10 Reasons Star Wars Sequels Are Still Superior To The Prequels
The Sequels have the high ground, whether you like it or not.
The Star Wars Sequel Trilogy, despite a broadly acclaimed start with The Force Awakens and even though it actually did plenty of things really well, has now become the most divisive film trilogy since... well, since the Star Wars Prequel Trilogy.
Still, the latter trilogy has had something of a critical resurgence in the last few years and some fans are now arguing those movies are superior to the Sequels.
Err... what? Sorry? Is that some sort of joke?
Let it immediately be said: the Star Wars Prequels are absolutely solid movies and one feels reluctant to dunk on them given the excessive abuse they've received over the years.
They've got amazing world-building, cracking action, razor-sharp technical values and a thought-provoking, twist-filled story, but as overall films they're deeply flawed. The (often) atrocious dialogue and numbingly awful acting keep any of them from ascending beyond the three-star level.
As such, to argue that such hit-or-miss movies are superior to Disney's considerably better-executed trilogy is beyond laughable.
Here's why...
10. The Prequels Wasted So Much Potential
On paper, the Star Wars Prequel Trilogy is a rich, Shakespearean tragedy that could easily have been as good as the Original Trilogy.
If you read trilogy's story out of context, chances are you'd be very impressed indeed since these movies do actually have a fascinating narrative filled with smart world-building and shocking plot twists but sadly, the trilogy failed to realize this stratospheric potential and shot itself in the foot at every turn.
All the way through the trilogy, the atrocious dialogue, countless plot holes and numbingly awful acting mean that the boundless potential of this narrative only sometimes comes through.
For example: in The Phantom Menace, Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid) is using the Invasion of Naboo to trigger a vote of no-confidence in the current chancellor (a criminally wasted Terrence Stamp), so that he can take control of the Senate. This is a very good bit of plotting on paper, but on-screen it falls flat.
The dialogue in all the political scenes is very weak and it doesn't make the slightest bit of sense either. Why the hell did Palpatine tell the Trade Federation to kill the Chancellor's ambassadors and stop anyone leaving Naboo? They were the ones who could've told the Senate about the crisis.
That's just one example of how the Prequels constantly undermine themselves. They still work to a degree but given how great they easily could've been had George Lucas improved the scripts, it's hard not to feel bitter.