Now, admittedly, I was raised on the Prequels. The first Star Wars film I saw was The Phantom Menace. And yes, when I was five-years old, I thought Jar Jar was hilarious. But as an adult, having spent the vast majority of my life absolutely breathing in everything Star Wars, my reasons for loving the Prequels have similarly matured. At least, I like to think they have. So, from providing a cultural-political backdrop for the series to laying the groundwork for other great stories, the Prequels have much to offer. Even if the main payoff from the films isn’t the trilogy itself.
Why Don’t People Like the Prequels?
Disdain for the second Star Wars trilogy is nothing new. Apparently, Marcia Lucas, the ex-wife of George Lucas, hated TPM so much she cried while editing the film. And in large part, it seems much of the dislike comes from the point of comparison. The Original trilogy was so cinematically groundbreaking that the latter films simply didn’t live up to the hype. At least, not for most fans. And even as someone who can appreciate the Prequels, this fact seems indisputable. Objectively speaking, the second trilogy is not as good as the first. But that’s also from the viewpoint of overall impact. The dialogue doesn’t flow as well. There are lengthy sequences that do little to progress the story in a tangible way. And at least one character annoys fans to the point of near madness. But the movies arguably do other things extremely well.
Of course, there are other reasons beyond mere comparison why someone might completely disregard the Prequels. They relied heavily on CGI elements that failed to age well in some instances. The depiction of certain characters and species had semi-racist undertones. And the chemistry between the characters was often awkward at best. But what the Prequels lack is made up for by their contribution to the story at large. Are they cinematic masterpieces? No, probably not. But are they essential parts of the Star Wars story? Arguably, yes. And at least in this regard, they serve a much grander purpose. Because while they’re telling a story, they’re also crafting a universe.
So, it might be true that the Prequels aren’t as good as the Original trilogy. But that in and of itself isn’t a reason to hate them. After all, in a franchise with eleven major films, some inevitably have to be worse than others. And moving beyond the films, the era of Star Wars the second trilogy inspired provided some of the richest content to date.
What the Prequels Did Well
Choreography
There are plenty of superficial reasons why the Star Wars Prequels are good films. If nothing else, the fight choreography is the best the series has to offer. And that’s including the more recent Sequel trilogy as well. In fact, the duel between Obi-Wan and Anakin in RotS holds the title for longest sword fight in cinematic history. Comparatively speaking, the short battle between the same characters in A New Hope is relatively lackluster. But the length of the duel is inconsequential when paired with the rigor of the fight itself.
The fights might not have as much of a thematic impact as those in the Original trilogy. There’s no jaw-dropping instance of revelation, such as when Luke learns Vader is his father. But the magnitude of the battles kept them from growing stale. Maul was the first to wield a saber staff. The Geonosis arena gave fans the chance to see hundreds of Jedi fight alongside each other. And no character had ever tried to wield four sabers at once until Grievous. So, what the battles lack in emotional depth is made up for by the sheer magnanimity of the action.
Visuals
For Star Wars, CGI seems to be a double-edged sword. It works extremely well in some instances, and in others it falls flat. One of the last shots in Attack of the Clones shows thousands of troopers standing at order, ready for war. And what should be an overwhelming moment that foreshadows the rise of the Empire is laughable. Because the animated Clone Wars show has better CGI than that scene of the film. Contrastingly, the opening sequence in Revenge of the Sith is a masterpiece of CGI. The audience feels like they’re right there in the midst of battle, surrounded by shrapnel and exploding starships. Consequently, the Battle of Coruscant is one of the most memorable space skirmishes in the franchise. It’s exciting, it’s fast-paced, and it looks great.
So, it’s perfectly understandable why some fans complain about the overuse of CGI in the Prequel films. However, it must also be remembered that some of these elements were completely new to cinema at the time. Practical effects were largely used up until this point. And while the transition was clunky at best, some of the end results were beautiful and magnificent. The graphical difference between Episodes II and III demonstrate this well enough.
Breathing Life Into the Galaxy
Another laudable aspect of the Prequel trilogy is its shift away from a narrow view of the galaxy. The Original trilogy is completely engrossed in military conflict — and it portrays it well. But one downfall of this narrow focus is that it fails to introduce audiences to the larger world. Because the Rebel Alliance is constantly on the run, the galaxy feels somewhat empty. Sure, Mos Eisley has a spaceport, and the rebels befriend the Ewoks on Endor. But in Cloud City, where one would expect to see more of a populace, it still feels lonely. Tatooine is desolate, Hoth is a frozen wasteland, and the Death Star is a cold, metalic construct. And perhaps this is genius on the part of the filmmakers. Because this lonely isolation must be what it feels like for the Rebels.
But from the very start of the Prequels, fans get the sense that this galaxy far, far away is full of exciting places and people. Theed, the beautiful Nabooan city, is a stark contrast to the bleakness of space so often seen in the Originals. And Coruscant, the capital of the Republic, is a bustling cityscape with no end in sight. It’s vibrant, it’s chaotic, and exciting. From the Boonta Eve Podrace to the fall of the Jedi Temple, the Prequels work immensely to bring Star Wars to life.
Part and parcel with world-building is the massive expansion of Star Wars lore in the second trilogy. Things which were only hinted at in the Originals are given flesh in these films. The Jedi Order, the Clone Wars, even the lineage of the Sith. And without the Prequels, these aspects of the Star Wars universe would be nonexistent. At least, not the way we know and understand them today.
The Inspiration
In my mind, what the Prequels inspired is without a doubt the best aspect of the trilogy. The films themselves will always have a special place in my own love of the franchise. But they aren’t necessarily the best part of that era of Star Wars. Countless books, video games, shows and other mediums tell stories that are introduced through the Prequels. For example, the animated Clone Wars is potentially one of the most expansive additions to the franchise. It introduced Ahsoka Tano, the apprentice of Anakin Skywalker. And she’s played a major part in the universe ever since. It brought back Maul and gave him a much more integral story than his brief appearnace in Episode I. And Clone Wars arguably portrays Anakin’s fall in a much more emotionally devastating way than even Episode III.
Though not considered canon now, the book Plagueis is a fantastic look into the world of the Sith. And it stems completely from a few sentences uttered by Chancellor Palpatine in Revenge of the Sith. And don’t get me started on Darth Bane. Because you won’t hear the end of that once I get going.
From characters and places to events and magnificent stories, the Prequels are responsible for so much of Star Wars as it stands today. And without these films, which some consider worthless, the galaxy would be far poorer.
Are the Star Wars Prequels Actually Good?
Honestly, I could go on for days if not months. The Prequels are what I grew up with, and yes, I’m fairly nostalgic when it comes to defending them. But I sincerely believe they deserve a better assessment than many fans give them. They might not be the best Star Wars films, and they definitely have several noticeable flaws. But for fans of the series who can appreciate the larger scope of the universe, this trilogy is indispensable. It takes the narrow focus of the Star Wars franchise and blows it outward to the edges of the known galaxy. But ultimately, the Prequels aren’t as praiseworthy for their cinematic value as what they represent. They signaled the continuation of a beloved franchise. But more importantly, they paved the way for countless other fantastic stories to be told.