It's safe to say that there's been enough criticism and outright hate for the Star Wars
prequel trilogy to last a lifetime. But outside of the plot, the characters, and the changes
made to the larger Star Wars mythology, it's just as much fun to spot the mistakes, errors,
or blown takes that pop up in any blockbuster movie. The fact that these made it into the
galaxy far, far away just makes them that much more memorable. Here are Screen Rant's
10 Star Wars Movie Mistakes You Missed PREQUEL EDITION.
An Observant Queen
Have you ever seen a movie scene so many times, you can recite the lines along with the characters?
Well, it happens to actors, too - especially younger ones who aren't used to hearing their
castmates repeat themselves for multiple takes. In the Phantom Menace, Natalie Portman apparently
couldn't help herself, and had to mimic her costar Liam Neeson introducing himself to
Anakin's mother as "Qui-Gon Jinn," mouthing the words right along with him. Good luck
ever missing that again.
The Wig is Strong With Him
It's a reality of the movie business that reshoots are almost always needed for large
scale movies. When the actors have gone on to sport different haircuts since filming,
things can get a bit more interesting. Star Wars buffs can play an hour-long game of spotting
Ewan McGregor's wig, which makes some unforgettable appearances, hard to miss since it's not even
close to the actual hairstyle the young Obi-Wan Kenobi sports throughout the rest of the movie.
Double Trouble
When a film includes dozens of principal actors and is filmed outside of Hollywood, directors
are going to get plenty of use out of their doubles and stand-ins - actors who look enough
like their stars to get by in background shots. But when the Jedi Council arrives on Naboo
once the Trade Federation has been defeated, it's clear Samuel L. Jackson couldn't make
an appearance as Mace Windu. That's not a crime, but the crew probably should have just
left him out of the scene, instead of marching his double through the frame alongside his
alien colleagues.
Royal Fashion
The dresses and headpieces of Queen Amidala stole the show in Episode 1, including one
dress that includes glowing orange orbs, as if fabric wasn't enough. Don't spend too much
time wondering how the effects team got the orbs to actually light up, though. Take a
look in the background and you'll notice the black power cord clearly running from the
stone across the floor. How the effects team couldn't find time to paint out that mistake
is impossible to know.
Watch Your Head
Characters knocking their heads on doors is kind of a running joke in the Star Wars series,
after a stormtrooper started the tradition in A New Hope, and Jango kept it alive in
Attack of the clones. But one other door mishap isn't quite as much fun. The effects team
put a lot of time into creating a complicated CG door on Geonosis, but it still required
the actors to duck underneath it. Anakin didn't get the message, passing his head right through
it, ruining the effect.
Saber Issues
There's no weapon in the galaxy like a lightsaber, a beam of energy that can cut through almost
anything. The prop swords used by the actors... not so much. Pay close attention to Anakin's
swordfighting skills in a Geonosian factory, and you'll catch a glimpse of actor Hayden
Christensen snagging his sword on his hood and his sleeve, and struggling to remove it
before the camera cuts away, showing the Jedi's blade isn't always an elegant weapon.
Not-So-Special Effects
George Lucas' decision to use almost no practical sets for the more extravagant buildings in
the story led to some questionable effects, but one stands out above all others. When
Anakin is being won over by Chancellor Palpatine, it's clear that the set they're walking through
is a digital creation. But when the camera pans to the door, not only is the exit a painfully
fake painting, but the image itself actually distorts and stretches. So even the best in
the business have shots they're not proud of.
A Psychic Senator?
When Anakin, Obi-Wan and Padme are chasing down Count Dooku during Episode 2's final
act, an explosion sends the Senator overboard leaving the two Jedi to track the Sith lord
to his secret hangar. The fight that follows doesn't go their way, with Anakin losing his
arm. But Padme has apparently been watching the fight along with the audience, since she
tells the clone troopers who come to return her to safety where they're really needed.
A hangar and battle that she has no actual way of knowing anything about. Was she a Jedi
this whole time?
Gravity
Artificial gravity in spaceships can be a tricky thing for sci-fi movies, which is why
most films commit to either zero gee or simulated gravity. But in Episode 3's opening sequence,
a ship is sent into freefall down towards a planet's surface, sending the characters
either sliding downward, or running along a now-horizontal elevator shaft. But neither
makes sense. If the ship has no artificial gravity, freefall is freefall, and the characters
should be weightless. Either way, the artificial gravity being turned on its side should be
impossible. We guess that's why these movies are fantasy, not science fiction.
Liquid Hot Magma
In the hundreds of effects and CG shots in the prequels films, a lot, and we mean a lot
of small mistakes slipped through. But one is guaranteed to annoy any fan of volcano
action films. When Anakin has been de-limbed, burned and left for dead, a shuttle from the
Emperor comes to rescue him. Pay attention to its shadow: when you realize it's somehow
darkening the glowing lava flowing beneath it, as if it's lit by the sun, not itself,
you'll get a clear idea of how much time was spent making these shots... scientifically
sound.
Those are the most entertaining mistakes, errors and goofs we've found in the Star Wars
prequels, but are there any we missed? Let’s hope J.J. Abrams will make sure he doesn’t
have as many in The Force Awakens! Be sure to name them in the comments, and subscribe
to our channel for more videos like this one!