Just got a peek. My first thoughts are that the first few scenes are really dull and boring. This is one of the biggest problems I have with the political stuff for Episode I, in general, and the absence of action amplified that problem.
However, the intro started to pick up once Jar Jar arrived (Never thought I’d say that in a sentence so, congratulations), and the rest of the intro is a general improvement over the last one. I’m not sure how I feel about Amidala thanking R2 and Jar Jar’s first conversation with Padme, but that might be bias on my part. Otherwise, this one is on the right track.
I think the big challenge is gonna be how to handle the political aspects without dulling the senses. We do need to have something that gives us an understanding of the conflict, so it’s not like we can just remove it all. But at the same time, I think getting down to the planet sooner would be ideal. I’m not sure how to acheive that balance, so I’m curious to hear what others might say before I attempt anything.
Useful feedback, thanks! Ultimately, the intro of this movie being boring is one of its biggest issues, and I think likely one of the big turn-offs for 1999 moviegoers after so long anticpiating the excitement of a new Star Wars. That’s what I think all of these attempts at the intro are fundamentally trying to fix.
I see where you’re coming from regarding the opening politics. I had hoped/felt like at least opening with immediate destruction of the ambassador’s ship might give us enough high energy to carry us through the following couple of scenes - at least here they feature tension rising as the invasion swiftly materialises. I’d be interested to know from others here what combination of scenes from the first act would make the most compelling opening to the movie. If you start on armies landing that’s pretty fun, but then you’d have to have the Jedi meeting Jar Jar before almost anything else, which puts a lot of expositional pressure on their meeting, plus the need to have it conclude with a sense of momentum.