Clone War Trailer

[Shane]

I know it's been out for about a week now, and I'm sure you've all seen it a number of times now, but what do you think of the latest AOTC trailer?I think it looks fantastic, a bit too digital looking in places, but a lot more promising than The Phantom Menace. That arena battle at the end of the movie looks like it gonna rock big time! Shane.

[Bradster]

Well, I'm one of the many pessimists regarding AOTC. You've gotta remember that the trailers for TPM looked really cool too... then the movie sucked. I think the acting in the recent trailers looks rather "stale" or forced, particularly with regards to the Anakin guy. The lighting on the CG characters is looking a tad bit better, but they are still quite easily distinguishable from real characters.The battle scenes in the newer trailer look impressive, except for that bit where Anakin is hanging on to some flying droid.I'm interested in how well Lucas pulls off the overlapping "growing Anakin -- love story -- clone war" plot lines here. I've got high hopes...

[Shane]

Yeah, I know what you mean about Anakin, none of his delivery on any of the trailers has been up to scratch, he does seem to look the part though. Obi Wan seems to be a lot cooler in this movie, more of a cynical Han Solo type, which was sadly missing from the last movie.Ah you can only hope....Shane.

[AndyThomas]

Hmm. I'm not sure if I've seen this latest trailer so I'll not comment on what I think about AOTC, but I do want to comment on TPM a little. I watched it a couple of times in the cinema, first time to get the storyline and second more with a view to going "coo" at the effects. I actually quite liked it - although it's somewhat naive, those not familiar with the books would probably pick up a great deal of back plot for the origins of the Death Star in the first movie. Listen to the discussion about the senate being disbanded, for example, in the Death Star ready room.But my main point about TPM is that we're not the generation it was aimed at. As I was sat waiting for one of the showings, a kid came into the cinema dressed up as Obi Wan. I kid you not. Complete with the (wrong colour) light sabre. It was about then that I realised - TPM was for the kids of this generation. We were bound to have "issues" with it because it'll never have the same impact on us as adults as the originals did when our imaginations were going nineteen to the dozen.I think that came across in the reviews as well, because the critics were all muttering about how it wasn't as good as the first three - but they're adults too, of course. I'd agree that TPM isn't as "gritty" as the originals - but that may be intentional in part because the Senate is only just starting to lose it. I anticipate things getting darker as we go on, and obviously the foundations for that were laid in TPM. But I think it probably had to stay light at first to bring the new audience in - the existing audience was just a bonus for Lucas.BTW, there're some great TPM references in the second series of Spaced (see SFXB for an ad!) in which the main character Tim has quite a few issues with Lucas!

[Shane]

I suppose there is a generational issue with the new and old trilogies (or is that old and new?) Back in the old days Star Wars was simply light years ahead of the competion, all through the Eighties and most of the Nineties there just wasn't another film like it. The Phantom Menace was special for about five minutes, with seemingly every big FX film made after that doing a Gungan/Battle Droid type set piece (The Mummy Returns, Lord of the Rings, etc. If the Phantom Meance had a bit more soul and a few less special effects I would have been a lot happier. I think the Lord Of The Rings is Probably the "Star Wars" of this generation now, which is pretty Ironic.Shane.

[AndyThomas]

"You're all clear Bilbo, now let's blow this place and go home!"

[Shane]

Or:"I'm Bilbo Baggins, I'm here to rescue you!""aren't You a little short for a stormtrooper?" Shane.