Analyzing Aesthetic Criticism
Mr. Plinkett values characters in a film, especially a protagonist. According to Mr. Plinkett, the protagonist should be someone the audience can relate to because he/she undergoes challenges that make life tough for him/her. Based on the “Star Wars: The Phantom Menace Review (Part 1 of 7),” having a protagonist helps the audience connect with a character, and they even start voting for the character to win (RedLetterMedia, 2012). Mr. Plinkett gives an example of the film Rocky, where the audience wishes victory for Sylvester Stallone. Mr. Plinkett measures whether a movie has good characters by analyzing what they bring to the table minus their costumes, looks and profession. From an interview that Mr. Plinkett asked some individuals about the characters in the film, it is evident that the characters in “Star Wars: The Phantom Menace” were amiss, and the movie lacked a protagonist.
Another thing Mr. Plinkett values in a movie is the storyline. Mr. Plinkett compared the start of the original Star Wars to that of The Phantom Menace. The difference between the two is clear. In the original star wars film, the opening is nice and simple as it tells the viewers everything they require to know about the movie (A clash about rebels and an empire). On the other hand, Phantom Menace’s start is not effective enough for the audience to comprehend what the movie is about. Mr. Plinkett measures whether a film has a great story based on how it suits its target audience. For instance, for a film meant for children, the bad guy’s motivation should be clear (RedLetterMedia, 2012). According to Mr. Plinkett, the prequel should be very similar in style to the original. The different styles included in the Phantom Menace distort its storyline.
References
RedLetterMedia. (2012, April 10). Star Wars: The Phantom Menace Review (Part 1 of 7) [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxKtZmQgxrI&t=112s
RedLetterMedia. (2012, April 10). Star Wars: The Phantom Menace Review (Part 2 of 7) [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZG1AWVLnl48&list=PL5919C8DE6F720A2D&index=4