In 1999, George Lucas returned to the Star Wars saga with the first film in his Prequel Trilogy, The Phantom Menace. It was followed up by Attack of the Clones in 2002, and Revenge of the Sith in 2005. While not necessarily on the same level that the Original Trilogy was decades ago, these new films certainly aren't bad by any stretch of the imagination. On September 16, the entire Star Wars saga was finally released on Blu-Ray. And it is the Blu-Rays that I'll be reviewing in this post.
Episode 1: The Phantom Menace
The first film in the Prequel Trilogy opens as a ship carrying ambassadors to the Old Republic's Supreme Chancellor, arrives at Naboo, which has been blockaded by the greedy Trade Federation. These ambassadors are secretly Jedi Knights Qui-Gon Jinn(Liam Neeson), and Obi-Wan Kenobi(Ewan McGregor). Shortly after arriving on board the main Federation ship, the Federation attempts to assassinate the Jedi. Escaping to the planet below, the Jedi find their way to the main city of Theed to find Queen Amidala(Natalie Portman), and escape to Coruscant to tell the Galactic Senate what is happening. After finding a way off the planet and blasting through the blockade, the three seek refuge on the desert planet of Tatooine to repair their ship. On Tatooine, they encounter many strange creatures and eventually run into a young slave by the name of Anakin Skywalker(Jake Lloyd).
George Lucas is, despite what many people think, he's actually a decent story teller. But he's not the greatest writer. There is some truly horrendous dialogue that goes on here, and a lot of it comes from the Gungan, Jar-Jar Binks, who I think is more irritating than funny, but he seems to be a hit with the kids. Also, Jake Lloyd was an annoying twerp, but it certainly didn't help that Anakin was written as a whiny character. There are three character's in this film that really deserve mentioning. First, Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi. Played by Liam Neeson and Ewan McGregor, the two Jedi Knights are probably the most compelling characters in this film. The third is the film's silent villain, Darth Maul, played by martial arts expert and stunt-man Ray Park. Honestly, he really didn't have to say much to show how much of a bad-ass he is. When you see him wield that double-bladed lightsaber during the film's climactic battle, you see how much of a threat this guy truly is. What George Lucas gets right in this film, are the action sequences and they are fantastic, particularly the pod racing on Tatooine and the aforementioned battle on Naboo. The lightsaber duel is one of the most excellently choreographed fight sequences I've seen at the time. Outside of some stilted acting, Jake Lloyd and Jar-Jar Binks, The Phantom Menace is actually a fairly decent film. On a side note, the only change I noticed for the Blu-Ray edition of this film is that Jedi Master Yoda is now a fully digital character in this film rather than a creepy puppet. It's actually a good change. Overall, I give the Phantom Menace an 8.5/10.
Episode II: Attack of the Clones
10 years after the events of The Phantom Menace, Episode II opens with an assassination attempt on now-Senator Amidala's(Natalie Portman) life. In order to protect her, Chancellor Palpatine(Sir Ian McDiarmid), has her placed in the protection of the Jedi. The Jedi assign Obi-Wan Kenobi(Ewan McGregor) and padawan Anakin Skywalker(Hayden Christensen) as security detail. A second attempt on Amidala's life is made, and the two Jedi chase after the person responsible. Anakin is ordered by the Jedi Council to escort Amidala home, while Obi-Wan Kenobi investigates the assassination attempts. Little do they realize that there is more going on than they know. Several star systems have broken away from the Republic to join a Separatist movement, led by former Jedi Master Count Dooku(Christopher Lee).
The story gets kind of convoluted, but it's still a fairly logical progression from the previous film. Obi-Wan Kenobi gets to be a detective in this film, and when he encounters the bounty hunter, Jango Fett(Temuera Morrison), things really start to take off. Unfortunately, the main story is hindered by a very poorly handled love story between Anakin and Amidala. The worst part of that is the exchange the two have by a fire-side. That's some of the worst dialogue I've heard in a movie. And Anakin is still a whiny little prick. He just has a lightsaber now. People were very curious about the Clone Wars that were mentioned in the Original Trilogy, and this movie is where it starts. And it starts with a bang. This is probably the most epic battle in the series, with the exception of Return of the Jedi's climactic battle. Not only do you have gigantic armies of droids and clones going at each other, you have an army of Jedi storming an arena to rescue Anakin and Obi-Wan. It rarely gets more spectacular than that. It all lasts about a half-hour culminating in a confrontation between Dooku, Skywalker, Kenobi, and Yoda. It was mentioned in Empire Strikes Back that Yoda was a great warrior and you get to see him prove it here. While his fight with Dooku was interesting, the rest of the fight sequence actually fell flat. I was expecting a fairly epic sword fight between Kenobi, Dooku and Skywalker, and I didn't get it. Yes, you got to see Anakin wield two lightsabers, but after a minute, he loses his arm and gets pushed away. Not very impressive. But then again, I believe they were saving the real epic sword fights for the next and final film in the Prequel Trilogy, Revenge of the Sith. While Attack of the Clones is still not a bad movie, it is easily the worst film in the entire series with some atrocious acting on the parts of Natalie Portman and Hayden Christensen. Ewan McGregor is still very convincing as Obi-Wan and Christopher Lee lends an air of authority and power as Count Dooku. I didn't notice any changes for the Blu-Ray release of this film. Attack of the Clones gets an 8/10.
Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
3 years after the events in Attack of the Clones, Anakin Skywalker(Hayden Christensen) is a full-fledged Jedi Knight, and Obi-Wan Kenobi(Ewan McGregor) is a member of the Jedi Council. The film opens in the skies above the capital planet of Coruscant which is under siege by the Separatists under the command of the Sith Lord, Count Dooku(Christopher Lee), and the evil droid commander, General Grievous(voiced by Matthew Wood). They have boldly abducted Chancellor Palpatine(Ian McDiarmid) in order to force the surrender of the Republic. Anakin and Obi-Wan board the ship where Palpatine is being held hostage and encounter Count Dooku. Killing Dooku, the Jedi eventually escape the ship as it crashes into the city-planet. After learning that his wife is pregnant, Anakin starts having nightmares about her dying in child-birth. Anakin is eventually ordered by the Jedi Council to spy on Palpatine and he becomes distrustful of the council. It is eventually revealed that the Sith Lord that the council has been looking for has been under their noses the entire time, and finally reveals himself to Anakin.
The final installment of the Prequel Trilogy and the final film released in the Star Wars Saga brings the series full circle. This film is quite possibly the darkest film in the series and is certainly the most violent, and is the first Star Wars film to earn a PG-13 rating. While the first two films were made to please the kids, this one is not for kids. As I said, it's dark and it's violent. And the film is all the better for it. Punches are not pulled here as people lose their limbs left and right and the Jedi are exterminated. It's actually a fairly gripping film emotionally, as we witness Anakin's rebirth as a Dark Lord of the Sith, and the people that are effected by it, like Padme and Obi-Wan. We also get to see Palpatine's physical transformation into the monster we see him as in Return of the Jedi. Everything is on the line. One of the things that everyone has been looking forward to is the fight between Obi-Wan and Anakin. And it delivers on that front in spades. As does the fight between Yoda and Darth Sidious/Palpatine. All the other action pieces are also very well done, particularly the opening space battle at the beginning of the film, and Obi-Wan's encounter with Grievous on Utapau. The acting in this one is definitely better than the first two. Hayden Christensen and Natalie Portman actually step up their game in this one, despite the fact that the dialogue still sucks. But the film does a good job getting you involved with the main characters in this installment. When the iconic image of Darth Vader in his mask and suit finally show up and starts breathing, it sends chills down your spine. It's awesome. Unfortunately, in the Original Trilogy, Vader came across as a bad-ass villain, but with the Prequel Trilogy, he ends up being more of a victim, because he was deceived by Sidious. But all in all, Revenge of the Sith comes very close to capturing the magic of the Original Trilogy, even though it misses it by a narrow margin. Revenge of the Sith certainly earns its place in the series as probably the best Star Wars film since Empire Strikes Back. I noticed no changes for the Blu-Ray release of the film. I give Revenge of the Sith a 9.5/10.
Episode IV: A New Hope
30 years after the Sith took control of the Republic, it became the first Galactic Empire and rules the galaxy with an iron fist and the Jedi Knights have been obliterated. The film opens as a ship is attempting to outrun an Imperial Star Destroyer, but is captured. Rebel soldiers attempt to fight back but are quickly overwhelmed by Darth Vader and his stormtroopers. Among the captured is Princess Leia Organa(Carrie Fisher), whose people stole the plans to the Empire's greatest weapon, the Death Star. Two droids, C-3PO and R2-D2 escape the ship and crash land on Tatooine where they are captured and sold by Jawas to a local moisture farmer. Tended to by Luke Skywalker(Mark Hamill), R2-D2 eventually escapes to find his former master, Obi-Wan Kenobi(Sir Alec Guinness). After being ambushed by Sand People, Luke learns that his father was once a Jedi Knight. After the murder of his aunt and uncle by the Empire, Luke decides to learn the ways of the Force and become a Jedi.
This is the film that started it all. Originally released in 1977, this was the highest grossing film of all time. People lined up for miles to see this film. It was a major success. It also launched the careers of Mark Hamill, and most notable Harrison Ford, who would be the most successful of all of them, starring in films like Indiana Jones, Patriot Games, Witness, and Air Force One. But his character of Han Solo was one of the most memorable characters in Star Wars. This rogue and his co-pilot the towering wookiee, Chewbacca(Peter Mayhew) flew the infamous ship, the Millenium Falcon, the fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy. This is a classic tale of good versus evil. Inspired by the adventure serials of the 30s such as Flash Gordon, Star Wars weaved a tale of the struggles of the Rebel Alliance against the evil Galactic Empire. Facing impossible odds, the Rebel Alliance fought to free the galaxy from the tyranny of Darth Vader and the Emperor. Star Wars: A New Hope changed the way films were made. It also made special effects as important as the story itself. Watching the Rebel X-Wings attack the Death Star is a spectacular feast of speed and explosive high-flying action. Every sci-fi and action film you see today is the result of George Lucas' film. From Alien to Independence Day and Avatar, the techniques that were invented for the original Star Wars are still in use today, and inspired filmmakers to go even further. The acting is top-notch all around and the characters are some of the most memorable in movie history. Alec Guinness brought a humble yet commanding presence as the noble Obi-Wan Kenobi, and made the character one of the most important characters of the Star Wars Saga. The special effects were simply some of the most amazing during 1977. In 1997, George Lucas re-released the Original Trilogy to theaters with some new special effects and footage. While expanding on the arrival to Mos Eisley was a good idea, and re-doing most of the visuals for the Death Star space battle made it better, some of the changes weren't as good. Adding Jabba the Hut in a scene deleted from the original film, just didn't work, and when Han is stopped by Greedo in the cantina, Greedo shoots first. Any Star Wars fan will tell you that Han is the only one that pulled a trigger, that's what made hims such a bad-ass character. In the Blu-Ray release, Han and Greedo fire at the same time. For the most part, however, the changes don't detract from the experience and actually make it a little better. Star Wars: A New Hope is such an important piece of American cinema and American history in general, that it has yet to be topped by anything else the genre has to offer. I give A New Hope a 9.5/10. This is a movie for all generations, both new and old.
Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
Following the events in A New Hope, the Rebel Alliance has been forced from their hidden base and is on the run from the Empire. Attempting to regroup on the ice planet Hoth, the rebels struggle to survive against the cold, harsh environment while figuring out their next move. Meanwhile, the Empire has dispatched probe droids to every corner of the galaxy to locate the rebels. One such droid lands on Hoth. Surveying the icy landscape looking for any signs of life, Luke Skywalker(Mark Hamill) is attacked by a monstrous wampa. After freeing himself and killing the wampa, Skywalker is visited by the ghost of Obi-Wan Kenobi(Alec Guinness) and told to go the Degobah system to learn from the Jedi Master Yoda. When the Empire attacks, the rebels escape. Han Solo(Harrison Ford), Leia(Carrie Fisher), Chewbacca and C-3PO escape on board the Millenium Falcon, while Luke and R2-D2 take his X-wing to Degobah to become a Jedi. Han and Leia eventually make their way to Cloud City on Bespin which is led by charming rogue, Lando Calrissian(Billy Dee Williams). Unfortunately, to save Cloud City, Lando betrays Leia and Han, and ends up giving Han to the legendary bounty hunter, Boba Fett(Jeremy Bulloch). Luke ends his training with Yoda early to save his friends, and learns a terrible truth about his family.
The second installment of the Original Trilogy takes a dark turn. As Darth Vader pursues Luke Skywalker, we're introduced to several new characters which include the Jedi Master Yoda and Lando Calrissian. Some have argued that Empire Strikes Back is the best Star Wars movie and honestly, it's almost hard to argue that point. Directed by Irvin Kershner, Empire Strikes Back features some of the most powerful moments in the Star Wars saga, which includes Luke's training on Degobah, Han and Leia's relationship and Darth Vader's revelation that he's Luke's father. That moment, is etched in everybody's mind because it was unexpected and extremely powerful, and it makes the final confrontation between the two in Return of the Jedi all the more intense. The battle sequences are fantastic, with most of the special effects still being practical and using miniatures especially on Hoth and the spectacular chase sequence through the asteroid field. The acting in this film is even better than the previous film, as the stakes in Empire Strikes Back are even higher. The Empire Strikes Back wound up being an even bigger success than A New Hope not just because it was darker in tone, but also because it took all the successful elements of the previous film and improved on them in every way. This film is as good as it gets, and is one of the best science fiction/fantasy films ever made. Some of the changes for the blu-ray release are fairly subtle and don't really change much, aside from the changes that were introduced in the 1997 special editions. I have to give Empire Strikes a perfect 10/10, because it not only hits all the right notes, it really gets the viewers involved with the characters, which makes it all the more satisfying.
Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
6 years after the original Star Wars hit the big screens, the final installment of the Original Trilogy, Return of the Jedi, is finally released. Taking place some time after The Empire Strikes Back, we find Luke Skywalker back on his home planet of Tattooine, looking for his friend Han Solo. Han Solo is being held captive by the vile gangster, Jabba the Hut. After locating Han, Leia, disguised as a bounty hunter releases Solo from his carbonite prison, but is soon captured by Jabba. Enter Luke Skywalker, who makes his way into Jabba's main chamber. After killing the ravenous rancor, Luke, Han, Chewbacca and company are whisked out to the Dune Sea to be executed. After killing Jabba and escaping Tattooine, Luke makes his way back to Degobah while Han, Chewbacca and Leia make their way to the rebel fleet. Meanwhile, a secretly rebuilt Death Star plays host to the Emperor himself who is overseeing the final stages of the station's construction, which puts the Rebel Alliance in a unique position to eliminate the tyranny of the Empire once and for all. When Luke finds out what really happened to his father, he vows to try to find a way to bring Darth Vader back from the Dark Side.
Everything is put on the line in this film as the final struggle to free the galaxy from tyranny comes to a head. From the opening fight sequence in the Dune Sea of Tattooine to the final epic space battle above the forest moon of Endor, Return of the Jedi is packed to the hilt with adventure, humor and special effects. While it is certainly is the worst film in the Original Trilogy, it is by no means a horrible film. Far from it. A lot of criticism that was leveled against it was the inclusion of Ewoks, adorable teddy-bear life forms that helped bring the Empire to its knees. Personally, I didn't really a major problem with it. I actually like the Ewoks, which is more than I can say for the tepid Gungans from the Prequel Trilogy. How can you not like Wicket(Warwick Davis)? The battle sequences in this film really outdid all the others with the most epic space battle in the Star Wars saga. You have the entire rebel fleet going up not just against the Death Star, but also the Imperial Fleet. While the space sequences and the fight on the surface of Endor are amazing in their own right, it's the final confrontation between Luke and Darth Vader that really adds some serious weight to the war. This fight is extremely personal as it's between father and son, not between former friends. When Vader pushes Luke to the point where Luke unleashes his full fury against the Dark Lord, it really brings to the surface all the emotions that were building up since Empire Strikes Back. Vader is being driven back and is unable to withstand Luke's anger and hate, which appears to be a trademark of the Skywalker family. Then when the Emperor enters the picture and starts to electrocute Luke, Anakin Skywalker finally re-emerges from the Dark Side and hurls the Emperor to his death at the cost of his own life. It doesn't get more powerful than that. Then, Anakin asks Luke to remove his mask so he can see his son with his own eyes, and this is the first time that we see Anakin Skywalker before he dies. After the destruction of the Death Star, Luke gives his father a funeral pyre, knowing that his father has been freed from the Dark Side and has joined all the Jedi that went before. That funeral scene is actually very touching and while it is sad, it's also a symbol that Darth Vader has finally been destroyed. The acting in the film is, again, very good with Mark Hamill really amping it up in the final battle with Vader. Ian McDiarmid as the Emperor is fantastic. The make-up is really creepy and adds to the character's malevolence. The special effects are still fantastic, especially during the space battle.
Some of the changes to the Blu-Ray edition of this film are not exactly subtle. When Vader finally destroys the Emperor, he screams "NOOO!" not once, but twice. The first one made sense, but the second one, not so much. In one of the scenes in Jabba's palace, a Dug is seen walking around. The Dugs were introduced in the Prequel Trilogy. The ending to the film has been re-worked and extended for the 1997 re-release of the film, and in the 2004 DVD release, an extra scene on Naboo has been added. Also carrying over from the DVD release, is Hayden Christensen as Anakin Skywalker as a ghost joining Yoda and Obi-wan Kenobi observing Luke Skywalker. There were a lot of complaints about that, but Lucas stated that the moment Anakin became Darth Vader, that was the moment Anakin died, and the ghosts of Jedi appear in the form of when they died. Honestly, it does make sense logically, but some people feel that Vader was redeemed when he saved his son from the Emperor, so when Vader died, he should've taken his older form. That one will be debated until the end of time, I think. It didn't really bother me in the least. Overall, the film itself is still very good and has some very great character moments that really add to the whole experience. I give Return of the Jedi a solid 9/10.
The Blu-Ray edition of the Star Wars Saga was released on the 16th of September and is available in three distinct packages: The Prequel Trilogy, The Original Trilogy and The Complete Saga. I paid 80 bucks for The Complete Saga as it comes with three extra discs packed with never before bonus materials including deleted scenes from the Original Trilogy. Also included are vintage behind-the-scenes features for Episodes IV, V and VI, as well as a 97 minute feature on Star Wars spoofs throughout the years. For what I paid, it's a great value, and while I would have preferred to have the original pre-special edition versions of the films on Blu-Ray, I still got my money's worth for the set. This is the best the movies have ever looked and sounded, and the special features alone are worth the entry fee. I give the entire set a 9.5/10.
