EyeShotFirst said:
The biggest problem with making a prequel is when the casting director goes for who looks the most like the character in the original. They don't care at all as long as they look enough like the character. In the beginning of the movie Braveheart there was a young actor playing William Wallace. He didn't look at all like Mel Gibson but he practiced his mannerisms and got them down perfect so the seams met in a way that made the film seamless. Then you have a movie like Star Trek with that horrible Chris Pine. He didn't even bother to try to be William Shatner. He had the look fairly close but really didn't capture the essence of William Shatner's performance (it isn't that hard LOL).
Most people would prefer seeing somebody who looks like the original character, but a true fan of any original film would like to see somebody who convinces them that they are the same character without looking extremely close to the original.
My biggest problem with the dialogue in the prequels is they say some of the same shit they do in the originals. Amidala talking about "discussing this in a committee" a classic Han line. All the damn aliens call people Bantha Fodder.
And why does every sith say "Search your feelings and you will know it to be true." Darth Vader said it first in ESB then after that everybody says it.
It was like George Lucas had a hat full of lines. He pulls one out every time a character says something and sticks it in the script.
The Godfather Part II, Robert De Niro looks nothing like Marlon Brando, but he sure as hell was Vito Corleone. I think that might be the ur-example.
I disagree with you on Pine. I thought he was very good, and why should he do an impression of William Shatner? He's playing Kirk, not Shatner. And a young Kirk at that.