More on ROTS
May. 22nd, 2005 06:23 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
emmagrant01First, I should say that I've really enjoyed reading other people's thoughts on the film. I'll even rec a few other posts, all of which contain spoilers, for those of you who've been in a cave since last Thursday:
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amberleewriter talks about what's missing from the film here.
helens78 explains why she liked the film here.
jedirita has a lot to say, of course! here and here.
charlotteschaos makes some fun and snarky remarks here.
fernwithy, whom I eternally fangirl, wrote her thoughts here. Unlike Amber, she thought many of the cuts from the book made the film stronger. And she has a lovely theory that Padme isn't really dead. :-D
Okay, so with that said, I saw the film again today, and left loving it even more than I did the first time I saw it!
I said before that I had a few problems with the film, and I have to say that many of them were cleared up on a second viewing.
The biggest issue I had before was with the way Anakin turned to the Dark Side. The first time I saw the film, I just didn't buy it. It seemed too quick, too illogical. But the thing I realize now is that it simply wasn't what I was expecting. I was expecting Anakin to give in to some bit of rage and become consumed with it, drunk on the power it brings, and then turn. But Anakin is a Jedi Knight, so that doesn't make sense, of course. He wouldn't lose control so easily, not after years and years of learning how to deal with his anger. Dooku even remarks early in the film that he can sense the depth of Anakin's anger and fear, and notes he is surprised that Anakin doesn't use them.
I like this a lot, because I think it makes the story that much more tragic. Anakin showed so many signs of losing control for years, but he didn't. He came to terms with his anger. He truly became a Jedi. And then he made a choice to become a Sith.
Wow. That really, truly changes everything. It makes me like Anakin a lot more than I expected to. It makes me sympathize with him a lot more than a expected to. The man finally conquered his demons, only to become what he most feared and hated.
I saw more anguish from Obi-Wan this time, but I also saw a man determined to do his duty. When he arrives on Mustafar, he's still convinced he can bring Anakin back. But when he sees what Anakin's become, he realizes he has no choice but to destroy him. He is attached to Anakin, but he follows the advice Yoda gives Anakin earlier and pushes those feelings aside. He pushes Anakin aside, and lets go of his attachment for him. He has a job to do, and he understands the consequences for not completing it. It's hard to watch him walk away from a burning and suffering Anakin and think this is something a Jedi would do, but I think he didn't think of him as Anakin any more at that point. He thought of him the way Yoda described him, and the way Obi himself describes him in ROTJ: twisted and evil.
And he picked up Anakin's lightsaber as he left! The one he gives to Luke in Ep 4!!
Obi looks numb afterwards, and there's a moment on the ship as they leave when he looks like he's about to lose control, but he lets it go. A Jedi through and through, for better or for worse. Very flawed, very human, and very bound to his duty.
I'm still not happy with Padme's death or the birth of the twins (just so unrealistic it makes me roll my eyes). But I have to say thatfernwithy's remarks about how Padme may not really be dead have got me thinking! See her post for more of her ideas.
Still haven't seen the Millenium Falcon, nor George at the opera. Is he in the box next to Palpatine's?
Oh, and Anakin going into the suit is wrenching, with the medical droids picking off burned skin while he screams in agony. *shudder* And the first-person view of the mask going on still kills me, I swear!
Overall, I love, love, love this film! And the digital projection gets a big thumbs-up, for sure.
Bring on the fanfic!
amberleewriter talks about what's missing from the film here.helens78 explains why she liked the film here.jedirita has a lot to say, of course! here and here.charlotteschaos makes some fun and snarky remarks here.fernwithy, whom I eternally fangirl, wrote her thoughts here. Unlike Amber, she thought many of the cuts from the book made the film stronger. And she has a lovely theory that Padme isn't really dead. :-DOkay, so with that said, I saw the film again today, and left loving it even more than I did the first time I saw it!
I said before that I had a few problems with the film, and I have to say that many of them were cleared up on a second viewing.
The biggest issue I had before was with the way Anakin turned to the Dark Side. The first time I saw the film, I just didn't buy it. It seemed too quick, too illogical. But the thing I realize now is that it simply wasn't what I was expecting. I was expecting Anakin to give in to some bit of rage and become consumed with it, drunk on the power it brings, and then turn. But Anakin is a Jedi Knight, so that doesn't make sense, of course. He wouldn't lose control so easily, not after years and years of learning how to deal with his anger. Dooku even remarks early in the film that he can sense the depth of Anakin's anger and fear, and notes he is surprised that Anakin doesn't use them.
I like this a lot, because I think it makes the story that much more tragic. Anakin showed so many signs of losing control for years, but he didn't. He came to terms with his anger. He truly became a Jedi. And then he made a choice to become a Sith.
Wow. That really, truly changes everything. It makes me like Anakin a lot more than I expected to. It makes me sympathize with him a lot more than a expected to. The man finally conquered his demons, only to become what he most feared and hated.
I saw more anguish from Obi-Wan this time, but I also saw a man determined to do his duty. When he arrives on Mustafar, he's still convinced he can bring Anakin back. But when he sees what Anakin's become, he realizes he has no choice but to destroy him. He is attached to Anakin, but he follows the advice Yoda gives Anakin earlier and pushes those feelings aside. He pushes Anakin aside, and lets go of his attachment for him. He has a job to do, and he understands the consequences for not completing it. It's hard to watch him walk away from a burning and suffering Anakin and think this is something a Jedi would do, but I think he didn't think of him as Anakin any more at that point. He thought of him the way Yoda described him, and the way Obi himself describes him in ROTJ: twisted and evil.
And he picked up Anakin's lightsaber as he left! The one he gives to Luke in Ep 4!!
Obi looks numb afterwards, and there's a moment on the ship as they leave when he looks like he's about to lose control, but he lets it go. A Jedi through and through, for better or for worse. Very flawed, very human, and very bound to his duty.
I'm still not happy with Padme's death or the birth of the twins (just so unrealistic it makes me roll my eyes). But I have to say that
fernwithy's remarks about how Padme may not really be dead have got me thinking! See her post for more of her ideas.Still haven't seen the Millenium Falcon, nor George at the opera. Is he in the box next to Palpatine's?
Oh, and Anakin going into the suit is wrenching, with the medical droids picking off burned skin while he screams in agony. *shudder* And the first-person view of the mask going on still kills me, I swear!
Overall, I love, love, love this film! And the digital projection gets a big thumbs-up, for sure.
Bring on the fanfic!
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no subject
Date: 2005-05-23 02:39 am (UTC)*seconds, thirds, and fourths*
no subject
Date: 2005-05-23 03:17 am (UTC)The Millenium Falcon is in the scene after Anakin crashlands the ship, where the shuttle bus thing flies to meet the politicians. It's flying down low on the screen as the shuttle bus lands.
George Lucas is easy to miss because his beard is CGIed out or something. He's in the scene where Anakin is walking into Palpatine's opera box. He's in the lower left-hand corner, talking to his daughter, and both of them are blue.
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Date: 2005-05-23 03:49 am (UTC)I like that theory on Anakin's turn. I was rather shocked by the about turn in that scene, too, and still feel that what it really needed was some snark from Palpatine along the lines of "once a slave, always a slave." Perhaps after, or right before Anakin kneels. Maybe I'll feel differently the next viewing, though.
On Obi-Wan, I have to wonder if he left Anakin to burn because he was too angry at that point (feeling so betrayed, because yes, he was far too attached to Anakin) to kill Ani without ending up turning himself, or if it truly was numbness. I can see both, really.
no subject
Date: 2005-05-23 04:04 am (UTC)That reminds me, I haven't written the full reaction to the film! .. Oh well, maybe later when I come back from the 7th viewing (THX sound this time.. *I know, meza so out of me mind*)
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Date: 2005-05-23 11:27 am (UTC)Haven't seen ROTS yet, but that's one of the elements I was wondering how/if they'd handle. Any mention before Anakin turns about wanting his son to have it?
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Date: 2005-05-23 01:47 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-05-23 03:41 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-05-24 04:47 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-05-23 09:19 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-05-23 09:38 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-05-24 04:29 am (UTC)*boggles*
*waves hand*
I am not important. Return to reading other people.
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Date: 2005-05-24 04:33 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-05-24 04:35 am (UTC)^_^
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Date: 2005-05-24 04:35 am (UTC)I caved in!!!!!
Date: 2005-05-24 11:01 pm (UTC)