A Review of Rocket Boy and Toro

 

As you may know, I've stated that the late 2000s was one of my least favourite eras in animation; and the one year that arguably epitomises that notion was 2007. When you look at the trends and news in the history of the medium, chances are

people will point to that very year as to where it all went wrong. Seriously though; 2007 was not a good year for animation, to say the least. Throughout this year, almost every animated film that was out was in CGI. Any movie that wasn't CGI was overshadowed (with the exception of 'The Simpsons Movie'). Dreamworks Animation released 'Bee Movie' and the third Shrek film, both of which are some of their weakest offerings. There was even a film adaption of the game 'Elf Bowling' for Pete's sake. But the state of television animation wasn't any better. Many of the cartoons that defined the early 2000s were already or on their way out, there was an over-saturation of Flash animated cartoons, and many of them ranged from mediocre to subpar. It wasn't even a good year for Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network, 2 of the biggest companies in children's entertainment. Nick would reject 'Adventure Time' in favour of 'Fanboy and Chum Chum', and we all know how they betted on the wrong horse. As for Cartoon Network, it was the year where they made their first live-action series; I repeat CARTOON Network made their first live-action series, which would lead to a dark period which we won't talk about here. It was also the year Jim Staples resigned as president after a bomb scare misunderstanding in Boston. There was also 'The Nutshack' which is known as the first animated show to be made in the Philippines (much to our regret). I haven't seen it, but I'm well aware of its notoriety. But throughout all this madness, there was a silver lining. After all, this was the year that gave us 'Phineas and Ferb', which would become Disney Channel's longest-running hit. We also got 'El Tigre: The Adventures of Manny Rivera'; the first Nicktoon to be created by a Mexican couple, even though it only lasted for 1 year. And no matter how you feel about it; you can't deny that 'Chowder' used different animation techniques, and how surreal and meta it could be with its humour. Needless to say, it was quite an awful year for animation in general. One cartoon that was created in one the darkest times that came and went was 'Rocket Boy and Toro'.

Created by Joo Young Sam, this show was a co-production between Imagestone Inc. and Cosgrove Hall. You may know the latter company for their work on such British cartoons as 'Danger Mouse', 'Count Duckula' and the stop motion Wind in the Willows specials. Unfortunately, that's all the info that I could find about its production. That and this pilot short, that offers the proof of concept. 

I can assume because cartoons like 'Robotboy' and 'I Got a Rocket' was the flavour at the time, network executives thought why not have a show that combines both of them, and take the plot of 'Futurama' while they're at it. As for my own experience with it, well this aired when I watched children's cartoons less and less. I would catch it incidentally but I didn't think much of it for a very long time. Only because it was on for a short period before it started being brought up again. Also keep in mind that whatever was made during that aforementioned year, didn't air effectively till a year after. But was Rocket Boy and Toro an experiment that was light years ahead of its time, or was it a worthless pile of scrap metal that deserved to be discarded into that black hole of obscurity? As the main character would say, Power Up!

In a galaxy far, far, far, far, far, far, far away. . . .there lives a robotic young boy who has a rocket for a head, hence he's called Rocket Boy. His main mission is to deliver packages and parcels to many different planets with the aid of his robotic co-workers, boss and pet sheep, Toro. First off; I don't get it. Why call the sheep 'Toro'? That's the Spanish word for 'bull'. Shouldn't it be called 'oveja'? Or did they think it wouldn't sound as marketable? Anyway, as we follow his adventures, an evil genius cyborg called Dr Square and his rusty henchmen are always trying to capture our titular character to find out the secrets to his speed. In this fight between good and evil, Rocket Boy and the gang always find a way to defeat Square and get out of any bad obstacle. While also trying to accomplish any goal. Now stop me, oh-oho stop me if you've heard this before? I've mentioned before how the concept of this show is kinda similar to 'Futurama' with the intergalactic delivery company (and to a lesser extent, 'The Brothers Flub'). But there's another sci-fi property that it reminds me of. 

By watching a few episodes, you could guess what it is? If you haven't already, the plot bears a resemblance to 'Star Wars'. I mean think about it, a young hero, the sci-fi setting, the old master, the ragtag group of companions, the dark overlord who wants control of the hero. I'm not accusing this show of being a rip-off, it could be a coincidence even (like with those aforementioned cartoons). My best guess is that Rocket Boy was simply inspired by Star Wars and just wanted to give its own spin on the concept, as it is with those tropes. This show's approach to the genre is much more child friendly by comparison. Even so, I think that gives it more opportunity to be a sandbox of world-building possibilities, to tinker with space fantasy concepts and story ideas. It likes to take parts from sci-fi series' and re-construct them together. It tries to present its own technology with the colourful devices. And I am aware that there's nothing new under the sun, and that many stories are retelling the same ones. Even the original SW trilogy lifted

from a lot of various sources. However, upon further inspection you'll see a proverbial chink in its armoured plate. By recycling tropes, it would become typical. It promises a creative goldmine, but somewhere along the line the storytelling gets rusty. The writing doesn't do a lot to stand out, and what it does to stand out hold the stories back. It follows a good vs evil plot, but it convolute itself with scientific mumbo jumbo. The cool parts tend to be clouded with how directionless and cockamamie this can be. It wants to convey its concepts to kids, but any child who isn't into sci-fi might not be fully invested (or even pay attention). If the show wanted to do something unique with its genre, maybe it could've worked better if it did more to fuse it with another genre. A sub-genre if you will. Rather than just have a galaxy full of robots, why not make it more steampunk, add a swashbuckling angle. I could see these stories working as space westerns. I'm not saying this is how the makers should have made the series like, nor am I saying I could've made it better. But it would've made it more interesting. I usually love it when futuristic stories delve into history, as I do with period pieces delving into contemporary themes. But whatever, I should judge this project for what it is, rather than what I want it to be. One episode I recommend seeing is probably 'Junk Mail'. In theory, these storylines and jokes could be well constructed. They're just missing that component for them to click well.   

That being said, the dialogue doesn't do justice to its world building. It's can be basic as basic instinct (or programming in this case). Simple dialogue is fine when its expository. So long as it's followed by a clever line, whether it be a joke, a poetic quote or a play on a familiar saying. It can be effective so long as the voice actor delivers a good performance. For the most part, the characters play it straight. But the humour is fine for children, the jokes and quips from the characters can be decent. Much of it comes from their reactions. It's more giggle worthy. Contrast and compare. The reason why Star Wars (and the like) has endured for years is because the dialogue is part of its identity. It knew how to project philosophy and mythology into its whimsical story telling. Futurama is regarded as a great series in its own right because it's comedy comes from how it respectfully lampoons the same genre, as well as society in general. Although its predictions can be absurd, the humour was balanced out with emotional character moments. It helps that writer David X. Cohen used his knowledge of science, as well as his degree in physics to apply into its jokes. Those things are essential part of these respective worlds. When compared to another cartoon from the era 'Captain Flamingo'; even that had some clever lines and jokes at least. Even when its ideas weren't as fully hatched as it could be, there at least was an attempt to make jokes from the hero concept. Like that, this show simply doesn't match the same quality. Perhaps the crew was trying to think outside the box. But as a result; they seem to remain within the box, while trying to manoeuvre it around.

You'd think a show that takes place in outta space (well I'll be, that rhymed) would lead to many vast, imaginative worlds. When it comes to their animation, Cosgrove Hall were mainly known for their in-house style that started with a Mouse (Danger Mouse that is). But over the years, they would soar out with a wide array of artistic and

distinct styles. Here though, the art style seems very simplistic and primary, as if it's geared toward younger audiences. If I could describe the art direction, I'd call it abstract. The character designs are built from geometric shapes, thus they convey a shape language. The combination of different shapes illustrate facets of their personality traits. Like how friendly characters appear round, while more sinister characters are composed of sharper shapes. While the backgrounds have these gradients; there's a contrast of bright, luminous colours and the deeper tones of the galaxy. Though its use of saturation can look better in some place than in others, I kinda like the variety here. While it follows certain design principles such as form, pattern and contrast. The perspective can look contorted in certain areas, in order to be stylistic for style's sake. Even the props can look like they defy basic perspective and space. As if the artists threw those rules to the wind. (Unless that's by design). That's not to say a simpler art style can't work, as there have been better examples of a more simplistic style in years since. Adventure Time would prove this down the line; with its dot eyed designs and spontaneous body language. Even Cosgrove Hall already tackled a similar setting with 'Captain Star'. Both of these managed to be effective, as they were drawn with enough depth to follow the principles of animation. It has a vibe akin to 'Kaput and Zosky' (like anyone also remembers that show as well). 

But looks aren't everything, is there a functionality to the show? Considering this is a Korean co-

production, the character movements on the characters are analogous to that of an anime (particularly on the mouth movements). Some might find the motions to be choppy and janky, but at the very least it doesn't feel artificial or robotic (even more than the artists intended). There're times when the secondary movements employ squash and stretch, as well as smears. Now this was one of the few cartoons at the time that wasn't animated using Adobe Animate, considering most cartoon characters at that time moved in an artificial, robotic manner; it's funny how Rocket Boy avoided this. It might have used some tweening, but I don't notice it. This was also during a time when traditional animation was seen as obsolete. I'm not saying it's terrible or counter-productive, the movements aren't exactly fluid or too jerky is all. Maybe it's a good thing these character movements weren't done in Flash, as it only could have been used for complex shapes. There are bright sparks to the animation, you'll find colour schemes that can look pretty good and make use of its shapes. The visuals might function as they should, but it's less concerned with its overall form. 

I've engaged into the show's factors, now it's time to give its characters their moment in the sun. 

Rocket Boy has a child-like optimism and

determination. Neither through a meteor shower, burning sun or darkness, he finds a way to outwit Square and achieve any commission. He upholds heroic values, there's a virtuous side to him in which he acts as a samaritan to his clients. As well as the various minor characters he encounters on his deliveries. Also, he gets the best lines. Speaking of which, you might find his voice familiar as it was provided by Lizzie Waterworth. Who you might recognise as the voice of the titular character of the Horrid Henry tv series. Toro is the animal sidekick whose dialogue may consists of bleeps and vicious growls; it's his actions and mannerisms that are enough to convey his personality. You might find it odd to see an earth sheep in a world populated by robots and alien life-forms. But because Toro is a metal eating sheep, this allows him to ward off against foes. As he's able to use his razor sharp teeth as a weapon and help Rocket Boy out of a space jam. They tried to make him the deceptively cute character with a dangerous attitude. Grandpa Sats acts as the team's elder and comic relief, as well as the one who runs the delivery service. He may crack jokes with his jolly grand-dad personality and he may be outmoded in the chrome dome. But he still got his leadership skills and he doesn't take things lying down. Crystalla is the girly girl member who has affection for our main character. She may lose patience with Toro and find him a nuisance. And she can become a damsel; she often learns something by the end of each episode. Vector is the mechanical mechanic of the group, whose personality trait is that he speaks like a surfer, like with his surfer dude lingo Bra! Like Brock from 'Pokemon' or a less funny, less interesting version of 'Danny Vasquez'. 

Dr Square is the main villain whose evil powers come from his extreme intellect. He has a domineering, broadly built, sinister appearance and goes into fury whenever his plans to obtain Rocket Boy fail. He speaks with a regal, menacing

tone that can go childish at times. It makes it all the more funny when he and his henchmen are humiliated in a comedic fashion or say something goofy. While he falls into that category of villains who desire the series macguffin, there's a chance there would've been more to his diabolical plans. Its easy to make comparisons to Darth Vader, but perhaps the show itself had plans to develop Square and Rocket Boy's dynamic. Like it would be in that vein. Trash is the commander who provides the schemes and plans to capture Rocket Boy. He makes for a more comedic foil whose incompetence can blow Square's top. Along with his bumbling hench-bots. He can be subjected to slapstick and Square's demeaning/abuse. Its Trash's scratchy voice that's his most notable trait, and your feeling of them might vary. The rest of the minor characters/secondary antagonists have a purpose, even if they're mostly archetypes. Like how Arthur Green is the shady business rival, and a brutish one at that. As the dialogue depends on the voice actors' delivery to elevate it, do they succeed? They do their roles well actually. Theres an effort to give personality to these bots and they're subtle and charming enough. It's the villains' voices that chew the scenery with their exaggeration and quirks. Had the show lasted longer, these characters could've been much more well rounded.  

Overall; Rocket Boy and Toro may have the components to be a fun, unique take on the sci-fi genre. However, when you look at the whole package, it leaves a lot to be desired. The story is a bunch of tropes fused together. The animation seems childishly simple, but simplicity is its more effective factor. The characters can be entertaining and even likeable, but you want more development from them. They're parts that can spark the imagination, but they're also parts that could've been and have been done better elsewhere. I could see the ambition, a lot of it needed more fine tuning. Personally speaking; it might've not come out in the right time or place to be an animation fan. But it's good for children, which was the audience it was providing for. If they like it, then it must be doing something well. Though at best, it's only half as good as Cosgrove Hall's older works. As well as other animated shows from the decade for that matter. But if you're looking for a series that provides similar visual ideas, but done in a way that's more aesthetically pleasing. Then may I point your direction to 'Twipsy'. I don't know if it's a better alternative, but if not, you still got Kaput and Zosky. This show didn't fully deliver on its concepts, but it did what it can in a short course. So if I was to rate its goods and services; I'll give it.....

Sorry this analysis didn't arrive on time like I hoped. This seemed like a simple show in which I could get into the nuts and bolts of it. But I hope this would get my writing gears back and running. And that I brought more attention to this lost bit of animation history. Maybe you'll find it wasn't complete junk mail after all. Since you're here, I also hope that this can send my point across. 

A Bash on Teen Titans Go!

You may remember that I reviewed the British cartoon "Pet Squad", that short-lived series about 3 super powered animals that took the superhero genre in a comedic direction. The one that tried to imitate the works of Jay Ward; even though it didn't use their tongue in cheek charm and wit. And despite the fact it had talented people working on it, it never really took off. Well, I take back what I said about it. Hell, I take back what I said about Clutch Cargo, Mighty Man and Yukk, Transformers, Captain Planet, Jonny Quest and Dynomutt Dog Wonder. I take it all back because I'm convinced I've seen the absolute worst cartoon the action/superhero genre has had to offer. What is this cartoon that's so bad you ask, it's none other than Teen Titans Go!

Based on the DC comic book series, this franchise has a concept of a team of teenage crime fighters;

however, the characters people mostly associate with the Teen Titans are Robin, Cyborg, Starfire, Beast Boy and Raven. And their most well-known incarnation that featured those aforementioned characters was the Cartoon Network series from 2003. Now what can I say about the 2003 series, I'll admit when I was younger I remember watching some episodes out of morbid curiosity, but since then I haven't seen or thought of it considering I don't care for DC. Even though I didn't hold on to it; looking back there were admirable things like the voice acting, how it balanced action with comedy relief and its characters. Hell, there was even a tear-jerking moment, so I can understand why it had a strong and dedicated fan base.

Why I do I bring this up, well 10 years later there came a new cartoon based on the Teen Titans. Not only did it have the same main characters, not only did it adapt the same designs to a more cartoony style but the same voice actors returned to reprise their roles. So you can imagine it gained a bit of attention as well as hype. However this latest incarnation focuses more on the comedic aspect than the early one; fans were quite hesitant but when they saw the final product, it would be regarded as the biggest slaps in the face of the decade. Instead of giving us a revival of the 2000s series, they gave us a series that has become so infamous that even the mention of its name would strike fear to superhero and cartoon fans alike. In fact, it has gone by different names like Toddler Titans, Teen Titans No, Teen Titans Go F*** Yourself, but I would like to call it Teen Titans Go Away.
An animated series that has become so reviled in recent history, that practically everyone on the web has covered; now it's my turn.

To start this review off; I will not associate this with the 2003 series or anything from the Teen Titans franchise, I'll be strictly looking at this show on its own. Teen Titans Go! revolves around the same team of 5 titans; only in this comedic take on the superhero genre, it shows them in a variety of scenarios. And when I say variety, I mean it's less about fighting crime or trying to save the world; but more about the titan's goofy shenanigans! The plot basically has the Titans minding their own business, they get into a predicament, the story gets blown out of proportion as it goes on and it ends with the Titans either resolving the conflict or failing in a comical fashion. These plots have a typical set up you see in other comedic shows; but here, it's executed badly. This show seems to be trying to do what "The Justice Friends" segments from Dexter's Lab did; in this case, the writers did a poor attempt. Other than having consistent storytelling, it focuses more on telling jokes and being as silly as possible. Not only do the plots go in outrageous directions, but also it has this mean spirited vibe towards the protagonists.

But you know what else Teen Titans Go! offers in its subject matter? The titan's adventures would involve using the bathroom, eating vegetables, what to do on a rainy day, and seeing how many times you just say the word 'waffles'. I know this show is aimed at older kids and teenagers, but I think this show was secretly made for 4 year olds. You know those spin-offs that had well-known cartoon characters and made them younger; well this is what this show feels like. This is on par with 'Bobinogs' it's that bad. No wonder they call this "Toddler Titans". Even if that is the case, it doesn't work because there have been instances where it inverts lessons. There were times where it is seemingly trying to teach a moral, but they turn out to be false or spoof aesops. Yes, the show is playing itself for laughs, but I worry that the younger audience would take it seriously. And those kids who are expecting it to be action-packed would feel deceived.

But considering this is a comedy; is it at least funny. Well, this show is just as funny as cancer. This

series throws in every different type of joke it can, and none of them tickle my funny bone. Much like the stories, the "humour" tries its hardest to be over the top and lampoon the superhero genre. To put it simply, it really takes the mick here. Depending on who you are, it might get one or two chuckles out of you, but that's how desperate it is to make you laugh. But anyone with common sense would not laugh at all. I throw the phrase 'lowest common denominator around, but that's the best way to describe its brand of "humour". Much of the jokes contain very lowbrow toilet humour, pop culture references, they also have a tendency to use running jokes throughout one episode. It gets really frustrating and the jokes aren't even funny to begin with. It gets so zany and wacky to the point the stories become stupid and ridiculous. It's noteworthy how it's able to push your suspension of disbelief, but your patience as well. Now there's nothing inherently wrong with making a funny cartoon that includes action, but you have to capture the spirit of the specific genre. Play around with the conventions and make sure to have a balance of action and humour. The 2003 series did have moments of comic relief, it came from the character's expressions going really cartoony and exaggerated. However, those humorous elements were only an ingredient, with TTG it's like making a sundae only to end up serving a bowl of sprinkles. I also throw the word stupid a lot but that's the best way to describe this excuse for "comedy".  There's a difference between 'laughing with' and 'laughing at' someone, but in this case, it's the latter. What do I mean by this; because the only time you see TTG and 'laughing' in the same sentence, is that it would be a laughing stock to the animation industry.

As a comical show, the visuals are meant to be much more cartoony than your typical superhero fare. In a similar vein to 'The Powerpuff Girls', the character design has bold outlines and the heads are different shapes and sizes. But the whole look doesn't appeal to me; it's a very generic use of a style that doesn't do anything for me. The colours are also very saturated; I get sick of seeing the same colour scheme for each location. One detail I notice with the background designs is that there's this jagged pattern effect that gives a shading illusion from a distance. The movements are done in Adobe Animate (or Flash, as people used to call it); despite the fact that the tool has come a long way in the past decade, it doesn't make the designs look any better. I can tell that the timing is very fast, but by modern cartoon standards, the movement makes the show look awfully cheap and minimalist. I can't get by the lip movements and how obvious it cuts corners. When it does incorporate fight scenes, they don't lead much to the viewer's imagination. It uses the same basic composition as opposed to adding any depth or dynamic angles. It's able to think of wild expressions, but like the writing it gets overbearing. I must say the mediocre art direction does match with the quality of the writing. I really feel sorry for the artists and animators who had to work on this, because I'm sure they're doing the best they can with the material they're given. It's too bad what they have to work with are garbage scripts, it's upsetting that their talents are being put to waste. You know what's ironic; in the 60s when we started to get more action/adventure cartoons, I never cared for the action shows that went for a pseudo realistic look, yet I respect the shows that tried to take that genre for a comical approach. But when it comes to Teen Titans, it's the complete inverse.

Now let's get to what people really hate about this show, and that's its characters, starting with

the titans themselves. Robin, the leader of the group is a former sidekick who aspires to be a great leader and hero. Unfortunately, he often gets the short end of his staff and never catches a break. He gets into humungous tantrums whenever things don't go his way; he becomes so assertive and bossy towards the others that he comes off a loudmouth. Though can you blame him when he has to put up with the other characters? He just wants to take his missions seriously, yet no one else appreciates him and has to put up with his orders. Cyborg is a half human half robotic hero with hidden weapons and gadget at his disposal. Beast Boy, who is able to turn into every animal, is also the laid back one. He also speaks in slang and tends to use the suffix 'es' with certain words. They're both slackers who would rather ditch their responsibilities so they can lie around doing their own thing. While Cyborg is the 'party dude', Beast Boy is a dimwitted slob. The female titans are not much better. Starfire appears to be the one member who's gentle and kind, but even she has moments where she uses non sequitur phrases. She has a sunny disposition, in which she's shown to be happy and naive. Because she still hasn't gotten used to earth customs, she can get into misunderstandings and becomes obsessed over things (like cats). Raven is the demonic gothic member with dark, sinister powers. You'd think she would be the sensible straight man who acts as the voice of reason, but even she can act goofy and expressive at times. One of her traits is that she likes a girl's cartoon about ponies, which is obviously a reference to the fact that her voice actress Tara Strong voices the main character of 'My Little Pony Friendship is Magic'. The girls on the team are also the love interests for Robin and Beast Boy, yet they don't show the same feelings. I hate these characters; they're not even good at their jobs as heroes. They're utterly incompetent as they barely save the day or achieve what they set to do. They even cause more problems than solving them, and they don't develop through their lessons. It makes it hard to root for them when they act so immature. It's stated the titans are supposed to be teenagers, but they act too juvenile to be considered as such. They often yell out their lines in an over the top fashion, which makes them even more obnoxious. Now can you understand why people call this 'Toddler Titans".

The straight man in this show would have to be the supporting characters and villains. Each antagonist would have to put up with the titans' immature antics; even the other teenage heroes find them a nuisance. But if I could take a moment to compare any character from the 2003 series, it would have to be Terra. She is a villain with elemental abilities and is Beast boy's other love interest. Let me just say that it breaks my heart what they did to her in this series, it really does. As a kid's show, the titans don't even set any good examples. No child would want to look up to these so-called heroes at all.

Bottom line, I Hate Teen Titans Go! Folks I find that very a strong word, and I'm not one to hop on the bandwagon, but that's how I legitimately feel about it. What more can I say that hasn't already been said? The writing is awful and poorly executed, the humour is obnoxious, the characters are either puerile or ones you feel bad for and the animation is cheap by current animation standards. It's a show that fails on all accounts, it's super bad! I should have heed people's opinions on the show because I can completely understand why it's considered one of the worst animated shows of the 2010s. If there's anything positive to come out of this show, is that it made comic book fans appreciate the 2003 series more. Even if you don't know a lot about superhero comics, you'll be least likely to enjoy this regardless. My distaste for this show isn't based on any bias of mine either, I hate it for my own reasons. But your criticism of this show is also my criticism; it is the epitome of everything wrong with modern cartoons. At this point; hating on TTG has pretty become the equivalent of beating a dead horse, with gratuitously superhuman strength and special powers I may add.

To add insult to injury is the show's constant airing in the US. I really feel bad for the folks over there or anyone who has to be subjected to this tripe. It doesn't look good on Cartoon Network's part as well. The fact that such a show has become a ratings hit makes me worry for the children of this generation. I want to believe that the people working on Teen Titans Go had good intentions, but the end result tells me that the two creators Michael Jelenic and Aaron Horvath are some of the most incompetent people in the animation industry at the moment. Don't believe me, there have been episodes that are dedicated to argue with haters and critics. These two have used episodes like 'The Return of Slade' (the worst offender of this) as excuses for the show's quality, it's like they don't want to listen to people's criticism. We all make jokes on how the heads of bad superhero productions are the "real villains", but I couldn't have picked a better analogy for this circumstance.

Those who are looking for a cartoon that mixes comedy with action won't find anything to like here, and it's not the right show to expose little children to superheroes. But if you're courageous enough to check this show out for yourself, you better believe what people are saying about it. You better believe it. And if you happen to like TTG for whatever reason, I'm not one to judge, just explain to me why you like it just so I could see your point of view. As for me, this show gets a 1/5.
But you know what, I know children are smarter than this. I also know they deserve better quality programming than this. I hope that the younger viewers watching it will realise that they don't like this show, they'll probably learn to hate it as much as we do. I hope that producers will also smell the coffee and see that people have had enough of it and that we'd be better off without it. The only way we could defeat this menace of a series is if we could just ignore it, don't even bother bringing attention to it because it's not worth your time. If we just ignore it, then shows like Teen Titans Go! won't be the norm. And maybe, maybe this show will just go away. The sooner it does, the bett........

GOD DAMN IT!!!

All right; I also don't think this is worth seeing either, because I pretty much worry for the human race at this point. If there's any silver lining to this, then it'll probably get people interested in releasing hand-drawn animation in theatres again. I mean there's no way anyone in their right mind would give this any positive notoriety.........

...........SON OF A B****!

In Defence of the Star Wars Prequels

"A long time ago in a galaxy far away.................... a young director by the name of George Lucas told a story of warriors, aliens, stormtroopers and robots. This story became a landmark in film history as it mixed mythology with science fiction, it created a futuristic universe that we became invested in for 4 decades, that story is Star Wars. A spectacular saga of motion pictures that told the tale of a young knight whose mission was to bring peace to a republic and to save his father from himself, these films touched the hearts of millions with its detailed stories, memorable characters, revolutionary effects, creative designs and thrilling action. They were not lying when they said this series was ahead of it's time, which is why it will forever be admired by generations and generations to come. But with all these things said, with all the impact it has brought to people's lives I just have one thing to say..............................................................................................how come the same isn't said about the prequels?"

As you can tell from that intro I'm quite a Star Wars fanatic, I just about adore a good amount of what this series had to offer. This is a franchise that literally changed my entire perspective on film as well as story-telling in general. What sets it apart from other science fiction films is how it takes a lot from different mythology and history and puts them in a galactic setting. As someone who was never into sci-fi as a child, I considered this a huge exception with how fantastic it was and can understand why so many consider it a remarkable piece of film history. So as you can imagine George Lucas decided to create 3 prequels to explain how the character's origins and their settings came to be; and as you can also imagined I've watch them too. But as I've grown older I've begun to notice that both fans and critics completely slam these prequels like they've ruined the original trilogy for them. People say that the prequels cannot live up to such a legacy and that George Lucas didn't know what he was doing anymore. Well from my point of view................I love them; but not in an ironic way, I genuinely love them as good films in general.

Hear me out, everyone has their own points of view on film; which is why they're free to express that, so why shouldn't anyone say anything positive about the Star Wars prequels. It's just that it baffles me; when people are so mad over a series of films that clearly have good film ascetics and do a good job at capturing the spirit of the original series, while also expanding on what made it so great. I don't mean to judge you but it still baffles me, I could understand if a few amount of fans didn't like them but a large majority! Most of what is said about these prequels is non-existing inconsistencies, nick picking and biased nonsense from one-sided fanboys who can't let go of their nostalgia and except some minor changes.........my point is I want to present a more respectable review that these Star Wars prequels deserve.

Let's start appropriately with what was intended to be the opening chapter to Star Wars, with The

Phantom Menace. The film begins with a young Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) and his master Qui-Gon Jin (Liam Neeson), as they escape from the Trade Federation, after an unsuccessful attempt to end a blockade of battleships around the planet Naboo. They also rescue Queen Padme Amidala (Natalie Portman) through the blockade. They land on the planet Tatooine with the comic-relief Gungan character 'Jar Jar Binks' and 'R2D2' to tag along with them. When looking for parts to repair their ship, Qui-Gon and Padme meet a young boy called Anakin Skywalker (Jake Lloyd). Qui-Gon notices that Anakin is gifted with wisdom and talent, convinced that he could be the 'chosen one' unaware of his dark future. So after Anakin wins a pod race, the group takes him to the Jedi Council to train him as a Jedi. But the council along with Yoda believe he is vulnerable to the 'Dark Side'. So now Queen Amidala joins an alliance with the Gungans to defeat the Trade Federation.

I'll start off by saying this, growing up this was my introduction to Star Wars; and I can imagine this was many kid's early exposure to the franchise at the time. This is probably going to be one of my most controversial opinions but, this movie for me is the very definition of a movie I really like but everyone else hates. I personally don't see any problems with the story at all, I believe it contains the elements that make a great Star Wars film, as well as a good sci-fi film. It's got action, drama, unique robotic and alien designs, imaginative worlds, and an extension to its mythology; so why do fans consider this a "disappointment" to a well-loved film series. So there are plot points that involve political talks and negotiations, does it really distract from the action. I think one of the reasons why I do not get the hatred surrounding this movie, is because like any Star Wars film I believe there is plenty of action. A film needs to take it's time to stop and let the action parts sink in, it needs to build anticipation so the best scenes feel worth waiting for. It also needs time to establish the character's motivations and story, it should be able to have a balance of story and action and make some world building. If 95% of the movie isn't devoted to politics and debates, I don't see what makes the story convoluted and lacklustre. Also, the pod race scene is not the only good part of the movie; it's intense it utilises the sound effects extremely well and it's fun to watch. It shows what a major sports event would look like in a futuristic/sci-fi setting.

Being a 'Lucasfilms' product, The Star Wars prequels aren't technically bad in terms of visuals. On that note, the film looks as incredible as any Star Wars movie should. Everything is designed beautifully from the costumes, the technology, to the planets the characters inhabit in. They showed that you could create galactic environments and make it rich in civilisation. The best and strongest part of the movie would have to be the climactic last third, in which we see the war from 4 different perspectives. In my opinion this last third contains everything that makes Star Wars great, you have to admit these sequences are filled with suspense, thrills and great cinematography. We can all agree the battle between Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon and Darth Maul is terrific, John William's brilliant score matches perfectly with the intense imagery; I for one consider 'Duel of the Fates' to be his greatest score hands down; which is saying a lot. One improvement that the prequels have over the original are the lightsaber fights, they incorporate a lot more choreography, they have a much grander weight to them.

Like I said 'The Phantom Menace' was my first exposure to Star Wars, and I'm not ashamed of that. It's a film that I watched growing up and I have fond memories of it. You're probably saying that I should have grown out of it and that I'm letting nostalgia get the better of me. But here's the thing; I tried watching this with a more critical perspective and, I enjoyed myself. What I also find interesting about this film is the hype surrounding it, how fans lined up in anticipation. In fact, people did like this film when they first saw it, so what made them change their minds. If you actually look past some of the stuff like Jar Jar Binks (which I'll get to in a bit) you'll find that it's a really fun, well-written thrill ride.

The next film was "Attack of the Clones"; set 10 years after the events of Episode 1, the galaxy is on
the blink of civil war organised by former Jedi Count Dooku (Christopher Lee). Anakin (Haden Christiansen) is now the apprentice of Obi-Wan, Padme has become senator. So when they meet each other for the first time in years; Anakin is assigned to protect Padme after there have been attempts to assassinate her, which leads to them forming a romantic relationship. Unfortunately, Jedis aren't allowed to fall in love or have children with anyone. Meanwhile, Obi-Wan is sent to investigate the identity of a bounty hunter. It's later shown that Chancellor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid) made a decision to form a clone army; with Jango Fett (Father of Boba Fett) serving as genetic template, these would eventually become the storm-troopers. I remember when I was younger and I saw this in the theatres, and I enjoyed everything about it. But are these characters' adventures still as epic and action-packed as I remember?

With how many times I saw this one and after I knew what was coming, the impact of seeing Episode 2 for the first time has changed for me. That's not to say that I grew to dislike this instalment if anything I've grown somewhat of an appreciation for it. Fans often argue if 'Attack of the Clones' is better or worse than 'The Phantom Menace', in some cases they pick and choose which aspects of both films have it either way. But here's where I stand; much like the previous movie, I think the good outweighs the bad. Once again it has a decent balance of action and storytelling, there are characters that make more of an impact. For example, we actually see a Jedi called Mace Windu (Samuel L Jackson) and Yoda use their Jedi fighting skills. Admit it; you liked seeing Yoda duke it out, it shows how powerful and agile a creature he is despite his age and small stature. The scenes like the one in the droid factory and the battle on Geonosis are fun to watch, these were the scenes we ate up when we were young because there's so much to behold.

It's not on the same level as the original trilogy by any means, but as an action blockbuster filled with neat effects and a lot going on. I say it's worth a weekend watch; you can get enjoyment from it if you don't think about it.

And now last but not least; we come to the big turning point for the series, "Revenge of the Sith".

Of the prequels, this is the one where all we've known Star War for is established. Anakin's transition to the dark side, the fall of the Jedi, the rise of the empire and the birth of Luke and Leia. In this third part of the prequels, we finally learn of how the story of Star Wars came into place. After Anakin and Obi-Wan rescue Chancellor Palpatine from Count Dooku, Anakin starts to become more acquainted with the chancellor. He also learns that Padme is pregnant; it seems like wonderful news at first, till he has a dream that tells him that she might die when giving birth. Shocked with the fear of losing her, he confides to Palpatine for help. But could it be that Palpatine may have ulterior motives, and isn't he the person he claims to be? Meanwhile, Obi-Wan is sent on a mission to kill the Kaleesh cyborg General Grievous (Matthew Wood). If you have seen the original trilogy, you'd know how everything ends up, but I know you saw this film at the time just so you can find out how everything came to be, didn't you?

Out of the prequels, this is the one fans seem to like the most. Part of that comes from the amount of fan service it gives, as it gives throwbacks to the original. People also like it more because it has the most action scenes, and that it makes up for what they didn't like about the previous films. But in my opinion, the other films already had good action, drama and character development, this one decided to up the ante. I for one appreciate this film more and more as I think about it; it has a tight plot, strong visuals, developed characters, it has what I want to see in a good Star Wars movie. I could see how fans could consider Episode 3 as the more credible of the prequels, though they still take issue with it. It actually caught me off guard the first time I learned that Palpatine was the Sith Lord, which makes him look more diabolical. Once again this film offers an epic climax between the empire and the republic; the scene in which Anakin and Obi-Wan battle each other is particularly suspenseful, as we see their companionship fall apart.

The last third is hard to watch; not because it's so bad or poorly made, but for how intentionally tragic it is. We sympathise for Anakin and his plight, so to see what he becomes and the effect it has on the republic and the people who care about him is tragedy at it's finest. It's definitely the darkest in the entire series, as we see Anakin's transformation to Darth Vader. You can feel the pain and anguish these characters go through, with these turn of events. So if you're curious to know how everything turns out; I recommend you watch this, especially if you're into origin stories. You might enjoy as its own film, it has a tragic ending but it ends on a note that gives you a sense of hope.

Now that I've looked at all 3 of these films, I want to look at the criticism people have made with the prequels and offer my 2 cents.

The Writing is Awful
This is quite a debatable point, but I don't hate the writing in these films. As I said I think the stories are well written and add to the history of the Star Wars universe. The writing can make or break a story, and it's not as easy as it looks. George Lucas doesn't get enough credit these days, he knows how to tell a strong story like he did in the past. You could say that he had help writing the original, but I can't help but to admire his determination. People criticise the dialogue in these films, here's the thing though; not all dialogue has to be on the same level as Shakespeare folks. Granted the original series had very iconic and quotable lines that people still remember, that doesn't mean these films don't have memorable quotes and scenes. You might say that you remember them for the wrong reasons, but it's not like people didn't criticise the writing in the original. For me personally, all three of these tell strong plots that tie up well together, and in the third one, we can see how it bridges both trilogies.
I'll admit not all the writing is solid gold, but I can't help to be drawn to the character's dilemmas. So to say that the writing is bad is harsh in my opinion, it's not like you can do better?

The Acting is Wooden and Stilted

Is it, do all the actors and actress' do a bad job? There were some very talented people to portray these characters such as Liam Neeson, Natalie Portman, Samuel L Jackson, Brian Blessed and Christopher Lee. Even Frank Oz and Ian McDiarmid reprise their roles. What exactly makes their performance so dull? These actors have given good performances in other roles, so what makes it different here? They're doing the best they could with the script they're given, but they have to do it under the direction. Actors have to trust their director a lot, but is it good, depends who you ask.
Which leads to my next point.

Anakin is Whiney!!!

Darth Vader is one of the most iconic villains in cinema history, as well as one of the most threatening antagonists of the franchise. So fans were disappointed to learn what he was before.
Fans weren't so keen on showing Anakin as a child, but I actually like that they showed this part of his past. It shows that even villains can start off innocent and aspiring, so you feel more for him once you go through his backstory. They also were not fond of Jake Lloyd's performance, but looking back he wasn't so bad. But what's sad about this is how Episode 1 made Jake's life harder, and how he had to deal with being picked on for this role. It affected his life so much that he would quit show business.
It's one thing not to like a performance, but to put so much pressure on a child is taking it too far.

People put a lot the blame on the performance of older Anakin, stating that Haden Christiansen does a bland performance. I know his delivery isn't great when you look at it a few times, and he gives Anakin a monotone voice. But there are moments where he pulls off the strong presence and gives the proper emotions. Haden can actually act well once they let him express himself visually, and when Anakin turns to the dark side, he looks very intimidating. They also complain about how much of a stubborn drama queen he can be, that he just wants his own way. I think the reason why he's so emotionally charged; is that he cares about the ones he loves, and fears that he'll lose them. And like many young minds, he disobeys some orders because he believes it's a better way. Even if he gets a big head. So you can't blame these actors for trying to portray the past of this character, but they deserve more respect than they should.

There's Too Much CGI

As much as I favour practical effects than computer-generated imagery; and admire the craftsmanship put into building actual sets and animatronics, you have to move with the times when making movies. The original trilogy was made in the 70s so there were limitations, and the makers could only make do with what they had. Then technology started to become a lot more advanced, and filmmakers used it to create imagery that couldn't be done before. So George Lucas and his crew took advance of the technology to make things more realistic. I mean if you look at 'Episode 1' it still has a mixture of practical sets and animatronics, and when it did use CGI it was done in a way that still looks convincing now. As long as the filmmakers are using the computer as a tool and not to replace other components; like the story, and like many tools, it depends on how you use it. Sure the CGI does not have the same feel as the original creatures and robots, but you have to admire the work that went into making it believable. They were able to create a wide variety of worlds that have a larger scope to them, many of them are even beautiful to look at. They've managed to show these settings in great detail, giving us vast landscapes, cities and a huge galaxy of imaginative worlds to explore. They feel dynamic when you see them from multiple angles

So I don't see much of an issue for Star Wars to be using CGI; I'm all for good old fashioned makeup, but you can do a lot with computers.

Midichlorians

Okay, I have somewhat learned to understand where fans are coming from with this one. It was revealed that to know you're a Jedi, there are living organisms in your body that send information of the force. This angered many fans for how it contradicted what has established about the 'force', fans saw the force as this mysterious power that Jedi's used as an allegory for divinity. Fans feel like the addition of 'midichlorians' took away the magic and wonder of the 'force'. But you can argue this idea was somewhat inspired in some way. It has been proven that people with a spiritual essence and energy, have water in their blood that's affected. You could argue they were doing their own take on this belief; they wanted to try to integrate this to the film's mythology. In fantasy, however; it's not a good idea to apply logic to a supernatural entity. Everyone has an ability to a certain degree, and we draw comparisons to our abilities with the 'force'.

Jar Jar Binks
Since his first appearance, Jar Jar has been seen as every fan's least favourite Star Wars character. He's considered by many to be a clumsy incompetent buffoon with an irritating voice, to the point where he's also been deemed as an offensive stereotype. I actually don't mind him too much. Don't get me wrong, he's there just to make jokes and isn't good at being in assisting the Jedis on their mission. But Jar Jar doesn't make many appearances in the prequel trilogy. Yes, fans have a right to hate that voice of his. But Ahmed Best created that voice from trying to amuse his young niece and nephews. His clumsy and odd body language is played for laughs; sure we have CP30 and R2D2 for that, but I think George wanted to do different things with the comic relief. We can roll our eyes with the pooh jokes and all, the point I'm trying to make is that Jar Jar is downplayed for the rest of the trilogy. That and we're reading too deeply into his character; just to find more reasons to hate him.

How rude!

Bottom line; I don't get the hatred with the Star Wars prequels, I genuinely consider them well made films that are just as good as the original series. Sure the original trilogy is a lot to live up to; but for what these films are, they have plenty of entertaining scenes and strong production values. So they appeal to my taste in storytelling, and they're more than fans give them credit for. It's just that Episode 1 and 2 were my first exposure to Star Wars; and they're what got me to watch the original, so you can't fault me for that. I also can't help but to admire George Lucas for being able to take his creation in the way he wanted to, without anyone standing in his way. He was persistent in extending the lore and story of these worlds and characters; no matter what, and I respect that determination being an artist myself. He made these films with the intentions to make what he thinks is a great project, and I can see the good in them (even if others don't). I'll say once and for all that, they're not the "dark side of the franchise" and I'm not lost for thinking so.

If you don't like the prequels; that's perfectly fine, as long as you're not ostracizing anyone who thinks otherwise. You can criticise and compare them to the original all you want, I watched these films with scrutiny and I couldn't help but to enjoy them all over again. Don't take it so personally when younger fans like myself like both trilogies equally; I mean if kids like the prequels, it doesn't matter what you think. They'll discover the original trilogy and will grow to appreciate it like we did. Just remember that film like all art forms is completely subjective, so we have the right to think as individuals. Don't shove your opinion down other people's throats and act like it's a fact because that isn't the Jedi way. Sure there are things better off as they are, and you can't fix what's not broken, but things change. Don't feel bad that these prequels didn't live up to your expectations; but just be grateful for what they are, after all, they could have been worse. If it's wrong to like the Star Wars prequels, I don't want to be right. If having that opinion on them makes you think I'm a "nerf herder", then so be it. I'm going to stand by that opinion, no matter what.

But now that there's new films in the Star Wars series, let's pray that fans have stopped whining and complaining about the franchise. And let's also pray that "The Last Jedi" will be amazing (as I'm writing this, I've not seen it). If these latest instalments prove anything; is that this series we've grown up with is in good hands. Just remember that the makers won't make it to pander to your demands, but they're making what they consider worthy of a good film. So please tell me the reasons why you don't like the Star Wars prequels (besides Jar Jar Binks) just so I can get a better understanding of the controversy. Feel free to share your own opinions in great detail, because I'm ever so interested to know. Whether you agree or disagree with me; draw your own conclusion on a great space opera, and may the force be with you.