The Dark Digital Side

Rating: 3/10 (20 June 2002)

Lucas did not resist the call of the dark digital side. Those dammed pixels are everywhere, in every frame, flooding the screen with an unreal aura of cold perfection. Is it a movie? Is it animation? Actors seem to be just the last accident, happening to be there drowned in this numeric soup. And for how long? Yoda has already succumbed to the call of the dark digital side. But the others, the humans, here they are, trying to catch desperately the audience's attention. A tough job indeed when your only weapons are virtual sets and the slimmest and most unbalanced script. I found it funny enough to be able to create quite effectively the illusion of a million troopers and mighty star destroyers, but yet to fail to convey the emotion of a simple 'I love you', the very most basic human feeling. The audience was laughing on every single of those 'romance' scenes, and I was wondering why did I pay to see such poor filmmaking.
But I feel sad. I've been waiting for so long for the new Star Wars trilogy. I still wonder what would have happened if Lucas had gone for strong artistic not technical risks, and decided to build a strong legacy for the next generations to enjoy. I somehow feel betrayed to see the so-awaited trilogy being reduced to a technology showcase, by nature fugitive. What do I care than Star Wars is the first digital movie? That's NOT cool, but it will sell THX equipment. I always thought there was there enough material to build a great epic, following the adventures of a group of hero caught in the turmoil of a galactic civil war. I just dare imaging a director like James Cameron, a technical wizard connected with his actors and with his audience, dragging us into this world. But, no, Lucas wanted to direct, and here I have to stay, remote spectator of a frigid movie.