Based on the works and characters of George Lucas, The Rise of Skywalker (Star Wars Episode IX) is the final film series of the Skywalker saga as it follows the conclusion of the conflict between the Resistance and the First Order with ties to their respective allegiances in the Jedi and the Sith. Directed by J.J. Abrams with a screenplay by Abrams and Chris Terrio from a story by Abrams, Terrio, Derek Connolly, and Colin Trevorrow, the film follows the Resistance rebuilding itself to go into a final stand with the First Order while Rey deals with Kylo Ren for the final time. Starring Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Adam Driver, Naomi Ackie, Domhnall Gleeson, Richard E. Grant, Lupita Nyong’o, Keri Russell, Joonas Suotamo, Anthony Daniels, Kelly Marie Tran, Billy Dee Williams, Ian McDiarmid, Mark Hamill, and Carrie Fisher in her final film appearance as Leia Organa. The Rise of Skywalker is an exhilarating yet clunky film from J.J. Abrams.
The film follows events after the previous encounter as the remaining forces of the Resistance learn about the dark secret that Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid) is alive as Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) finds Palpatine learning what he’s created prompting Rey (Daisy Ridley), Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac), Finn (John Boyega), and Chewbacca (Joonas Suotamo) to find out where Palpatine is and why he’s alive. That the film’s main plot as it focuses on Rey making a discovery about her own identity but also what Ren discovered as it relates to Palpatine. The film’s screenplay by J.J. Abrams and Chris Terrio is largely straightforward in its narrative but considering the risks that the previous story had done with its narrative. It feels more of a step backwards by going back to something that calls back to other narratives of previous films as well as rely on exposition at times that does hinder the narrative.
The revelation about Palpatine and how he survived the events that led to his supposed death reveal a secret cult that relates to the Sith and the Empire along with other revelations about the First Order’s leader Snoke (Andy Serkis). Ren at first wants to destroy Palpatine but realizes that Palpatine is too powerful and influential to destroy as one of the film’s main plot points involves finding an object that reveals the location of where Palpatine is and his big secret as it’s part of the narrative that involves Rey, Finn, Poe, Chewbacca, and the droids in BB-8 and C-3P0 (Anthony Daniels) as they also go in the search for another mysterious object that Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) had been trying to find many years ago. It is in that narrative where Rey makes some discovers about herself while still finds herself connected with Ren who had discovered her true identity. Though the narrative does manage to flesh out some of the characters but at the disservice of others in favor of playing into a formula of emphasizing on action scene to another action scene with little time for characterization.
J.J. Abrams’ direction is sprawling in terms of its set pieces, action scenes, and in the many different locations the film is set with much of the film shot at Pinewood Studios in London and some of the desert locations in Jordan. Abrams’ direction does use a lot of wide and medium shots to get a scope of these locations that include a celebration on a planet that happens every 42 years while establishing the rule of the First Order as they venture into many planets of the galaxy to find Rey, Finn, and Poe who have become major targets for the First Order prompting Ren to send the Knights of Ren to find them. Abrams does at least establish what is going on while many of the action sequences and lightsaber battles are thrilling. Those scenes are fun to watch including the film’s climax between the Resistance and the First Order in a massive final battle scene that does have a lot of callbacks to the films of the past including a few notable characters from those past films.
There are some intimate moments that have elements of humor and drama in some of the scenes that Abrams creates with the usage of close-ups and medium shots yet it is hampered by the film’s script and narrative where it never does enough to get the characters to figure out what to do next. Though there are scenes that do play into revelations about Poe’s own background as well as Finn meeting a woman in Jannah (Naomi Ackie) who shares a similar background that Finn had endured. Abrams unfortunately underwhelms when it comes to the scenes involving Palpatine in its third act as there are also a few moments in the third act that are cheesy. Still, Abrams does succeed in creating a fitting conclusion to the series as it is about a young woman understanding who she is but show she chooses to be in the end. Overall, Abrams crafts a thrilling although derivative film about a conflict that reaches its breaking point.
Cinematographer Dan Mindel does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography with its usage of dark-bluish light for some of the scenes on the planet of Exegol along with scenes on a planet where Poe meets an old friend along with some colorful lighting for some of the daytime exterior scenes including some gorgeous work in the film’s ending. Editors Maryann Brandon and Stefan Grube do nice work with the editing as it is does play into the thrill of the action and the rhythm of the lightsaber battles along with some straightforward cuts for some of the non-action scenes. Production designers Rick Carter and Kevin Jenkins, along with set decorator Rosemary Brandenburg and supervising art director Paul Inglis, do amazing work with the look of the planet that Palpatine lives in as well as the design of a few ships and the home base of the Resistance. Costume designer Michael Kaplan does fantastic work with costume designs in the look of Poe’s old ally Zorri Bliss (Keri Russell) as well as the ragged look of the Resistance.
Creature designer Neal Scanlan does excellent work with the look of some of the creatures Rey, Poe, and Finn encounter including a tiny hacker named Babu Frik (voice of Shirley Henderson) who would decode something relating to ancient Sith translation. Special effects supervisor Dominic Tuohy and visual effects supervisor Roger Guyett do incredible work with the special effects in the usage of practical effects along with computer-based effects for some scenes including a flashback scene of Luke training Leia as it play into a major plot-point for Rey in the film’s third act. Sound editors David Acord and Matthew Wood do superb work with the sound in creating many sound effects and textures into the sound including a collage of voices during Rey’s confrontation with Palpatine. The film’s music by John Williams is phenomenal for its orchestral-based score that feature some familiar themes relating to his work from the past but also some thrilling pieces in the string arrangements and bombastic moments that play into the sense of adventure and drama.
The casting by Nina Gold, April Webster, and Alyssa Weisberg is marvelous as it feature some notable small roles and appearances from Jamie Comer and Billy Howle as a couple protecting a young Rey, Mike Quinn and Kipsang Rotich in their respective work as performer and voice of Nien Nunb, music composer John Williams as a bartender, Dominic Monaghan as a Resistance trooper, Greg Grunberg as Resistance pilot Snap Wexley, Shirley Henderson as the voice of hacker Babu Frik, and Billie Lourd as Lt. Connix. The performances of Hassan Taj and Lee Towersey as R2-D2 and the duo of Dave Chapman and Brian Herring as BB-8 are terrific in providing the puppeteer work of the droids with J.J. Abrams as the voice of a droid BB-8 befriends in D-O. Kelly Marie Tran is good as Resistance mechanic/fighter Rose Tico though she doesn’t really much to do while Naomi Ackie is superb as Jannah as a Resistance ally who is part of a group of people that shared similar experiences that Finn went through as a Stormtrooper.
Joonas Suotomo, Anthony Daniels. and Billy Dee Williams are fantastic in their respective roles as Chewbacca, the droid C-3P0 and Lando Calrissian as two war veterans with Chewbacca helping Rey, Poe, and Finn in their mission with C-3P0 joining along as he also provides key information that would help them find their destination while Calrissian appears to give them advice as well as some inspirational words before he rejoins the fight. Richard E. Grant is brilliant as General Pryde as a First Order leader who was also part of the Empire while Domnhall Gleeson is alright as General Hux as a First Order leader who tries to find ways not to get into Ren’s bad side. Keri Russell and Lupita Nyong’o are amazing in their respective roles as an old friend of Poe in Zorri Bliss and the space pirate Maz Kanata with former having some issues with Poe over things from the past while the latter is aware of what is going on as she tries to reach out to other allies. Ian McDiarmid is remarkable as Palpatine as he doesn’t appear much in the film except in the opening sequence and in the third act as the former Sith lord and leader of the Empire who is trying to manipulate and mastermind everything around him while carrying a major secret of his own.
Oscar Isaac and John Boyega are marvelous in their respective roles as Poe Dameron and Finn with the former as a Resistance pilot who becomes concerned with what to do and how to be a leader while the latter becomes more confident in his role yet expresses his own concern for Rey who admits to feeling troubled by her own visions. Mark Hamill is incredible in his brief appearance as Luke Skywalker as the former Jedi master who appears in one key scene to give Rey guidance as well as admit to his own failures. Through a series of archival appearances from previous films, Carrie Fisher is phenomenal as Leia Organa as the Resistance leader who helps Rey in her Jedi training but also is aware of what is happening where she makes a major decision to reach out to Kylo. Daisy Ridley is sensational as Rey as a young scavenger turned Jedi who becomes troubled by her visions and her past leading questions about her true identity as she becomes conflicted and lost. Finally, there’s Adam Driver in a tremendous performance as Kylo Ren as the First Order’s leader who finds Palpatine hoping to end him only to align with him as he struggles with his own issues concerning Rey and her true identity along with the need to prove to himself to the dark side of the Force.
The Rise of Skywalker is a superb though flawed film from J.J. Abrams. Despite its shortcomings in its script and emphasis to play it safe rather than take risks, the film still manages to be exciting and adventurous. Notably as it features great performances from its ensemble cast as well as dazzling visuals. In the end, The Rise of Skywalker is a stellar film from J.J. Abrams.
Star Wars Films: Star Wars - The Empire Strikes Back - Return of the Jedi - The Phantom Menace - Attack of the Clones - Revenge of the Sith - The Force Awakens - The Last Jedi
Anthology Series: Rogue One - Solo
Related: The Star Wars Holiday Special - Caravan of Courage - The Battle for Endor - The Clone Wars - Fanboys - The People vs. George Lucas
George Lucas Films: THX 1138 – (American Graffiti)
© thevoid99 2019
Based on the novel by David Grann, The Lost City of Z is a fictionalized story of Percy Fawcett’s exploration through the Amazon to find a lost city as he would go on various trips in his lifetime to find this mysterious city. Written for the screen and directed by James Gray, the film is a look into a man’s determination to uncover a legendary myth that would later become an obsession. Starring Charlie Hunnam, Robert Pattinson, Sienna Miller, Angus MacFayden, Ian McDiarmid, Franco Nero, Harry Melling, Clive Francis, and Tom Holland. The Lost City of Z is a ravishing yet eerie film from James Gray.
Told in the span of 20 years in the early 20th Century, the film follows the exploits of Percy Fawcett (Charlie Hunnam) who was a military officer that was asked by the Royal Geographical Society into surveying a land that is at the center of a border dispute between Brazil and Bolivia. This journey into South America and the Amazon would lead to this obsession in finding what he believes to be a lost city where the first idea of civilization began. It would be a journey that Fawcett would venture into through the course of 20 years where he would return to Britain with his findings only to be met with ridicule and skepticism. James Gray’s screenplay revolves around three expeditions Fawcett would make as he would often be accompanied by Corporal Henry Costin (Robert Pattinson) in these expeditions since Costin does know a lot about the Amazonian rain forests. The first act is about Fawcett’s life as an officer in Britain as well as his first expeditions through the Amazon where he would make a discovery about the possibility of a lost city.
The second act is about another expedition with Costin and another soldier in Corporal Arthur Manley (Edward Ashley), who also took part in the first expedition, where they’re joined by famed biologist James Murray (Angus MacFayden) who is unprepared for the trek through the Amazon as he becomes a liability into the expedition that would be stopped abruptly due to Murray’s selfishness and the news of Archduke Ferdinand’s assassination that would start World War I. While it is obvious there are some dramatic liberties that do relate to Fawcett’s explorations as well as what happened to him in World War I, it does play into the fact that the man was devoted to his family including his wife Nina (Sienna Miller) whom he always turn to for advice. The third act is about Fawcett’s final expedition with his eldest son Jack (Tom Holland) in 1925 as well as the fame he received about his past expeditions before embarking on the journey that would eventually be shrouded with mystery.
Gray’s direction is definitely mesmerizing for the scope of the locations he captures as well as the sense of danger and mystery into exploring the Amazon. Shot largely on location in Belfast and other parts of Northern Ireland for scenes set in Britain with the scenes of the Amazon shot near Santa Marta, Colombia. Gray would create an atmosphere for the two different worlds where they both share an air of serenity and chaos. The scenes set in Britain would play into a world that is organized but also with an air of superiority towards their idea about the people in the Amazon believing to be savages. It’s an idea that Fawcett doesn’t agree with as Gray would use medium shots and close-ups in how characters interact with one another in Europe with some wide shots for some of the location. When Fawcett is at the Amazon with Costin and Manley, the direction is definitely looser but also with an air of unpredictability as it relates to the encounter with natives. Notably in the second act where Costin is able to communicate with the natives where he, Costin, and Manley make a major discovery about their way of living.
Gray would also play into this air of chaos that looms into Fawcett’s findings with those in the British government not impressed with his findings and claims while there would be a brief detour for a World War I battle scene where Fawcett has to lead a regiment with Costin at his side. It would include a small scene where Fawcett and other soldiers meet a fortune teller who is aware of Fawcett’s obsession with finding the lost city as she would tell him it is his destiny. The film’s third act does play into this air of intrigue in Gray’s direction into not just Fawcett’s return to the Amazon with his son Jack joining him but also what has changed in the years since his last major expedition. Still, Gray wants this final expedition to be more about the bonding between father and son who went through a period of estrangement as they would embark on a discovery that would create intrigue but also the idea that what they found is something much bigger. Overall, Gray crafts an intoxicating and haunting film about a man’s desire to find a lost city in the middle of the Amazon in the course of 20 years.
Cinematographer Darius Khondji does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography with the usage of sepia-drenched lighting for some of the nighttime interiors in Britain as well as a few nighttime scenes with the usage of fire while emphasizing on low-key colors for some of the exterior scenes in the jungle as it’s a highlight of the film. Editors John Axelrad and Lee Haugen do excellent work with the editing as it is straightforward with some rhythmic cuts for some of the action and suspense including a few montages that play into the surrealism that Fawcett would encounter. Production designer John Vincent Puzos, with set decorators Maria Andrea Rangel and Naomi Moore plus senior art director Fiona Gavin, does amazing work with the look of the homes that the Fawcett families lived in as well as the site for one of the tribes that Fawcett and his men encounter where they stay briefly yet peacefully. Costume designer Sonia Grande does fantastic work with the costumes from the dresses that Nina wears as well as the suits and clothes that the men wore during those times.
Hair/makeup designer Nana Fischer does terrific work with the look of Costin with his beard as well as some of the hairstyle that Nina sported in those times. Special effects supervisor Simon Cockren and visual effects supervisor Eran Dinur do superb work with some of the special effects that include bits of set dressing as well as the look for some of the animals Fawcett and his team encounter. Sound editor Robert Hein does incredible work with the sound in capturing the atmosphere of the jungles and for the World War I sequence as well as the quieter moments in the film. The film’s music by Christopher Spellman is wonderful for its orchestral score that play into the suspense and drama for some of the scenes set in the Amazon while music supervisors George Drakoulias and Randall Poster provide a mixture of classical and traditional pieces of the times as well as opera piece that Fawcett and his men would hear early in the film.
The casting by Kate Ringsell is great as it feature some notable small roles from Nathaniel Bates Fisher and Daniel Huttlestone in their respective roles as the adolescent and teenage versions of Brian Fawcett, Bethan Coomber as the seven-year old Joan Fawcett, Elena Solovey as the fortune teller Madame Kumel, Pedro Coello as Fawcett’s native guide Tadjui who accompanies on the first expedition, Harry Melling as a young government official in William Barclay who mocks Fawcett’s findings, Tom Mulheron and Bobby Smalldridge in their respective roles as the young and adolescent Jack Fawcett, Edward Ashley as the often-reliable Corporal Arthur Manley who joins Fawcett and Costin in their expeditions, Clive Francis as the RGS official Sir John Scott Kettle who is a supporter of Fawcett’s expeditions as well as the few that believed him, and Ian McDiarmid in a terrific performance as Sir George Goldie who heads the Royal Geographical Society in which he assigns Fawcett to survey the land between Brazil and Bolivia to settle their border dispute. Franco Nero is superb as the mysterious Baron de Gondoriz as a man who lives in the jungle as he would lend Fawcett information as well as a guide.
Angus MacFayden is fantastic as the famed biologist James Murray who joins Fawcett for an expedition that he was unprepared for as he would be a liability and would later try to discredit Fawcett for his own selfish reasons. Tom Holland is excellent as Jack Fawcett in his teens and young adulthood as a young man unhappy with his father’s reputation and not being around only to later join him on the final expedition where he would more than acquit himself into life in the jungle. Sienna Miller is amazing as Nina Fawcett as Percy’s wife who is treated as an equal to her husband as well as help him find information and such while knowing that Jack wants to join his father. Robert Pattinson is brilliant as Corporal Henry Costin as Fawcett’s right-hand man who had been to the Amazon and help him find certain pieces as it’s a low-key yet reserved performance from Pattinson that allows him to show so much by doing so little. Finally, there’s Charlie Hunnam in an incredible performance as Percy Fawcett as a man determined to find this lost city where Hunnam display a sense of humility and curiosity as well as knowing that not everything he does is the right decision as it is Hunnam giving one of his finest performances of his career so far.
The Lost City of Z is a tremendous film from James Gray that features great performances from Charlie Hunnam, Sienna Miller, Robert Pattinson, and Tom Holland. Along with its gorgeous visuals, beautiful locations, intricate sound work, and eerie music, the film is definitely a mesmerizing look into a man’s obsession to find a place that is considered mythical but also discover wonders that traditional society would have trouble understanding. In the end, The Lost City of Z is a phenomenal film from James Gray.
James Gray Films: Little Odessa - The Yards - We Own the Night - Two Lovers - The Immigrant (2013 film) - Ad Astra – The Auteurs #67: James Gray
© thevoid99 2018
Written and directed by George Lucas, Revenge of the Sith (Star Wars: Episode III) is the third and final film of the prequels trilogy in which Anakin Skywalker is tasked to watch over Chancellor Palpatine during the final days of the Clone Wars where he would descend further into the dark side of the Force. The film plays into the events where the Jedi would finally learn the identity of the Sith Lord but also cope with his new apprentice which would change everything including the galaxy. Starring Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, Hayden Christensen, Ian McDiarmid, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, Peter Mayhew, Jimmy Smits, Samuel L. Jackson, Christopher Lee, and the voice of Frank Oz. Revenge of the Sith is a stellar yet flawed film from George Lucas.
Set during the final days of the Clone Wars between the Galactic Republic and a separatist movement where the Republic is on its way to victory. The film revolves around Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) and his growth as a respected Jedi but certain events relating to his own personal life, his sense of fear, and not being granted the rank of Jedi master would force him into a descent of darkness. Adding to this growing list of problems is when he is assigned by the Jedi council to watch over Chancellor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid) who has raised suspicion of the Jedi for his growing power. Once Anakin learns who Palpatine really is, he becomes conflicted until Palpatine claims that he can be the one to give him the powers to prevent death where things would unravel. It’s a film that does play to a classic rise-and-fall scenario but it is more about a young man whose good intentions to save those he loves from death only to descend further into fear and anguish.
George Lucas’ screenplay does start out on high note where Anakin and Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) go on a mission to save Palpatine from Count Dooku (Christopher Lee) in a confrontation that would have a lot of foreshadowing while its aftermath would reveal some big news for Anakin and his secret wife Padme Amidala (Natalie Portman) which would only drive Anakin’s fear of Padme dying. While the script does have a more linear storyline with a few subplots that relates to Kenobi chasing after one of the separatists’ generals in a droid named Grievous (the voice of Matthew Wood) while Yoda (the voice of Frank Oz) goes to another planet to aid the Wookies in a battle. Yet, the focus is on Anakin’s descent towards the dark side of the Force where it is his friendship with Palpatine that would become the catalyst into the decisions he made. All of which were driven by fear and desperation to save those he loves as its third act would force Anakin to be confronted by those who care for him.
Lucas’ direction is quite vast from the opening sequence where it features this unbroken shot that goes on for a few minutes to play into a battle in space where a lot is happening as the camera would follow two little spaceships flying through the battle. It’s a moment that does kick the film off in a high note where Lucas’ approach to wide and medium shots are thrilling as well some of the close-ups. There are also moments where the action and adventure are always engaging and thrilling though much of it is presented through visual effects which is overwhelming at times. Still, Lucas is able to keep things in focus while adding some suspense and intrigue as it relates to Anakin’s friendship with Palpatine with its usage of wide and medium shots to play into Anakin’s descent. Many of the scenes are very exciting and engaging which is a total contrast to the scenes involving Anakin and Padme as it’s not just that the love story between the two is bad but its horrific dialogue just makes it very uninteresting.
The direction would also include a lot of political commentary where some of it is handled very heavy-handedly such as a piece of dialogue that Padme says in response to the end of the Galactic Republic during a Senate meeting. It’s another of the flaws that is laid upon the film along with Anakin and Obi-Wan’s eventual confrontation as it is also hampered by some of its dialogue. Though it’s ending is sort of grim, it is filled with a bit of hope where Lucas is able to create something that is ambiguous that would set up the stories for the original trilogy. Overall, Lucas creates a thrilling though very messy film about a young man’s descent into darkness.
Cinematographer David Tattersal does excellent work with the cinematography to play into the looks of the different places along with some unique lighting schemes and moods to play into those worlds. Editors Ben Burtt and Roger Barton do brilliant work with the editing to capture the sense of energy in the action scenes while providing some stylish transition wipes that are actually fun to watch. Production designer Gavin Bocquet, with supervising art director Peter Russell and set decorators Piero Di Giovanni and Richard Roberts, does fantastic work with the design of some of the sets including Palpatine‘s office and the room where he was in during being captured by Count Dooku. Costume designer Trisha Biggar does nice work with the costumes from the lavish clothes of Padme to the robes of the men.
Makeup designers Dave Elsey and Nikki Gooley do superb work with the look of some of the alien characters as well as Palpatine in the film‘s second half. Visual effects supervisors Roger Guyett and John Knoll does incredible work with the visual effects to play into the look of the planets and its different locations along with the design of the creatures and droids. Sound designer Ben Burtt and sound editor Matthew Wood do superb work with the sound from the sound effects the droids make to the layer of sounds in the battle scenes along with eerie moments in other intense moments of conflict. The film’s music by John Williams is wonderful for not just its orchestral score with soaring strings and operatic choir arrangements but also in low-key moments to play into the drama and bombast of the story.
The casting by Christine King is very good as it features notable small roles from Silas Carson in a dual role as the voice of separatist leader Nute Gunray and Jedi master Ki-Adi-Mundi, Temuera Morrison as Clone leader Commander Cody and various clones, Matthew Wood as the voice of General Grievous, Joel Edgerton and Bonnie Piesse in their respective roles as Owen and Beru Lars, Christopher Lee as the Sith lord Count Dooku, Peter Mayhew as the Wookie Chewbacca whom Yoda is friendly with, and Jimmy Smits as Senator Bail Organa as a friend of the Jedi who would witness the death of a young Padawan as he would rescue Yoda and Obi-Wan. Anthony Daniels and Kenny Baker are fantastic in their respective roles as the droids C-3P0 and R2-D2 with the former providing some funny lines while the latter gets to do some scenes where he manages to take care of a few droids. Frank Oz is superb as the voice of Yoda as a Jedi master who is concerned with Palpatine’s growing power as well as its eventual outcome where he would eventually confront the man who is the leader of the Sith.
Samuel L. Jackson is excellent as Jedi master Mace Windu who becomes uneasy about the role Anakin is in with Palpatine where he would have a confrontation with Palpatine. Ian McDiarmid is brilliant as Palpatine as the Galactic Republic’s chancellor who is given more power as his meetings with Anakin show a much darker side to the man as it relates to his real identity. Natalie Portman is wonderful as Padme Amidala as Naboo’s representative who deals with her pregnancy as well as Anakin’s strange moods as she realizes what is happening to him. Hayden Christensen has some decent and good moments as Anakin Skywalker whenever the character is restrained but becomes very annoying and overwrought once he emotes as it’s a very messy performance. Finally, there’s Ewan McGregor in an amazing as Obi-Wan Kenobi who would be assigned to target General Grievous as he tries to help Anakin with issues over the Jedi council while later having to confront him for his actions.
Revenge of the Sith is a very good yet flawed film from George Lucas. While it does feature an excellent cast and some amazing visual effects, it’s a film that has a lot of moments that are good but elements that keep it from being great. Most notably in its writing as it is clear that Lucas should never involve himself with romance or politics. In the end, Revenge of the Sith is a terrific film from George Lucas.
Star Wars Films: Star Wars - The Empire Strikes Back - Return of the Jedi - The Phantom Menace - Attack of the Clones - The Force Awakens - The Last Jedi - The Rise of Skywalker
Related: Holiday Special - Caravan of Courage - The Battle for Endor - The Clone Wars - Fanboys - The People vs. George Lucas
Star Wars Anthology Films: Rogue One - Solo - (Untitled Star Wars Anthology Film)
George Lucas Films: THX 1138 - (American Graffiti)
© thevoid99 2015
Directed by George Lucas and written by Lucas and Jonathan Hale, Attack of the Clones (Star Wars: Episode II) is the story of a growing dissension between many galaxies breaking away from the Galactic Republic as the Jedis cope with a growing conflict as it marks the beginning of the Clone Wars. The film would also explore Anakin Skywalker’s growth as a Jedi knight as well as the beginning of his own descent where he copes with his emotions and duty. Starring Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, Hayden Christensen, Samuel L. Jackson, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, Temura Morrison, Ian McDiarmid, and the voice of Frank Oz as Yoda. Attack of the Clones is an enthralling but very sappy and bloated film from George Lucas.
A decade after a dispute between the trade federation and the planet of Naboo, the Galactic Republic learns that members of the trade federation and other star systems are seceding from the Republic. The government asks the Jedi to step in following an assassination attempt on Naboo’s former queen Padme Amidala (Natalie Portman) where Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) and his apprentice Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) are given the job where Kenobi would follow the trail of a mysterious assassin while Skywalker accompanies Padme home where the two fall for each other. Just as the Galactic Senate is to vote on whether or not it should build an army to respond to this separatist movement, Skywalker would also begin his own descent as he starts to have nightmares about his own mother Shmi (Pernilla August) who is captured in Tatooine by Tusken raiders.
While the premise is intriguing, the problem is that George Lucas and Jonathan Hale have no idea what story it wants to tell as there’s this sense of mystery into the identity of the assassins trying to kill Amidala and who they’re working for but there’s also this story of political turmoil and a love story. It is clear that Lucas and Hale want to put in so much there’s no consistency into what it wants to do which would eventually culminate into this battle between separatist robot forces and an army full of clones. The narrative would often move back and forth for much of its second half that plays into Obi-Wan’s discovery of a bounty hunter named Jango Fett (Temura Morrison) and who is he working for while the other narrative would follow Anakin and Padme in their relationship while they travel to Tatooine to find Anakin’s mother.
Though its third act would have a strong outcome which would start the Clone Wars, there are still some issues as it relates to some of the dialogue as it is often very poor. The characterization of Anakin is intended as someone who is quite arrogant and immature in his own powers but some of the issues with that isn’t just due to the dialogue but also in the development of who he is and his struggle to find good in a world that is very complicated. It’s a characterization that has promise but it’s execution however isn’t very good as Lucas wants to play into his descent in a major way but it comes off as annoying and childish. Even characters like Obi-Wan and Padme are stifled by the dialogue while the script’s attempt at ambiguity is mishandled in not just the way Chancellor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid) is portrayed but also in the main antagonist in a former Jedi-turned-Sith lord in Count Dooku (Christopher Lee) as the latter would recite dialogue about something that the audience seem to already know but that the Jedi doesn’t know. It’s just a bad attempt at baiting while a lot of the film’s discussions on politics comes across as very heavy-handed and overly liberal.
Lucas’ direction is quite vast as it is expected to be in the world that he create where it set in multiple planets to play into a galaxy coming undone by a conflict that is happening. Most notably in sequences that play into a world where things are complicated and the only resolution for this is war as the film’s climax is quite spectacular to play into not just an old world order in the Jedi fighting against the machines but also the new world order they have to be part of with the clones that they unknowingly had ordered against this separatist threat. Lucas does manage to keep some of the elements of suspense under control with some unique compositions and camera angles though much of it is presented with everyone acting behind a green screen surrounded by visual effects which does become overkill at times.
With some of the film shot on location in Spain and Lake Como, Italy for scenes set in Naboo and parts of Tunisia as Tatooine, Lucas does manage to show a world that is interesting but the visuals don’t help some of the drawbacks in the scenes involving the growing yet forbidden romance between Anakin and Padme. Lucas clearly has no idea in how to flesh out some of the dramatic elements where it sometimes comes off as very sappy and forced while having some of the dialogue in the film just makes things worse. Even much of the film’s politics is poorly handled where Lucas’ attempt at ambiguity isn’t very good as it is obvious into who the real villain is. Though things do pick up in its third act that includes a long-awaited moment where the Jedi master Yoda (the voice of Frank Oz) finally showcases his full skills in the Force. Overall, Lucas creates a visually-exciting but very messy film about a group of peacekeepers dealing with a conflict that had been building for years.
Cinematographer David Tattersall does excellent work with the cinematography to play into some of the interior lights in some of the settings including the interior in the caves at the desert planet of Geneosis as well as the look of the planet of Coruscant at night. Editor/sound designer Ben Burtt and sound editor Matthew Wood, with additional editing by George Lucas, do superb work with the editing with its approach to fast-paced rhythmic cuts for the action though some of the transition wipes do get overused while the sound work is amazing to play into the sense of chaos and the sound effects that are used in the film. Production designer Gavin Bocquet, with set decorator Peter Walpole and supervising art director Peter Russell, does brilliant work with the set design from the interior look of the Jedi council room to the secret home where Padme and Anakin would live in at Naboo.
Costume designer Trisha Biggar does fantastic work with the costumes from some of the lavish clothes that Padme wears to the robes of the Jedi. Makeup supervisor Lesley Vanderwalt does terrific work with the makeup of some of the alien characters including a few of the Jedis along with the look of Naboo‘s new queen. Visual effects supervisors Pablo Helman, John Knoll, and Dennis Muren do some spectacular with the visual effects from the film‘s climatic battle scene as well as the design of some of the planets though much of it is overkill in terms of the fact that it feels like it‘s more artificial rather than something that is supposed to look real. The film’s music by John Williams is great as it features some very bombastic themes to play into its sense of adventure along with scenes that play into its suspense though the romantic themes aren’t very memorable.
The casting by Robin Gurland is wonderful as it features some notable small appearances from Jay Laga’aia as Padme’s security chief, Veronica Segura as Padme’s decoy, Leeanna Walsman as the assassin Zam Wesell, Oliver Ford Davies as Naboo governor Sio Bibble, Ayesha Dharker as the new queen of Naboo, Pernilla August as Shmi Skywalker, Jack Thompson as Shmi’s husband Cliegg Lars, Joel Edgerton as Cliegg’s son Owen, Bonnie Piesse as Owen’s girlfriend Beru, and Rose Byrne as Padme’s handmaiden Dorme. Other notable performances in the voice department feature Silas Carson in a dual role as trade federation leader Nute Gunray and as the Jedi master Ki-Adi-Mundi in full makeup, Ron Falk as an old friend of Obi-Wan in Dexter, Anthony Phelan as Kamino’s prime minister, and Frank Oz in a phenomenal performance as Yoda who would be the film’s real scene-stealer.
Then there’s Jar-Jar Binks, as the character who annoyed everyone in the previous film, is thankfully used to a minimum where he would provide a key moment that would set the stage for the Clone Wars as Ahmed Best was able to make him tolerable despite being an idiot. Anthony Daniels and Kenny Baker are fantastic in the respective roles as the droids C-3P0 and R2-D2 where the former is presented in finished form while he finds himself in a droid battle while Baker provides some humor for the latter. Daniel Logan is terrible as Jango Fett’s young son Boba as he spends much of the film pouting and making stink faces while Temura Morrison is pretty good as the bounty hunter Jango Fett who provided the people of Kamino his blood to make the clone army. Christopher Lee is brilliant as Count Dooku as a former Jedi who has become a Sith lord as he helped organize the separatist movement against the Republic.
Ian McDiarmid is excellent as Chancellor Palpatine as the Republic’s leader who is trying to deal with separatist movement where he is later given emergency powers that would give him more control of what he wants to do as well as behind the scenes into his true identity. Samuel L. Jackson is fantastic as Jedi master Mace Windu who aids Yoda in what is happening with the Jedi as he would finally showcase his skills against Windu and the droid army. Natalie Portman is quite good as Padme Amidala despite some of the awful dialogue she had to recite while giving Padme a bit of an edge in dealing with the droids while looking very sexy in that tight, white thing she is wearing. Hayden Christensen is fucking atrocious as Anakin Skywalker where much of Christensen’s acting has him trying to emote as if he’s about to fart while being very whiny and wooden as it is clear that it’s not just the dialogue that hurts him but it’s also the fact that he just plainly fucking sucks. Finally, there’s Ewan McGregor in a superb performance as Obi-Wan Kenobi as the Jedi master who is tasked to track down Jango Fett where he would make a discovery that would set the course for the Clone Wars.
Attack of the Clones is a decent but very messy film from George Lucas. While it does feature some amazing visual effects and some good performances from its cast. It is a film that showcases what happens when visual effects would overwhelm the story to a point while the film is also hindered by its poor writing and some horrific acting. In the end, Attack of the Clones is a terrible film from George Lucas.
Star Wars Films: Star Wars - The Empire Strikes Back - Return of the Jedi - The Phantom Menace - Revenge of the Sith - The Force Awakens - The Last Jedi - The Rise of Skywalker
Related: Holiday Special - Caravan of Courage - The Battle for Endor - The Clone Wars - Fanboys - The People vs. George Lucas
Star Wars Anthology Films: Rogue One - Solo - (Untitled Star Wars Anthology Film)
George Lucas Films: THX 1138 - (American Graffiti)
© thevoid99 2015
Written and directed by George Lucas, The Phantom Menace (Star Wars: Episode I) is the story of two Jedi knights who are asked by the Galactic Republic and a queen to settle a tax dispute where things go wrong as they land on a planet where they would meet a young boy who might be part of a prophecy to bring balance to the Force. The film is a prequel to the original Star Wars trilogy back in the late 1970s and early 80s where Lucas explore the origins of Anakin Skywalker and his eventual descent. Starring Liam Neeson, Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, Ian McDiarmid, Ahmed Best, the voice of Frank Oz, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, Jake Lloyd, Ray Park, Pernilla August, and Samuel L. Jackson. The Phantom Menace is a visually-thrilling but extremely messy film from George Lucas.
The film revolves around two Jedi knights who are asked by Galactic Republic and its senate to negotiate a treaty involving a trade federation who refuses to bring shipment to small planet called Naboo. There, things go wrong where they meet an alien creature and help a queen escape while landing on a planet where they meet a young slave boy whom one of the Jedi knights believes is the one person that can bring balance to the Force as darkness looms. It’s a plot that is interesting but the fact that the story begins with a tax dispute is a pretty dumb way to open a story. It would set the tone for a story that doesn’t become uneven in its involvement of politics but also in the myth of the Jedi where there’s a lot of expositions that occur where it definitely raise more baffling questions than answers.
George Lucas’ screenplay does play into a traditional structure where it’s first act involves the Jedi master Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson) and his apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) trying to negotiate terms with the trade federation led by Nute Gunray (Silas Carson) where things fall apart. Upon landing on Naboo, they meet an exiled Gungan named Jar-Jar Binks (Ahmed Best) who would aid them in saving Queen Amidala (Natalie Portman) as they try to go to Coruscant to talk with the Senate. Its second act is set in Tatooine where Qui-Gon, Jar-Jar, an astromech droid named R2-D2 (Kenny Baker), and the queen’s handmaiden Padme (Natalie Portman) try to find parts for their ship where they would meet the young slave boy Anakin Skywalker (Jake Lloyd) where Qui-Gon senses a strong surge of the Force in Anakin as he hopes to free him. Lucas’ scenario does try to keep things forward but there’s too many things as the character of Jar-Jar is this unnecessary comic relief that doesn’t really do anything for the story.
Instead, he’s a buffoon that is made to entertain kids except that he’s not funny nor is he engaging. It is among some of the problems with the script as well as the dialogue as Lucas is notoriously known for writing poor dialogue. Especially in the second act where the story moves to Coruscant as it plays into the world of politics and corruption where it does drag the story immensely to the realm of boredom. When its third act returns to Naboo where Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon confront a Sith lord named Darth Maul (Ray Parks, with the voice of Peter Serafinowicz) while Jar-Jar leads the battle against the trade federation’s army of robots where Anakin is in the action during a star fight between the forces of Naboo and a trade federation’s spaceship that controls the robots. It’s a moment where a lot goes on yet it is never meshes coherently since Lucas wants to really go for something that is intense. The result only works somewhat but it is handled very clumsily.
Lucas’ direction is quite sprawling in terms of the visual language that he creates to establish a world that is very diverse but is on the verge of becoming tumultuous due to greed and corruption. Shot on various locations such as Tunisia as Tatooine and Watford, Hertfordshire in Great Britain as Naboo with much of the production shot in studios in Britain, the film does play into something that is very diverse but it has elements of racial profiling in the way some of the alien characters are depicted. It’s among the negative aspects of the film that really shows how Lucas perceive the alien creatures as either bumbling idiots or greedy creatures with very little complexity into who they are. At the same time, Lucas’ direction also tries to create elements of foreshadowing and irony as it relates to the character of Senator Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid) who would talk about the greed and corruption of politics to get Queen Amidala to get a new Supreme Chancellor to head the Galactic Senate.
It is among some of the issues in the way Lucas directs his actors where he definitely states the obvious as it relates to Palpatine while it sort of kills the suspense for anyone that hadn’t seen the original trilogy. While Lucas’ approach to some of the scenes involving the pod race in Tatooine where Qui-Gon would make a gamble to free Anakin from slavery as well as the lightsaber and battle scenes are engaging to watch in terms of his compositions and the shooting styles he uses. He’s really unable to do the same to other scenes such as the moments of suspense as well as the scenes involving the political issues in the film which comes across as very boring. Overall, Lucas creates a very uneven yet nonsensical film about a dispute between two factions in the galaxy.
Cinematographer David Tattersall does excellent work with the film‘s cinematography to capture the hot and sunny look of Tatooine to the lavish lights of the city planet of Coruscant to play into the different worlds of the galaxy. Editors Ben Burtt and Paul Martin Smith do nice work with the editing to capture some of the action in the film though its usage of transition wipes does get overused very quickly. Production designer Gavin Bocquet, along with set decorator Peter Wapole and supervising art director Peter Russell, does brilliant work with the look of the different places from the palaces of Naboo and the Gungan palaces underwater as well as the look of Coruscant and the Jedi temple. Costume designer Trisha Biggar does terrific work with the costumes from the lavish clothes that Queen Amidala wears to the robes of the Senate along with the clothes of the Jedi knights.
Makeup artist Paul Engelen does fantastic work with the look of Queen Amidala in her fully-realized regalia along with the look of some of the aliens who are part of the Jedi council. Visual effects supervisors Dennis Muren, John Knoll, and Scott Squires do amazing work with the visual effects for some of the sequences in space and some of the battles though the design of some of the creatures aren‘t so great since many of them aren‘t engaging to care for. Sound designer Ben Burtt, along with sound editors Tom Bellfort and Matthew Wood, does superb work with the sound to play into the sound effects for some of the droids along with the laser cannons and other sound textures. The film’s music by John Williams is phenomenal for not just the usage of old themes but also some new ones with its approach to bombastic orchestral music for the pod races and the lightsaber battles along with some low-key pieces for the dramatic moments.
The casting by Robin Gurland is pretty good as it features notable appearances from Warwick Davis as a pod-racer spectator, Ralph Brown as the Queen’s starship pilot, Keira Knightley as the queen’s decoy, Oliver Ford Davies as Naboo’s governor who is forced to deal with the trade federation, Hugh Quarie as the queen’s security chief Captain Panaka, Pernilla August as Anakin’s mother Shmi, and Terence Stamp in a superb performance as Supreme Chancellor Valorum who tries to settle things between Naboo and the trade federation which shows how weak he is at his job. The voice performances of Anthony Daniels as an early version of C-3P0 and Frank Oz as the Jedi master Yoda are terrific for what they provide for the story. Other voice roles from Andy Secombe as the junk dealer Watto and Lewis McLeod as the villainous pod racer Sebulba are quite good despite the dialogue their given while Silas Carson as trade federation leader Nute Gunray and Brian Blessed as the Gungan leader Boss Nass aren’t given strong material to work with for their characters.
Kenny Baker is excellent as R2-D2 as the droid who would help the Queen’s starship during an escape as he becomes a close friend to the major characters. Ray Park is fantastic as the Sith lord Darth Maul as someone who is very skilled in the dark side of the Force with Peter Serafinowicz provides a brooding voice for the character. Ian McDiarmid is brilliant as Senator Palpatine as a Naboo government official who tries to deal with the Senate while being very shady in his dealings as he conceals a much darker identity. Samuel L. Jackson is wonderful in a small but crucial role as the Jedi master Mace Windu who, like Yoda, is suspicious about taking Anakin to be trained as a Jedi as it relates to Anakin’s own upbringing and feelings for his mother. The film’s worst performance is Ahmed Best in the voice performance as Jar-Jar Binks as this clumsy and idiotic Gungan who does nothing but make a full of himself and cause trouble as he is really one of the most atrocious characters ever created in the history of cinema.
Jake Lloyd is OK as the young Anakin Skywalker as a young slave boy who is very talented in making things and being a great pod racer as he copes with the new world he is to face where Lloyd shows a lot of energy but some of his line delivery isn’t very good. Natalie Portman is decent as Queen Padme Amidala as a queen who disguises herself as a handmaiden while dealing with the chaos in her homeland where Portman has some good moments but also suffers from the script’s weakness and poor dialogue. Ewan McGregor is amazing as a young Obi-Wan Kenobi as a Jedi apprentice who is in the final stages of his own training as he tries to reason with his master about taking Anakin as he speaks for the Jedi council while dealing with his development as a Jedi. Finally, there’s Liam Neeson in a remarkable performance as Qui-Gon Jin as a Jedi master who is wise while being a bit reckless where he believes that Anakin is the chosen one and hopes to train with or without the approval of the Jedi council while coping with the presence of the Sith.
Despite all of its amazing visuals, top-notch technical work, and some thrilling sequences, The Phantom Menace is a terrible film from George Lucas. Though it does have moments that are worth watching, it is hampered by a poor script as well as characters that serve no purpose to the film at all. Even as it features elements of political allegory and things that has no business being in a sci-fi adventure film. In the end, The Phantom Menace is mess of a film from George Lucas.
Star Wars Films: Star Wars - The Empire Strikes Back - Return of the Jedi - Attack of the Clones - Revenge of the Sith - The Force Awakens - The Last Jedi - The Rise of Skywalker
Related: Holiday Special - Caravan of Courage - The Battle for Endor - The Clone Wars - Fanboys - The People vs. George Lucas
Star Wars Anthology Films: Rogue One - Solo - (Untitled Star Wars Anthology Film)
George Lucas Films: THX 1138 - (American Graffiti)
© thevoid99 2015
