Yea, BIG time. Movie was entertaining, but that scene was just awesome. Not as exciting as when Yoda opened up his can of whoop- in Episode II, but pretty close. I wasn't expecting it.
I just don't get it, and another issue I have with the movie.
Vader should move like he did fighting Obi Wan in Star Wars. When I see the end of R1, I wanna poke my eyes out. That's not in continuity with the story at all and I take it as a big FU to me personally as the studio is saying "look what we can do now with computers, to hell with everything else you ever known"
Jim
Honestly, I hated the Yoda vs. Dooku battle because of the over-indulgent use of CGI, but, as someone who saw the original Star Wars as a 3-year-old and has been immersed in Star Wars ever since, I don't understand this criticism toward the Vader scene at all -- why in the world would they handcuff him by sticking to that awkward, clunky, limited fighting style? Just to stay in continuity?! The Vader in R1 was so much more fluid and mowed through the troopers with superhuman power and dexterity (the way he should)! With as complex and sophisticated as fight choreography has gotten since 1977 (as we saw with Ray Park -- one of the genuine bright spots of the prequels), why would they try to portray one of the most powerful entities in the galaxy in such a stilted, unconvincing style?
This scene genuinely *floored* me in a way that most Star Wars movies have so disappointingly failed to do since ROTJ. I can't even comment on most of the rest of R1 because I can't get past how visceral the impression of actually seeing Vader unleashed was: Vader as an relentless, unfeeling, brutal instrument of terror. For me, this was the saga finally living up to its potential and, for once, this jaded fan actually left the theater feeling "satisfied". There have been so many blown opportunities with villains like Maul and Fett (or even the off-camera Anakin/Vader carnage in E2 and E3) where I just felt there was so much unrealized potential. I'm really not the biggest Vader fan nor am I even much of a CGI fan, but this was pure SW porn to me and I was absolutely giddy as the scene unfolded: His blitzing attack, the horror and panic from the rebel soldiers, the desperation to get rid of the plans, it was just masterful.
I'm truly sorry that you couldn't enjoy it, because, again, as a fan of the saga for nearly 40 years now, this was one of its highest points.
I respect your opinion and point of view. I just see it as rewriting history. If Vader was capable of all that carnage, then why bother sending in the Stormtroopers at all on the Blockade Runner in A New Hope....Vader could have intercepted the plans much quicker himself and the entire movie could have been over in five minutes.
I'm not interested in seeing what should have been, I want to see what was.
Jim
It sounds like you just needed to rewatch Star Wars.