Star Wars - Episode I: Shadow of the Sith

This was the second fanedit that I ever watched, second only to L8wrtr's "Dawn of the Empire". This version of Episode I is now my go-to version of the film. It has a darker and more ominous feel to it. It removes lots of Jar-Jar speak (thank you! thank you!) as wells as many of the needless "humor" that was present. It tells a much better story than the original and does an excellent job of flowing with future SW films. The commentary is a must on this one. L8wrtr does a great job of going through his edits throughout the film and explaining why particular edits were made. It gives real insight into the editing process. The visual edits done very well. This is a definite must-see version of Episode I.

*This rating was given before reviews were required*

This is the fanedit that replaces The Phantom Menace in my DVD box. I will not be watching any more versions from this point on. This is it! Thank you L8wtr. And I really enjoyed the commentary track too.

**OVERVIEW**

I haven’t watched/reviewed L8wrtr’s trilogy, until the final piece of the puzzle was made available.
Now, for the first time ever, despite having wanted to do so earlier, I set back to watch Shadow of the Sith.
So, here it goes:

Right from the start, I never payed much attention to how “I can assure our blockade is effectively legal” was a stupid hint at saying it wasn’t. Glad to see it removed. No underwater sequences either. The Sando Aqua monster was always very impressive, so it’s kind of sad to see him removed though. That thing was impressive!
I’d rather have the droids not speak at all, but the minimum use of it here suits just as well.

The initial meeting with Anakin in Watto’s store was still full of typical mind-numbing Anakin-esque lines.
His fight with “Greedo” could have done without the latter’s name being revealed, while still being a useful hint towards Anakin’s darker, more violent nature.

Not having Anakin mention he’s “building a droid” is great, because everyone should know Anakin never built Anakin. He only found him on a dump and cleaned him up with new parts. Nevertheless, the “he’s not finished” part can still be confusing to that end. I don’t consider it obtrusive to the viewing experience though. Obviously, Jar-Jar’s antics have been removed too, which can only work for the best.

Almost everyone has their own “Captain Obvious moments”. Anakin’s “it’s working, it’s working!” is still there. Not bothersome, but regrettable.

Anakin doesn’t shout when being lifted up into his pod by Qui-Gonn, and a very trimmed announcer. Great stuff.
Were there new sounds there? I could’ve sworn I heard Formula 1 cars revving up :)
I’ve actually grown quite tiresome of Episode I, both in its original, and fanedited form, so forgive me if I can’t remember.
The crowd’s no longer making fun of Anakin. Great work.

Jumping from a side view of Anakin and Shmi, to a close up of both, looks a bit weird (during their celebration).
Again, not obtrusive to the viewing experience.

The inclusion of the probe droid scene is great, since it is, in itself, great material, but the difference in quality was still noticeable. It makes me wonder if there was nothing else that could have been done to further enhance the footage.

No CGI Yoda? LOL

Removing some of Darth Maul’s stupid taunts was good work. It could have been even shorter, but going from Anakin crash landing straight to Obi-Wan gutting Darth Maul would have been too quick. Trimming everything would only work with the scene as a whole, and not intercut with Anakin’s space fight. Good work salvaging all it was worth. Anakin in space still doesn’t work for me. I can’t wait to see how Q2 will remove Anakin from the battle, because that, to me, is the only possible route an Episode I fanedit should take. I hope he can pull it off.

All in all, great work.

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TECHNICAL ASPECTS
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VIDEO:
****
09:02- Slightly jarring wipe from the lake to underwater (Because of the audio/footage-not a glitch)
11:40- Wipe on Qui-Gonn nodding was too soon
Overall: 4 out of 5 stars

AUDIO:
*****
Nothing worth noting. All went by smoothly.
Overall:
5 out of 5 stars

PRESENTATION:
*****
Trademark Star Wars menu with special features. Great work.

Overall:
5 out of 5 stars

IMPROVEMENT OVER THE ORIGINAL:
****
While it is definitely an improvement, there’s a little bit left to desire. I’m still waiting for a fanedit that will either combine every best bit all the others have to offer, or take everything in a bold new direction, that leaves the original to bite the dust.

Overall:
4 out of 5 stars
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FINAL SCORE: 4.5 out of 5 stars
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Adds up to a fanedit score of:
9 out of 10 stars

L8wrtr adds his list of names to those who have undertaken the Herculean task of trying to fix the Star Wars prequels. His cut is a nice quick edit that clocks in at around 90 minutes.

I was surprised to discover that I still wish he had cut *more.* It's not his fault; it's just how badly I react to the original film, I guess. I haven't seen a cut that ever went deep enough for me. Of course, any less running time, and it would no longer even be a feature. I suppose my ideal version of Phantom Menace would be roughly 30 minutes long!

None of this is a complaint at L8's ability to smoothly and effectively cut together the material. In terms of the audio/visual presentation, it's flawless. Hats off to L8 for taking on the challenge and doing an excellent job!