Episode II : All signs point to darkness.

[ak]

The Empire Strikes Back, no doubt, was a very dark film for what it was, Episode I wasn't, it looked childish, but having seen new pictures from Episode II at the official site i am slowly being drawn back into excitement for the new trilogy.

My interest has also been sparked by a new pic of the Emperor who looks a lot older than he did in Episode I, with grey hair, almost bald and black robes. wow. This is much closer to how he looks in Return of the Jedi, it is amazing.
You can check it out here : www.starwars.com/episode-i/news/2001/10/insider.html (http://www.starwars.com/episode-i/news/2001/10/insider.html)

It seems darkness is what people want in such stories as this, Lord of the Rings dark approach has acquired a lot of new fans, maybe even turning themselves to Star Wars.

Ok, The Phantom Menace may have been a dissapointment, but as i have read somewhere, not sure where exaclty, but this guy said that it is impossible for people to view Ep I in the context of the new trilogy because they haven't seen the other films yet, comparing it to the later episodes, therefore Ep I may turn out to be the perfect opening episode to an overwhelming saga.

[Tuukka]

There are many reasons why Episode 2 will most likely be better than Phantom Menace.

1. There is a better screenwriter, even thought Lucas has created the story. We can expect improvement on dialogue, characters and structure.

2. Lucas has claimed that it will be darker and more adult.

3. Lucas had a 20 year break in directing before he made PM. He probably can handle the directing better now after he practised with PM...

4. The role of Jar-Jar will reprtedly be a lot smaller.

5. Lucas has talked about PM as an introduction to the new trilogy. Hopefully he won't spend so much time to introducing new characters in the new film, and will try to tell a coherent story instead.

6. No Jake Lloyd. Hayden Christiansen seems like a fine choice for Anakin.

...Hopefully it will all turn out fine. There is great potential in SW movies, if Lucas just realizes them in the right way.


[This message has been edited by Tuukka (edited 03-10-2001).]

[ak]

Apparently, out of the people who have worked on Episode II so far have said that Hayden Christensen (who plays Anakin) amazes them each time he acts, which sounds very good, and very promising, he also looks like the dark character, if you know what i mean.

I got the overall feeling on Episode I that Lucas just made it for the toys, especially the character of Jar Jar, who, as it happens, i am glad has a smaller part in Ep II, although he gave slight comic relief in Ep I did bloody annoy me totally. The scene where he is running away from all those power balls was just embarrasing and laughable.

Samuel l. Jackson and Yoda are meant to fight in Ep II, if they do, that'll be amazing. Although, i do think LOTR will steal some of Star Wars fire.

By the way, if you checked out the Emperor pick people, what did you think of him?

[This message has been edited by ak (edited 03-10-2001).]

[This message has been edited by ak (edited 03-10-2001).]

[MrWhite]

Jar Jar must die!!!!! I just checked out the link and the signs r promising! Im not 2 thrilled about the impending LOTR but I will check it out anyway 4 curiositys sake!

[MrWhite]

Sorry i forgot this bit! I remeber at the MTV awards George Lucas sed Samuel L jaclsons figth wud b amazing which is good! Also sorry fans no Yoda figth i read it sum where and i am pretty certain it isnt happening! U can all kick my ass if it eventually does!

[ak]

So far this seems to be a rumour, but everyone knows what Lucas is like, he never gives anything away.

I am quite excited by the prospect of having Yoda fighting, but that would be a mammoth task for ILM to accomplish so i really cannot see it happening myself.

[love broker]

i heard there is going to be a lightsaber battle through the rainy streets of coruscant, that sounds tasty. in the dark and all that can be seen is the light sabers.

[ak]

Now that does sound impressive. Apparently there is also meant to be a new type of lightsabre used by someone in the film called a flamesabre. That sounds even better.

Really though, i would love to see a lightabre duel in the rain like that, it would be very dramatic.

Here is a cool pic of Jango Fett and Kenobi battling in the rain from the official star wars site - http://www.starwars.com/episode-ii/select/2000/51/

and here is a really cool pic of Anakin.... http://www.starwars.com/episode-ii/select/2000/42/



[This message has been edited by ak (edited 03-11-2001).]

[Snert]

I think this movie will suck...Just like Episode 1...

[ak]

You should give it a chance, and just like Tuuka so rightly said, Lucas hadn't been directing since 1977, so it was breaking him in. I think Episode II will put people's confidence back in the saga.

[ak]

Reasons, i think, why Episode II has greater potential to be darker than The Empire Strikes Back -

-Set during the clone wars - a dark time.
-The rise of the Empire, and indeed the Emperor.
-Anakin's conflicting emotions are darker than those felt by Luke in The Empire Strikes Back.
-The Jedi Council get whipped to pieces.
-Infact, all the good guys get whipped to pieces, leaving the film with a very bleak tone, which is good.
-The death of Amidala? or is that in Episode III ?
-Hopefully, the death of Jar Jar.
-And maybe a more evil apprentice for the lord of the Sith.

But, i really doubt after The Phantom Menace that Lucas will make the story really dark as that would be a shock for the kids, which is who Star Wars is unfortunately for.

[ANTBond007]

Snert, besides Jason X, is there a movie you don't think will suck? "Episode II will suck." "Halloween 8 will suck." Is there a film that hasn't sucked to you!?

As for Episode I, I've said this before, I've liked it. I think it was a better introduction to characters than A New Hope was, the FX were the best I've ever seen, Lucas's directing was solid (Exactly why does everyone say he did a terrible job? Bad camera angles?), and, c'mon...Darth Maul vs. the Jedi.

As for Episode II, this may be the best of the first five released. It's supposed to be very dark, the battles scenes sound like they will rock (i.e. speeder chase through Coruscant, rain battle on Kamino, arena battle on Geonosis....), and the story seems to tie Episode I to Episode IV perfectly.

Frankly, Episode II is the movie I most want to see right now (beating Halloween 8: Murder On Demand. Don't laugh).

[herculeez]

AHH COME ON!!!
episode 2 has to be better than episode 1!!!
God i mean, as ak first mentions, its possible the darkness of the movies reveals a serious liking among the audiences!!!
Emperor Strikes Back, was very dark and immensly popular and successful as i can forsee the same things happening to Episode 2 and the first of the Lord Of The Rings trilogy.
with out a doubt about it, the dark side to the film (excuse the pun) is definately what gets the audience.
expect huge results!!!

[ak]

Wow, i just read some interesting news about Episode III on the net. In an interview, James Earl Jones has said he might have a voice part of Vader for the end of the third part. If this is so, then i cannot wait to see Vader again.

[bromy]

Actually I read somewhere that Gearge Lucas said that Episode 3 will be the darker one of the movies, but the catch is nobody will like it, nothing good will happen, well ya gotta figure that Anakin gets turned into Vader, the empire will probably take over completely, Jedi council goes all the way down, we'll probably see many ppl die such as Amidala, mace Windu, Ki Adi Mundi all them, I also heard a rumour that Rick McCallum said that Darth Maul would be returning as a half robot, I hope to hell not, because D. Maul was the hottest selling toy in December. Of course I also heard a rumour that Bobe Fett was actually Jar Jar Binks with a brain transplant, I hope the rumours about Maul & Fett are untrue!

[ak]

I recently read in a link, i shall have to find it again, but it basically said that all the plot clues are in the last three films, Episodes IV V and VI. It's true, you know what is going to happen by what the characters say, its realy amazing, i shall find that link.

Plus...signs point to Anakin turning to Darth Vader in Episode II.