A Look From a Different Perspective

Rating: 8/10 (27 July 2014)

Let me first start by saying that I originally did not like the second trilogy at all. I wanted to see the familiar characters like Luke and Leia,and was disappointed that Vader did not make an appearance until Episode III. So I watched the movies again and again, looked up the stories online, and looked at all points of view, good and bad, about the second trilogy. After all of this, I have to say that the trilogy is much better than I thought, and I actually like them now. Here's why:
1. Star Wars is not about Luke Skywalker. It just isn't. We were all lead to believe that because the story begins with him in Episode IV. But Star Wars in whole is about Anakin first, and then his kids second. Once you open your mind to the fact that Star Wars Episode I HAS to give the back story of this person, and the history of the Republic, then you begin to see Lucas' brilliance shine through as a storyteller. Of course we know what is going to happen in the end, or do we? I think for too long people have hated on this movie because they KNOW what is going to happen. But what if you are a 15 year old seeing Episode I for the first time, without truly knowing what is going to happen. Sure, you may have heard about the stories, but Episode I, II, and III will stand on their own now.
2. Which leads me to my second point, and that has to do with the story. Another user said that Lucas "has no story to tell" which is just not true. If you are over the age of 35 and saw the original trilogy when it came out, then sure you know the back story. But there is a large portion of the population who did not see SW when it first came out, and many of us (myself included) were not hard-core SW followers, so many of the events (like the Clone wars) were just passing conversation. So there is a massive story to tell, and the story presented in Episode I is excellent.
3. I have heard people say that the midichlorians were/are a side thought, and that Lucas failed in this piece of the storytelling. I believe the opposite, that the midichlorians were always part of the story, but not emphasized as much as the force itself. The midichlorians do two things for me: one, they establish just how powerful Anakin is, so when Luke defeats him later in life, it s just that more powerful. Second, how do you measure the success of a person? An IQ test? SAT score? The truth is, we have all sorts of "tests" to measure intelligence, and the midichlorians is just another way to measure someone.
4. When Episode IV came out, the cast was essentially a list of relative unknowns. It was not until afterward that many of them became household names. Most of the "older" audience obviously knew who Alec Guinness was, but us kids did not. Which leads me to the cast of Episode I. Lucas had to mix in new talent with established actors. It is not 1978 anymore, and the audience has changed. When Episode IV came out, there was no trilogy to compete with, it simply had to stand on its own. Episode I however needed to appeal to two audiences: the original SW fans, and the new, younger generation. Which leads me to Jar-Jar Binks. Sure, us "old" SW fans hate Jar-Jar, but in the tradition of SW, he is there for comic relief (remember Han Solo's interactions with Leia and C-3PO??) and also to entertain the younger crowd. Jar-Jar is not my favorite character, but he plays an important role in Episode I, and plays it well.
Star Wars Episode I (and II and III)should be seen separate from the original trilogy, as only the story of the fall of the Republic, the rise of the rebellion, and the story of Anakin Skywalker. Once you realize that the story is not about Luke, or Han, or Leia, or the Wookies, or anyone/anything from the original trilogy, and look at this new trilogy as its own, you will enjoy it much more. There is a fascinating, complicated story here waiting to be unveiled. Sit back, watch, and enjoy.