So Star Wars VII is coming, but I'm not too excited... though I will watch it.

[A Black Falcon]

[Dark Jaguar]

Well, blowing up Vulcan became acceptable the moment they officially stated that the abrams universe is an alternate reality, not a complete erasure of the original universe. Still sucks that original Spock got stuck there though.

Gotta love that sequel though. "Khan?! Let's almost literally read the script of the first Khan movie to figure out how to beat him!"

[A Black Falcon]

Yeah, at LEAST it's clearly an alternate reality... but still it's bad.

In other news, apparently Abrams said he's looking to the original trilogy for lightsaber-fight styles? That would be a mistake, the saber fights in IV to VI are pretty weak compared to those in the PT... that's one thing the prequels definitely do better.

[Dark Jaguar]

There's a lot of people who disagree. The argument I tend to read a lot is that the prequel fights have no sense of tension. The fight is over when the script says it's over, even though any number of injuries during those fights could just as easily been the "kill" swing. Take that whole "high ground" nonsense. The reason it felt so silly is because of all those acrobatics leading up to it. There's no real sense of danger if anything's possible. The original series fights, however, everything seems to clearly hinge on a single strike.

I'm not saying I fully agree, but I see what they mean. It would be difficult to find a balance between those two distinct styles.

[alien space marine]

Yeah, at LEAST it's clearly an alternate reality... but still it's bad.

In other news, apparently Abrams said he's looking to the original trilogy for lightsaber-fight styles? That would be a mistake, the saber fights in IV to VI are pretty weak compared to those in the PT... that's one thing the prequels definitely do better.

The prequel trilogy sabre-fights where all style and no substance, it was more like a well choreographed ballet it just lacked the suspense or emotion that you had when Luke duelled Vader. Palpatines fight with the Jedi in ROTS was the exception, because it was so unexpected and Ian McDiarmid sold it.

[A Black Falcon]

That doesn't make them good fights, though. That just means you like the story more in the OT. The actual fights are not great... they do get a bit better in each film, from the overly basic Obiwan v Vader fight in IV versus the fights in V and VI, but still, the actual combat's nothing great. It was a very good decision to put lightsaber fights in the PT that actually look as impressive as a lightsaber fight should be. There's no comparison between the OT fights where they kind of just shuffle around and stuff and what you see in the PT. If he could only fight as well as he did in the OT, how did Vader ever wipe out all the Jedis that survived Order 66, anyway?

Anyway, the PT has some emotional elements to the saber fights too (Qui-Gon in ep. I, Anakin v Obi-Wan in ep. III, and such), but showing a time when the Jedi weren't nearly wiped out was great. There are a lot of things to like about the PT.

[Dark Jaguar]

I'm talking more about the fights themselves, not the story. When I talk of weight, I mean that in all that flipping around, I had no sense that either character was in any real danger. They are more spectacular sure, but they kinda lack substance.

[alien space marine]

I'm talking more about the fights themselves, not the story. When I talk of weight, I mean that in all that flipping around, I had no sense that either character was in any real danger. They are more spectacular sure, but they kinda lack substance.

The fact it was a prequel, meant we knew the fate of the major characters , which spoils it for us.

[A Black Falcon]

I'm talking more about the fights themselves, not the story. When I talk of weight, I mean that in all that flipping around, I had no sense that either character was in any real danger. They are more spectacular sure, but they kinda lack substance.

In the TV series this is true, as it's absolutely ridiculous how many times the Jedis and Sith fight in that series without ever killing anyone relevant, but definitely not in the movies. I mean, sure, as ASM says because it's a prequel we know that the Emperor, Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Yoda will live while most other Jedis are doomed, but there's a lot of tension in the fights beyond that. Think of Qui-Gon in ep. I, for the first example of that, and more in II and III.

Oh, and as for the 'high ground' thing in the climactic Anakin/Obiwan fight, I think it makes sense. Sure they can force-jump and the like, but if you're in the better position, you can try to take down the other person when they try to get away from an advantageous position. It's certainly an advantage.

[Dark Jaguar]

I'm really speaking specifically of the choreography. I'm not talking about the end result of those fights, so much as the lack of a sense that the fights LED to those conclusions naturally. There's a bunch of flipping around, then the story decides who won.

Defend the high ground all you like, but when the two jedi involved were LITERALLY surfing on lava while flipping around like ninjas, it renders that argument pretty trivial. The high ground would have been a fine explanation for exactly the reasons you stated if not for everything we witnessed leading up to that point. That's what I'm talking about.

[A Black Falcon]

I'm really speaking specifically of the choreography. I'm not talking about the end result of those fights, so much as the lack of a sense that the fights LED to those conclusions naturally. There's a bunch of flipping around, then the story decides who won.

... Sorry, I don't get it. It looks kind of like a real fight, something you never got in the OT...