Early Episode III review from Kevin Smith

[The Former DMiller]

The writing and acting was done that very particular way because that's how Lucas envisioned the series to be like. It's a mixture of the styles of Flash Gordon, Bogart, and even Shakespeare. Everybody wants realistic dialogue, even in unrealistic settings. Current audiences have no taste or familiarity with the kind of dramatic romanticism found in moves from the 30's, 40's, and 50's. It's a very particular style that does not conform to modern tastes, and I have immense respect for Lucas because of that.

Okay, that explains where the dialogue came from, but I just don't think it fits Star Wars. I love classic films like Casablanca, but using the same type of dialogue for Star Wars just didn't work. Compare the dialogue between Anakin and Amidala to the dialogue between Han and Leia from the original trilogy. It was more interesting listening to Han and Leia because it added to the fun of the films instead of taking itself too seriously. It could even make light of serious situations such as Han's response of "I know" to Leia's "I love you" in Empire. I respect Lucas trying something different, but I just don't think it was the right choice.