If the filmmakers themselves can't cut it, the fans will.

Interesting story of The Phantom Edit.

The author writes:

While it advances the story faster, the film obviously cares for its characters even less than before.

This isn't true, strictly speaking. The editor had only so much footage to work with. S/he may be very interested in character, but just not have the material to work with.

More than anything, "The Phantom Edit" magnifies problems that can't be fixed with clever editing: too many bland, uninvolving characters (the stoic Jedis, the stoic Princess Amidala, way too many digital characters), too few scenes with Darth Maul, no renegade comic relief à la Han Solo, and a typically confusing final battle that takes place in about 13 different locations at once.

What can I say? Right. But I still love the Star Wars universe. I don't have to let it go, yet.

I finally got through on the 'Breathing' trailer I posted yesterday. It was cool. All of those things will probably still be wrong. But it's Star Wars. Most of all, I love the Jedi concept. I love thinking about other races of beings and space travel. I like the heroic subplot.

But some of the execution, some of the characterization, most of the dialogue comes up short.