angry with george.

Rating: 5/10 (28 May 1999)

The book was sooooo good... Why wasn't the movie?
I must have made a mistake by reading the book before seeing the film but I did it because my expectations for the movie were only moderate to begin with.
When I finished reading the book (by Terry Brooks) my expectations for the movie blew the roof. I got all excited and went to see the movie that night. I expected for all of the magical character developement, relationship exploration and situational understanding that I witnessed in the book to be at least hinted at in the movie... I was wrong.
In the book: Anakin is adorable. He is helpful to neighbors. Loving to his mother. Generous beyond belief. Best of all he is a romantic. He is very sure of himself and a show off (in a little boy sort of way) but stops short of being snoty. The fact that Anakin grows up to be Darth Vader completely leaves the mind. Most importantly he is loved by everyone around him (with exception to a few antagonists) and he is loved by the READER.
In the film: Anakin is arrogant and snotty. His emotions are unexplored and Jake Loyd gives an impersonal performance (this may be the fault of George's lack of directing). Crucial scenes and lines that would have given the audience a chance to know the boy for who he is inside (rather than what he can do) are left out. Ultimately the audience is left with little emotion for the boy.
I will not go further into detail on my opinion of the rest of the characters, their development in the book and lack thereof on screen but know this...
If you loved the original three movies not for the special effects alone but also because the characters were close to the heart and themes were powerful...Do not go see this film. It will break your heart.
I do not want to come off as a complete antagonist to the film. The last 45 minutes of it are excellent. The best special effects ever and the best (and fastest) fight scenes ever are all in this film. I was sitting up straight and sat engulfed by this movie during the battles.
However, because I cared so little for the characters, once the fighting was over I was emotionally detatched once again. It was like watching a friend play a video game.
I'll end by stating why I am angry at George Lucas. He was my idol. I have an interest in the film industry that overwhelms me and it is because of the stories George Lucas and Steven Spielburg have told.
At the expense of telling a good story George focused on making a video game to attract the child demograph and parents with money.
I for one would like to exchange a few of the special effects for the lovable and interesting characters that I believe in.
A severely disappointed fan