's problems (a Death Star? Again? Really?), but it had a light sense of humour which the prequels utterly lacked.

MrsJayy · 23/01/2017 12:33

Obiwan is not dull how very dare you he is serene and at one with the forcd DULL he is not tut Anakyn isa complete brat though

Flip

1 2 3 4