Lisa Wrote:I figure maybe the lack of expectations might help...
The opposite worked for me. When Episode I first came out, I was almost totally spoiler-free, with huge expectations. In hindsight, though, I'm not sure exactly
what I was expecting. But my first viewing was slightly... disappointing. I liked it okay, but the film was
not what I expected... whatever that was. I grew to love it, though, after another couple viewings or so, when I finally started to "get it."
With Episode II, I took the opposite approach. I basically knew everything that was going to happen before entering the theater. And I loved it. (Okay, I'll admit to some bias since I went to the San Francisco charity premiere and George Lucas himself was sitting something like fifteen feet to my immediate left. That was a kick in the pants.) The visuals were just about the only thing that I didn't know all about, and there's just about no way a Star Wars film won't impress there. I liken it to watching the Lord of the Rings films. I had already read the books zillions of times, so I wasn't there to be surprised. I was there to see a story I already knew I loved.
I've taken the same approach with Episode III. I already know pretty much the entire movie. I'll read the script and the novelization (I normally hate that word) when they come out on April 2 to fill in any remaining gaps. In short, I already know pretty much what to expect, so I'm highly unlikely to be disappointed. (Don't worry; I'm not going to spoil a thing here.)
This is not a suggestion that you go out and learn everything about the movie, btw! You've made it this long, so I'd stay oblivious until the theater if I were you!
Some Episode I comments:
First, the midichlorian thing. I don't have a huge problem with it, though I do think it was largely unnecessary. I think Lucas was going for two things, though: Episode I has a theme of symbiosis (note Obi-Wan's comments on the relationship between the Gungans and the Naboo), and the midichlorians provide a somewhat less "mystical" explanation for Anakin's birth while still maintaining the immaculate conception mythology. Whether that's good or bad is up to you.
Episode I does have a feeling (to me) of being a bit like a prologue to the rest of the films, so I can understand the complaint that it's a "waste of a movie." I don't agree, but I do understand it. I mainly like the film because it does so much to set up the later episodes (including III). You have Palpatine slyly maneuvering his way into the seat of power, and you have Anakin established as a person who has serious issues with his emotional attachments. That aspect of his character, of course, is expanded upon in II, and it should be pretty obvious that those seeds were planted so they could flower in III. You also have some things brought up with regard to the Jedi and their relationship with the Force that haven't been completely explored yet. After you see III, I think it'll be a lot clearer what Lucas was trying to do with I and II. (Whether you'll like it or not is still another question.)
Yoda the fighter: I absolutely
loved this. I don't see why some people have a problem with it. Aside from being
really entertaining, it's completely consistent with what's been established in the films since he's obviously using the Force to fight (as all Jedi do):
"Remember, a Jedi can feel the Force flowing through him."
"You mean it controls your actions?"
"Partially. But it also obeys your commands."
(I am such a geek for knowing the above by heart.)
Lastly, with regard to Episode III filling in all the gaps: It pretty much does. Assuming nothing gets edited out, there's only one small detail (which I won't mention here) that I haven't heard a completely satisfactory explanation for. We'll see if I'm satisified after April 2, I suppose....
Blake