Earlier this summer, I wrote that I’d be sharing the Star Wars movies with my family in the now-classic Machete Order. I also promised to let you know how it went… then dropped the ball until now.
I found I didn’t miss Episode I at all. And I don’t know if it was the context, or just the fact I hadn’t seen it since it was in theaters, but Episode II wasn’t as bad as I remembered. Oh, it still wasn’t good. It was, in fact, rather stupid, but it was pretty, the action scenes were fun, and it did a good job of setting up Anniken as willing to cross every line in order to save Padme in Episode III.
My daughters enjoyed the movies and didn’t seem to realize or care that the prequels weren’t up to the bar set by the originals. And that’s fine. I restrained myself from pointing out the worst parts of Episodes II and III. Well, mostly. I might have said something about how foolish it was for the Jedi Council to blindly accept a clone army created as part of a secret plot a decade earlier. (“Oh, what a shiny wooden horse! Bring it here. And we don’t even know where it came from — how exciting!”)
Out of curiosity, I asked Thing One if she realized that Senator Palpatine was Darth Sidious. To my surprise, she said no. I’m guessing that’s the case for lots of kids who saw the prequels first, or didn’t make the connection between Sidious and the Emperor. I’ll be curious to see her reaction if she watches the prequels again knowing that the kindly old politician is actually a Sith schemer.
My final surprise was how much my two year-old son got into the movies. Maybe I shouldn’t have been surprised; flashing lasers, explosions, and bright colors are appealing on a primal level. Also, he’s in his “trucks, tractors, and robots” phase, and Star Wars, with its spaceships, vehicles, and droids definitely scratches that itch.
Overall, I’d have to recommend the Machete Order. It was a positive experience that elevated both Episode II and Episode VI, and helped tell a cohesive story.
