The Star Wars prequels have experienced a slight renaissance these last few years, going from the trilogy fans apparently despised the most, to the one that is lovingly (and constantly) memed – and now Hayden Christensen and Ewan McGregor are even returning in the Obi-Wan Kenobi show on Disney Plus.
George Lucas is well-aware of one element that has garnered its fair share of criticism over the years: the dialogue. Who can forget Anakin Skywalker’s diatribe against sand (“I don’t like sand. It’s coarse and rough and irritating, and it gets everywhere”)? But, as reported by SYFY Wire, the writer/director has defended his style in Taschen’s The Star Wars Archives 1999 – 2005 book.
Commenting on Anakin and Padme in Attack of the Clones, specifically the scene between the star-crossed lovers in which Anakin declares “I am haunted by the kiss that you should never have given me,” Lucas acknowledges that some of their dialogue “is pretty corny.”
But that doesn’t mean any of it was a mistake. In fact, Lucas says it fits with the saga as a whole. “It is presented very honestly, it isn’t tongue-in-cheek at all, and it’s played to the hilt,” Lucas explains. “But it is consistent, not only with the rest of the movie, but with the overall Star Wars style. Most people don't understand the style of Star Wars. They don't get that there's an underlying motif that is very much like a 1930s Western or Saturday matinee serial. It's in the more romantic period of making movies and adventure films. And this film is even more of a melodrama than the others.”
In fairness, the dialogue is admittedly stilted, but Lucas is right to say the style fits Attack of the Clones’ “melodrama.” And would the prequels be half as loveable if they weren’t as unapologetically ridiculous as they are?
For now, our next venture into the galaxy far, far away will be The Mandalorian’s season finale – check out our The Mandalorian season 2 release schedule to make sure you don’t miss out on all the action.
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