What's wrong with the prequels?

[Zethcas]

The one redeeming factor to those has been the later Clone Wars tv show. Finally, with a better actor, Anakin is shown to be the dark fallen hero he should be. And the show is actually really good.

 

I agree with this.

[Onyx]

Honestly I think the serious SW fans that grew up with the original trilogies were expecting the second coming or something. I didn't roll my eyes at gungans nearly as bad as I do at Ewoks.

 

The point of the prequels was to tell the complete story, and I think Lucas did a great job. It was nice to see Darth Vader as Anakin and get some insight into why he did the things he did.

 

There would have been a very vocal peanut gallery no matter how the movies were made or where the plotlines went.

 

I don't think there was any way to gracefully make Anakin's fate.

 

From the first time we met Vader in 1977, it was clear what that would be. RoTJ cleaned that up a bit but we still knew the path the prequels would have to take. I can't say I was happy with them, nor can I say I was disappointed. Every fiber of my being wanted to change the story. But I knew that I could not.

 

No matter what, I enjoyed each and every movie. The only one I didn't see on opening day was the first. My mom, my little brother and I were on vacation in a rustic cabin in Colorado at the time. Mom hated TV, lol, and made sure there was not one in any cabin we spent vacation time in. She's one of those folks that even today does not have cable installed! The real humor is that she fully enjoyed the movie, just as she enjoyed ST I.

[ZealexFH]

They were entertaining movies and it's still Star Wars so I thoroughly enjoy them.

 

However, for me, all three movies were filled with awkward moments, basically due to George Lucas' directing and poor editing, and the actor playing Anakin Skywalker was terrible, he simply can't act.

[Chinane]

I recently watched all six movies over several days which I had never done before and it had been a long time since I saw them, and it got me thinking about this topic (so I'm glad you asked).

 

My feeling after watching them was that the prequels are not that bad. They are very entertaining to watch. The problem is they do not nearly live up to the potential. They could have been so much better, and I think that's why people hate them -- not because they are bad movies, but because they are not great movies.

 

The issues I have with them:

 

-- The Phantom Menace is a waste of a film. Starting the Anakin story when he is so young was pointless. Not much of significance happens when the main character is a 9 year old. The core of the story is basically about a little boy trying to win a fancy go-cart race with nice special effects. Starting with Anakin so young also makes the romance between Padme and Anakin feel a little awkward later on in the other films since she apparently met him when she was a young adult and he was a toddler.

 

-- Once we get to Attack of the Clones, the next big mistake begins. Through a combination of acting and writing, Anakin is immediately not likable. Anakin should have been a tragic hero, a character we love but know he's heading somewhere dark. Like if Luke Skywalker fell to the dark side -- that's what it should have felt like. Instead he's just immediately creepy. In order to show early signs of him leaning toward the darkside, they made him all crotchety and annoying. He gives Obi-Wan attitude, he gives Padme attitude, he gives the Jedi Council attitude... and not in a charming way, but in more of a "this guy is a total d-bag" way.

 

-- If his attitude wasn't enough, Anakin is also very aggressive and creepy in his pursuit of Padme (made creepier by the fact that the last time we saw him, and the last time Padme saw him, he was 9). He stares at her with those creepy eyes like some hungry animal. When Padme supposedly falls in love with him, it feels phony and forced.

 

-- On another topic, something else I can't stand in the prequels is the invention of the midi-chlorians. The force was always something fantastical. It wasn't supposed to have an explanation. Creating a lame sci-fi medical explanation for the force was a ridiculous idea. It ripped away the mystique and fantasy of Star Wars. I hope the word midi-chlorian is never mentioned anywhere in SWTOR.

 

People talk about other things like how annoying Jar Jar is, or minor continuity issues between the films, but I don't think those things are very important. These issues I listed have to do with the core of the story, and that's where the movies really failed.

 

Very good summary.

 

I never understood why Anakin had to be introduced as a child, except for marketing reasons, which should not have any influence on that decision for someone of Lukas' calibre (yeah i know..dream on ). I still maintain that when Ben in the OT said he met Anakin 'as a pilot' he did NOT refer to fancy go-cart races.

 

You underestimate the negative influence of Jar Jar, though. Apart from preventing any kind of immersion into the story, the fact that he was not only used but VITAL for one of the most essential plot hooks (Palpatine's ascension) is just sad.

[Neladvan]

I enjoyed the second and third episodes, think they fit very well with the original trilogies. However, the first movie I find really bad, especially since Anakin is like 7 years old and finds emotional affection in Padme, and she finds it in him.

 

Sure enough, had their love actually started to develop in the second film I'd see it less of a problem.

 

Also in TPM the entire pod racing scene is unecessary, a filler scene, if you will. That said, I think the third episode fits well with 4 through 6, and second being a decent movie all in all. First one is kind of a disgrace.

[Warwicks]

There is nothing wrong with Midi-Cholorians!!!! That force-sensetivity is something genetic we learned in the first movies, thats why the emperor wanted to turn luke, thats why Leia and Luke could connect to each other through the force, thats why Luke says "the force runs strong in our family". It has always been known that force sensetivity is something genetic.

 

The Pre-quels are fine. I can agree what The Phantom Menace pretty much sucked (even if it was very beautiful)...but Attack of The Clones and Revenge of the Sith is one of my favorite Star Wars movies...especially Revenge, it is just the best.

 

I agree with that they could have made Anakin better in II but other aspects in that movie were so good, like the jango fett pursuit, the ****** jedi battle, Count Dooku...

 

And III is just the best of the best: It is such an emotional movie for me. When i watch it today i get the chills from every scene. You see that Anakin has some redeeming qualities. The Obi-Wan and Anakin releationship in the beginning. General Grevious is simply awesome. Palpatines manipulation...you can just feel Anakins every step towards the dark side. The scene were Master Windu dies is just so emotional and probably the best scene in the entire series. The battle between the student and his master...its just Star Wars at its best.

 

And while i love all Star Wars movies, the only ones i can watch over and over again and still be incredibly immersed is II III and IV. I VI and V are very good films, but at this point i can't watch them anymore because iv'e seen them so many times...but the first three mentioned i can just watch over and over again.

 

This is infact my Star Wars list:

 

1. Revenge of the Sith

2. A new hope

3. Attack of the Clones

4. Return of the Jedi

5. Empire Strikes back

6. The Phantom Menace

 

So yeah, i like the pre-quels, the critisism probably comes from the fact that it got such a bad start with episode I, but also that many of the grown up Star Wars fans did not

experience the same magic as they experienced when they were kids. wich of course is a matter of nostalgia rather than the quality of the movies. This hate has then spread from the older generations to the younger generations as well. Thats what i figure.

[Zekkau]

i liked the prequels, I just think some "uber-fans" hate them, not just because of Anakin, but also because of how "kiddie-friendly" they are. I've seen this far more frequently these days, people hating on things just because they are kid-friendly and not adult enough.

 

I just think people expect too much and put their own private expectations on things, whether its the Star Wars Hexalogy or Star Wars the Old Republic.

 

Star Wars is Lucas' story, and so I think we ought to just accept what he hands us, even if we think its ridiculous, because it isn't our story and we didn't write it.

 

I like that its kid-friendly, with Jar-Jar and all of that. Sure it seems a bit silly, but that is one of the reasons R2 and 3P0 are in the original Trilogy, not just for comic relief, but for the kids as well. Remember how we all loved the two as kids?

 

In fact, I think that is one of the things I love about SWTOR, it isn't too adult. Sure it allows you to sleep with characters, but while I haven't chosen that option, I'm certain it doesn't show anything (especially not like modern movies do) and it isn't too gritty either. I played Age of Conan, and while we all like to hate on WoW, the fact is that a game is more successful if it appeals to a wide range of various ages, not just us adults. While little kids are annoying, and things appealing to them like Jar Jar are a bit annoying, I think it's a good thing that the movies have something for them, its meant to be for everyone and not just uber fanatical fan boys.

[jarjarloves]

There is nothing wrong with Midi-Cholorians!!!! That force-sensetivity is something genetic we learned in the first movies, thats why the emperor wanted to turn luke, thats why Leia and Luke could connect to each other through the force, thats why Luke says "the force runs strong in our family". It has always been known that force sensetivity is something genetic.

 

The Pre-quels are fine. I can agree what The Phantom Menace pretty much sucked (even if it was very beautiful)...but Attack of The Clones and Revenge of the Sith is one of my favorite Star Wars movies...especially Revenge, it is just the best.

 

I agree with that they could have made Anakin better in II but other aspects in that movie were so good, like the jango fett pursuit, the ****** jedi battle, Count Dooku...

 

And III is just the best of the best: It is such an emotional movie for me. When i watch it today i get the chills from every scene. You see that Anakin has some redeeming qualities. The Obi-Wan and Anakin releationship in the beginning. General Grevious is simply awesome. Palpatines manipulation...you can just feel Anakins every step towards the dark side. The scene were Master Windu dies is just so emotional and probably the best scene in the entire series. The battle between the student and his master...its just Star Wars at its best.

 

And while i love all Star Wars movies, the only ones i can watch over and over again and still be incredibly immersed is II III and IV. I VI and V are very good films, but at this point i can't watch them anymore because iv'e seen them so many times...but the first three mentioned i can just watch over and over again.

 

This is infact my Star Wars list:

 

1. Revenge of the Sith

2. A new hope

3. Attack of the Clones

4. Return of the Jedi

5. Empire Strikes back

6. The Phantom Menace

 

So yeah, i like the pre-quels, the critisism probably comes from the fact that it got such a bad start with episode I, but also that many of the grown up Star Wars fans did not

experience the same magic as they experienced when they were kids. wich of course is a matter of nostalgia rather than the quality of the movies. This hate has then spread from the older generations to the younger generations as well. Thats what i figure.

your order of the Star Wars films pretty much says all we need to know about you.

 

 

The Original movies are coinsidered to be great movies on their own. It is film making at its finest.

 

 

The Prequels however are universally revered as just being bad films. They miander have plots that make no sense, characters we have no reason to like except that we know the future stories about that. So much of the stuff happens off screen and we are told about it later.

 

 

When Lucas made the original movies we had no idea who Obi Wan or Luke was yet he wrote a movie that had compelling characters.

 

 

The Prequels we are supposed to like these characters because of what they do in the later films. We are never given a reason on why we should care or like them.

 

Not to mention the constantly do things that goes against the charater that is established.

 

 

For example Obi Wan tells anakin constantly to not rush in into things, to stop and think. However in Episode 2 he is the on who JUMPS OUT A WINDOW TO GRAB ONTO A FLYING DROID!!!!! Thats as reckless and irrational as you can get.

 

If you want dumb action then Yes the Prequels are good at that. However I guarantee as you grow older and start realizing the difference between great character development and interesting plots and stories you will revise that list.

 

 

When I was in high school I hated Empire Strikes Back (this was before the prequels) However my senior year they released the Special Editions in Movie theaters and it wasn't until I saw it on the Big Screen that I realized how amazing it was. Since then it has become my favorite.

[Domien]

I think the prequels are in some ways more sophisticated, more refined and more intelligent than the older trilogy. The way they have handled aspects of mythology and woven them together with politics, all in a narrative construction that echoes musical grammar and poetry, is an impressive feat of Lucas'.

 

Sure, the acting is stiff, and this is where I prefer aspects of the older trilogy, but I also see how the prequels have improved in other ways. For one thing, they succeed much better at making the Star Wars galaxy feel like an actual society and not just an assortment of entirely separate planets. There is a deeper sense of lore in the prequels, which I love. Also, the look and feel of the films is gorgeous and quite original.

 

I think the whole "consensus" that they are bad is just ridiculous and I refuse to go along with the masses who think they are being critical when they dismiss them.

 

I love the Star Wars prequels and will always defend them!

[ramitko]

I'll stay away from focusing on the lack of a good script, or the terrible acting, or even the whole Midichlorian thing... instead I'll comment on the overall storytelling (or lack thereof).

 

My biggest problem with the prequel movies is that GL fails to tell the full stories with just the movies. I know it's somewhat cliche, but I understand so much more of the storylines from reading the books then GL ever even came close to explaining in the movies. And it's not just reading the main books, it's reading the intro books (i.e. Cloak of Deception which preceded Ep. 1, The Approaching Storm which preceded Ep. 2, and Labyrinth of Evil which preceded Ep. 3).

 

The books explain SO much! They explain not only how but why the Trade Federation invades Naboo. They help to explain all the intricate plans that Sidious put into motion in order to get himself into the Chancelor's seat. They help to internalize Anakin's growing anger and frustration over the death of his mother and his love for Padme.

 

These are things that GL failed to portray accurately, or completely, with the movies. Everybody thinks that the first movie was unnecessary. I disagree - but I only disagree because I read the book and understand that the story was technically necessary in order to set the stage for Palpatine to rise to power with Vader eventually joining him at his side.

 

So, yeah... I hate the movies only because GL sucks at storytelling. Plain and simple.

[jarjarloves]

I think the prequels are in some ways more sophisticated, more refined and more intelligent than the older trilogy. The way they have handled aspects of mythology and woven them together with politics, all in a narrative construction that echoes musical grammar and poetry, is an impressive feat of Lucas'.

 

Sure, the acting is stiff, and this is where I prefer aspects of the older trilogy, but I also see how the prequels have improved in other ways. For one thing, they succeed much better at making the Star Wars galaxy feel like an actual society and not just an assortment of entirely separate planets. There is a deeper sense of lore in the prequels, which I love. Also, the look and feel of the films is gorgeous and quite original.

 

I think the whole "consensus" that they are bad is just ridiculous and I refuse to go along with the masses who think they are being critical when they dismiss them.

 

I love the Star Wars prequels and will always defend them!

this is a joke right? The prequels politics feel like they were writen by a 5 year old.

 

I mean Padme is the senator from Naboo yet she has the power to leave and apoint Jar Jar Binks to take her place and THEN allow him to propose major legislation. *** is that???

 

How in gods name did the republic survive for 10,000 years with that kind of political process.

 

Or the fact that the Senate can elect a Dictator? ***?

[Wolfninjajedi]

this is a joke right? The prequels politics feel like they were writen by a 5 year old.

 

I mean Padme is the senator from Naboo yet she has the power to leave and apoint Jar Jar Binks to take her place and THEN allow him to propose major legislation. *** is that???

 

How in gods name did the republic survive for 10,000 years with that kind of political process.

 

Or the fact that the Senate can elect a Dictator? ***?

 

Whats wrong with that exactly? Alexander the Great was in charge of Macedonia at 16 when his father left to invade Thrace.

[jarjarloves]

Whats wrong with that exactly? Alexander the Great was in charge of Macedonia at 16 when his father left to invade Thrace.

 

ummm because Philip (Alexander's Father) was King and Alexander was the Heir Apperent.

 

 

BIG DIFFERENCE between a Monarchy and a Republic.

[DuchessOfDork]

Whats wrong with that exactly? Alexander the Great was in charge of Macedonia at 16 when his father left to invade Thrace.

 

My biggest issue with Amidala is that she didn't seem to be particularly intelligent or charming enough to be a 15 or whatever year old politician. I didn't even know she was an elected Queen until the 2nd movie (which sounds stupid, by the way...), and at that point, she was KINDA smart? Kinda? But not really? She was okay, but I can't imagine why the people of Naboo would elect her during Phantom Menace. That whole disconnect from reality thing hit me pretty hard.

 

Now, if she'd just been a regular princess, her aloofness would have made sense.

[Wolfninjajedi]

ummm because Philip (Alexander's Father) was King and Alexander was the Heir Apperent.

 

 

BIG DIFFERENCE between a Monarchy and a Republic.

 

Still though he was left in charge at 16.

[jarjarloves]

My biggest issue with Amidala is that she didn't seem to be particularly intelligent or charming enough to be a 15 or whatever year old politician. I didn't even know she was an elected Queen until the 2nd movie (which sounds stupid, by the way...), and at that point, she was KINDA smart? Kinda? But not really? She was okay, but I can't imagine why the people of Naboo would elect her during Phantom Menace. That whole disconnect from reality thing hit me pretty hard.

 

Now, if she'd just been a regular princess, her aloofness would have made sense.

exactly what group of people would elect a 15 year old into a position of power.

 

 

I could understand if it was just a figurehead position but it wasn't she actually made all the decisions that actually lead the planet. I mean ***??? I can't think of single 15 year old that is even mature enough to balance a budget let alone lead an entire city or PLANET.

 

 

again it's politics as seen through the eyes of a 5 year old kid.

[Neothanos]

The bigggest problem is Anakin the spoiled kid, tandrum murderer, he goes reluctant jedi to serial killer in a very unconvincing plus badly wrote way.

 

Binks also stinks from the get go. Funny character that isnt funny is a problem.

 

Technically the movies are fine for the time and usual technical aspecs Lucasarts shines shows.

 

The two saving graces from the prequels are Ewan Mcregor/Obi-Wan (the guy who made the most of the weak plot) and Darth Maul visuals.

[jarjarloves]

Still though he was left in charge at 16.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heir_apparent

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monarchy

[ramitko]

exactly what group of people would elect a 15 year old into a position of power.

 

 

I could understand if it was just a figurehead position but it wasn't she actually made all the decisions that actually lead the planet. I mean ***??? I can't think of single 15 year old that is even mature enough to balance a budget let alone lead an entire city or PLANET.

 

 

again it's politics as seen through the eyes of a 5 year old kid.

 

Yeah, but this is in a galaxy FAR, FAR AWAY! j/k!

 

Maybe these are all moot points... maybe 10-20 years after GL's death we'll have Christopher Nolan remake all the movies.

[DuchessOfDork]

Maybe these are all moot points... maybe 10-20 years after GL's death we'll have Christopher Nolan remake all the movies.

 

Please no. I'd rather not have Anakin ride a tank.

[esnoble]

The real reason people don't like them is that if George Lucas had just sat down and watched the original movies before writing the prequels he would have done a much better job with them

 

 

Little things bug me like

 

Why is Padme from Naboo? Why not make her from Alderan and that way we can actually see Alderan before it is destroyed? Then we have some emotional connection to the planet.

 

How about how little things like how is Chancellor Palpatine also from Naboo when it seems that all other politicians are former queens?

 

How did Leia become princess when her dad was senator?

 

There are so many weird inconsistencies that it just makes no sense. Add to that just bad writing and terrible acting and it is clear that it was more an excuse to show off special effects than to tell a story that made sense.

[Vitalsine]

I did somewhat like the prequels, they grew on me. The problem I had with them is this...

 

George made the first three movies from his heart. It was a dream, a vision he had, and he brought it to life. He didn't care what you or me thought, or the studio for that matter. He was doing what he had dreamt of for ages. He had passion, creative freedom and a clear mind. Then it happened, he sold out.

 

While IV, V and VI are raw and real, I, II and III are dumbed down for the mass public. Jar Jar Binks for instance, I believe was only added to satisfy children. What he did with the prequels, was try to generalize Star Wars, so that everyone could "enjoy" it, or as I like to say, fork over all your money. It's the same thing that happened to music. But, back to the prequels. Lucas went and added all this crap to the films to make them appeal to a wider audience. Which in-turn, ruined the experience for die hard fans. He lost his vision, his creativeness, his soul. At this point all he wanted to do was make more money.

 

But, on the other hand, maybe he was trying to make it appeal to more people because he wants to spread his "message" to a bigger audience. While in alot of ways this is good, the message has also been tarnished because of the way he handled it. Star Wars would have and will be legendary forever, whether or not he did what he did. His legacy is dead. Star Wars will live on, but there will always be this gloomy black fog hanging over, where the gritty, true, Star Wars universe should be. Instead we are now stuck with this dumbed down crap.

 

The story was/is still great, I thought they did a good job with all that. But all the minor enhancements and additions were crap. I dont mind CGI, but it was overused big time. He accomplished so much with the originals, being able to shoot scenes most wouldnt even think possible. Cloud City, is a place that you NEED CGI, there is nothing in the world you can use to mimic that. But there was WAY too much used that didnt have to be used. Which in turn, made half the movie look artificial.

 

I could go on forever. lol.

 

But, to end my rant, I want to say...

 

I am a HUGE Star Wars fan and supporter of the community. But I do believe Lucas has lost touch with the mythology and message he once dreamt of. It became a money making machine. I am happy so far with the game. I am glad BioWare handled it, because if it was anyone else, I could be running around with a Gungan companion, which I am very thankful that I am not. I will always love the saga, whether or not it is ruined. The movies are complete, the story has been told. I just need to block out the garbage that floats around in between to keep the 12 year olds attached. Oh well.

 

Have a good day everyone, and may the force be with you!! hahahaha.

 

Rob aka Signrunn |Fatality| - 27 Jedi Guardian - Thana Vesh

[Ferkles]

I liked the prequels a lot, and it was definitely good to see the Star Wars universe with such good effects, but I didn't like the way Jar Jar Binx filled no role except the comic relief character. The prequels would have been far, far better if they'd been a deeper, darker series of films, rather than trying to appeal to as wide an audience as possible. They were meant to tell the fall of Anakin to the darkside anyway (which by the way, I thought was portrayed very weakly), but all of that just got sucked away with trying to make them popular.

 

A quick note on Anakin's fall to the darkside being weak:

Well... It was. The way it was done didn't play nearly enough on the way he felt about Padmé, and the way Palpatine twisted his mind was so poorly done I was sitting there thinking, "Did he really just fall for that? That was awful...". I mean, one second Anakin is preaching the Jedi code and rejecting the dark side, the next, Palpatine drops a reference to Darth Plagus and stopping death, and Anakin has been utterly fooled. One word. "WHAT?".

 

The original trilogy was brilliant though, and whilst I'd love for every facet of the Star Wars universe to be put into film style, I can't trust anyone to film them in a way that gives them the justice they deserve.

 

tl;dr

[moiraesfate]

Still though he was left in charge at 16.

 

Yes, and Queen Elizabeth of England was 21. So what. She was the heir. There's a difference.

 

Vitalsine, you just hit the nail on the head and said it better than I could.

Edited December 21, 2011 by moiraesfate

[JonahGrimm]

For me, it's the lost potential.

 

Look, Lucas may or may not be a hack - but it's worth noting that he did NOT direct IV, V, and VI. They're his creatively, and they're his in a dozen other ways - but the vision that made it on celluloid was a combination of his ideas and a limiting external auteur who made the story more coherent, who knew what to cut and how to tie a narrative together.

 

I, II, and III have the bones of a fantastic story. You've got an incredibly intricate plot that essentially puts Our Bad Guy in a position where he's playing sock puppets with entire civilizations - he's controlling the army on BOTH SIDES of a war he manufactured. C'mon, how is this /not/ an amazing concept?

 

We've got the story of a boy who grows up to be a hero, and the fall of that hero - and, when we include the last three films, the redemption of that hero. Could there possibly be anything more mythic?

 

But... all of that potential is squandered. Annakin never actually rises to become a hero; he is written and portrayed as a petulant child, with a rebellious nature that just has him look cocky and brash. He never becomes the mythic figure he needed to become - he never has the moment where we look up and go, 'man, I want to be like /him/' - he gets that in the Tartikovski (spelling!) interstitials and the Clone Wars TV series. THAT Annakin I like. That annakin is the kind of guy that leaps at the chance to do the right thing, that defends the weak, and is genuinely likeable in doing so.

 

It has bad spots of direction - emotional movie climaxes that are dropped on the floor with a thud instead of set out to soar. That moment in Episode II where Annie begins to fall, where we have the amazing camerawork that lets us see his and Padme's face where they can't see each other, where we could have been treated to an emotional rawness that showed us his internal struggle and her inability to help him (or her complete misunderstanding of the event)? We don't get it. All the setup, no payoff - just whining.

 

Darth Vader's huge "NOOOOOOO!" to the Emperor's greatest lie, and Padme's utterly 'say what' deciding to will herself to death nonsense? We've just watched Annie fall as far as someone in this universe can fall, and our payoff is this juvenile attempt at overexplanation and overacting that just doesn't /fit/ these characters? Blah.

 

If the movies had truly been bad - Star Blazers or Ice Pirates bad - we could have enjoyed them for what they were on their face. But to have this much potential, this much possibility, this much sheer mythology and scope and to be handled so poorly? THAT is why they get panned, and should be panned.

 

Batman is just as mythic, with a history as rich and varied and storied as anything you'll find in Star Wars. Love them or hate them, cinematically the Nolan movies are flawless - you can contest how something's portrayed, or how he pulls Batman out of the mythic, but it doesn't change the fact that there simply isn't anything to criticize in either technique, scope, or just .. well.. anything in /how/ the movies were made. You can say the same with LOTR - the fans know /everything/ about these films, and the story is just as epic, yet Jackson was able to create a largely flawless film where the biggest gripes you hear are about /what was left out/ of a /nine hour epic film/.

 

Lucas, though - he had his nine hours here, and - unlike the first series, which is flawed but stands up well - the prequel trilogy just meanders along in mediocrity it didn't deserve. Everything about these movies is about wasted potential.