Vader: A Star Wars Theory Fan Series (TV Mini Series) Shards of the Past (2018) User Reviews

A Love Letter to Star Wars

[Rhaegon_F · 10/10 · 23 December 2018]

It is one thing to utilize one's imagination when dealing with fan-fiction. It is something else to utilize one's imagination within the confines of an established continuity in a logical fashion which presents the challenge. YouTube content creator, Star Wars Theory, accomplishes this and then some in this project which I can only describe as a love letter to Star Wars and its fandom. The cinematography is gorgeous. The costumes, props, and makeup are phenomenal. The special effects speak for themselves; the establishing shot of the palace on Naboo gave me chills. This piece also avoids a serious issue which many fan-films are plagued with: hammy acting and dialogue. The actors are great (kudos especially to young actors Marik Knight and Catherine LaSalle who played young Anakin and Padmé respectively) and one can surmise a great deal of effort went in to studying each of their characters. The hype surrounding the Star Wars Theory fan film was very well-deserved. I am beyond excited for the second part.

Lucasfilm or Disney should hire this guy immediately!compelling dialogue

[eadalsam · 10/10 · 22 December 2018]

YouTube sensation "Star Wars Theory" has created an instant classic! He has delved deeper into the internal struggles of Darth Vader than any of the "Star Wars" movies have. Arguably, only the novel "Lords of the Sith" has rivaled it as a window into Lord Vader's sufferings.

I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys the "Star Wars" franchise, Darth Vader, intense action sequences, compelling dialogue, and a complex multifaceted protagonist. I hope that he can continue to create more episodes and that a major studio, preferably Lucasfilm, will hire him immediately!

Suprisingly Stunning

[majorman-53792 · 10/10 · 22 December 2018]

Going into this film, I thought it would be a dinky little project made by a Star Wars fan, who's which content I have fell in love with. That is nothing of what I got. Stunning visuals, some better than i've seen in any Disney Star Wars property, took my breath away. Absolutely stunning in which the malevolent entity of Darth Vader is captuered with the roaring score and genuinely impressive CGI. Props to you SW Theory, this one's a hit!

One of the best Star Wars I've ever seen

[crazyboy-65806 · 10/10 · 31 December 2018]

I'm usually not that into fan films. However, EPISODE 1 was amazing! It felt like I was watching an actual Star Wars movie. When it ended, I yelled "THAT'S IT?!" Please, WATCH THIS FILM! It's one of the best Star Wars films you'll ever see! If you hate Vader, watch this film, you'll see more of his humanity. If you love Vader, watch this film, it shows the Anakin side of Vader we slightly saw at the end of Episode III and a little bit in Star Wars Rebels.

BLOWN AWAY, SPEECHLESS!!!

[orapellojonathan · 10/10 · 22 December 2018]

This movie was absolutely incredible! Yes I'm a diehard Star Wars fan so already I couldn't wait for this movie. The voices for each character were beyond on point- they brought you in. Making you forget it was a fan film. It was put together leaving me speechless and wanting more. You took a childhood favorite character and brought him back to life TIMES 10000000000. You brought a human element to the character that truly we needed. We needed to see his suffering it sheds a whole new light on this franchise. What an absolutely incredible job by everyone in this movie. Truly amazing, the mannerisms by each character were seemingly identical to the original ones. I also want to say thank you for this movie. So much going on in my life that for that 16 minutes I forgot it all. Bravo everyone!

A Must See For All Star Wars Fans

[feltshoe · 10/10 · 31 December 2018]

I hope you make more stories, this was an awesome and enjoyable moment in my Star Wars history.

An amazing movie made by a true Star Wars fan

[ldubois-26586 · 10/10 · 31 December 2018]

It's a great movie with amazing special effects. Looks like it was made with a bigger budget then they had

A gem in a lot

[aryashorya · 10/10 · 22 December 2018]

This little installment of a series gives everything what you wanted to see as a Star Wars fan. The power and effect the scenes give is absolutely perfect. Acting, voice, lighting and visuals cannot be critised. It's close to perfection, as a die hard fan... This is definitely a must see

Absolutely Loved it

[icebeam89 · 10/10 · 31 December 2018]

The Vader film we deserve ! I had been waiting for months for this incredible movie to come out and at long last , it did not disappoint. Somebody from Lucasfilm, hire this kid already !

You don't know the power...

[scotttrowa · 10/10 · 31 December 2018]

At a budget of $150k dollars (U.S.) and a shooting time of 3 days, Vader: Episode 1 "Shards of the Past" employed some of the very best individuals for the job and, in a flurry of skill and PASSION, took the project from dream to reality and achieved the best (fan) film experience to date!

The skill of the people involved; from writing, directing, special and practical FX artists, actors and voice actors, etc is remarkable. Even more so when considering the incredibly tight production and post-production schedule. The thing that really stands out about these people, and the project as a whole, is not just the skill but the amount of passion and love for the Star Wars franchise, this project, and the individual roles everyone played that allowed that skill (and this film) to really shine.

Delving into the mythology of Darth Vader as he continues his transition and transformation of the former Jedi, Anakin Skywalker, to the powerful and ruthless enforcer of Emperor Palpatine (aka Darth Sidious). We see him struggle with the rage and guilt of losing Padme, his dark relationship with the emperor, and are teased of the ultimate test (forthcoming, episode 2)...a confrontation with the focused, and vengeful, Mace Windu. During a time when he is still unfocused, questioning the limits of his power after the crippling defeat he experienced at the hands of Obi-Wan, Vader will be tested beyond the limits he knows and viewers will bare witness to the full, true power of the dark side as the will of Darth Vader is forged and the terrifying Sith Lord is born.

With the passion, care and will of everyone involved, combined with the learning experience from this first of three planned episodes and a fine-tuned budget, this is the team that will see this masterpiece to completion. JOIN ME in celebrating this landmark achievement!

Awesome

[looezsaul · 10/10 · 31 December 2018]

Been a long time since I got so excited to watch a Star Wars movie. Loved how they portrayed Darth Vader, and I'll be waiting for Episode 2.

The best fan film ever made to this day!

[braydengray04 · 7/10 · 31 December 2018]

This was an amazing experience to see and behold. Even with this small of a budget the film still was glorious. To the vfx to the acting, everything was almost perfect. Dispit some plot errors and minor other nit picks, this film was fantastic.

We got our Star Wars film for the year!

[nedakaden · 31 December 2018]

Excellent job on this fan film! I was a little disappointed we weren't going to get a Star Wars movie this December, but Star Wars Theory came in clutch with the beautifuly done Vadar fan film. It portrayed Darth Vader much better than any of the movies ever had, it gave him the power we've all been hoping to someday see in film. The actors were amazing, the quality of the film was crisp and clear. Out standing job, my only issue was that the length was really short, however I do understand budget and resources were low. So I have my fingers crossed for another one!

Its not bad

[ashgames · 5/10 · 31 December 2018]

The film is not bad, but to give this a 10 would not be correct. A perfect 10 would be something as good as The God Father, or The Dark Knight. Compared to other movies and films, this does not stand a chance at all. But as a fan film, it puts all other fan-films to shame. Its just doesn't stand up to the big movies that really deserve a 10 or 9.

Overall its not bad. But giving it a 9 or a 10 would be saying its on the same level as The God Father or one of the many classic movies.

Best Star Wars Fan Film

[matgeta · 10/10 · 31 December 2018]

The best fan film I have ever seen. The sound design and visuals were stunning. The story was captivating and I'm excited to see what happens in episode 2. The acting was top notch and the entire film was just a blast to watch.

Breathtaking

[minecraftgalaxy · 10/10 · 22 December 2018]

Incredible, jaw-dropping, breathtaking; these are only a few of the words to describe this film.

Star Wars Theory put a lot of effort into making sure he had the best Fan-Film on YouTube, and he did it without crowd-funding or any monetisation on YouTube.

He spent over 100,000 of his hard-earned cash to satisfy the fans, and God did he do a great job of it.

A fan film like no other

[rjkontio · 8/10 · 31 December 2018]

There are many Star Wars fan films on Youtube but this one stands out with it's set design and actual storytelling. Many fan films just have a forest (AKA the easiest scifi set) and 10 minutes of fighting. In this short they had actual built sets which looked incredible. Also, although this one starts with an action sequence, the story which revolved around the character Vader was much more than that. Keep up the good work and don't let the next one be just one big fight either!

Best Star Wars Fan- Film Yet

[jarvisgray-25106 · 10/10 · 31 December 2018]

This by far is the best star wars fan film made yet. It packs emotion, brilliant directing and brilliant writing. This has so much heart and passion put into it.

Honestly...Fantastic

[ramirezdominick · 9/10 · 26 December 2018]

This is most definitely the best Star wars Fan film ever made, Maybe the best fan film of all time. The cgi Is fantastic considering the small budget. The voice acting for Vader was great,And palpatine was hit or miss,But alright. Overall...Reccomend to any star wars fan. I'll watch this over The last jedi Anyday

Star Wars Theory

[ronwhite412 · 10/10 · 31 December 2018]

I've kept up with the filming of this movie and have subscribe to Star Wars theory on YouTube. This was long in the making and is a fan film that is very well done. It's not perfect of course, but is definitely worth watching and the support. Episode 2 will be outrageous and if you are a medium to true Star Wars fan, you'll definitely fill the hard work, blood, sweat, and, tears put into this movie.

Vader Rules

[michaelsconti · 10/10 · 22 December 2018]

Very well done!!! Better story telling than Disney's!!

Shame on you, Disney!

[famkar · 10/10 · 31 December 2018]

This guy, Star Wars Theory, maby the biggets Star Wars youtuber made a more fan pleasing Star Wars film than disney. With a very well written story that goes deep into Vader's thoughts and feelings after loosing everything and everyone he loved, this film will please the most hardcore of fans. Well done, sir.

Vader is AWESOME

[kphelan-47150 · 23 December 2018]

This youtube can film is absolutely amazing. I love the story of Vader dealing with the loss of Padme and serving the new Emperor. I think the voice acting is phenomenal. I think that this Padme looks like Natalie Portman. I think the cgi is really well done. My only complaints are that young Anakin's hair looks really weird, and that the emperor's makeup was a bit off. Great job. Disney should hire these people.

Amazing start

[zacalexandergoodall · 7/10 · 31 December 2018]

I'm putting out the fact I have put money towards this project out first, not too much but I did contribute, this in no way changes my views.

Episode 1 of Vader was overall a perfect start to what I hope becomes an on going series, it isn't perfect by any means, but I think that is a good thing, it allows for improvements in the next, some of the acting wasn't as good as it could've been, and a few of the shots didn't work with the scene, a "problem" with any star wars fan film is the use of different actors being a issue, and aside from the actress who played Padmè (who looked and sounded remarkably like her) it did take me out of it for a while, especially child Anakin, no offense to his actor, but as with Solo, and official star wars film, you will definitely warm up to the new actors.

The plot is actually pretty good, episode 1 is obviously a build up but it isn't boring by any means, the first scene drags you straight into action with some pretty good effects.

The fact that this film was done on such a low budget is what makes my rating as high as it is, absolutely remarkable start, and I think it will only get better.

Unoriginal but well-made fan film

[jonathan-esche · 5/10 · 8 January 2019]

Shards of the Past isn't very good, but too impressive to be bad. I rather disliked it, though I do find parts of it admirable. It succeeds in some (for me perhaps less important) ways but fails in those I find more significant. (Given the largely positive reviews it seems to have received, however, I am aware that this appears not to be a view shared by many.) Where Shards of the Past succeeds is on a technical level: The costumes, props and CGI are all highly impressive for a fan film (the latter, might I add rather polemically, looks better than what the prequels had to offer in many places). Only rarely does the production value give away this is not a major Hollywood production but a film made by talented and incredibly dedicated Star Wars fans. The two lead actors do a fine job at impersonating James Earl Jones and Ian McDiarmid, respectively, although one could argue an actor should strive to do more than simply impersonating another. (Then again, the same criticism might be directed at Alden Ehrenreich in Solo, so make of that what you like.) Palpatine gets a little too cartoonish in places, but it's not like McDiarmid wasn't enjoyably over-the-top as well, occasionally. Centralising the internal emotional struggle of Darth Vader is a somewhat interesting (though to me not overly intriguing) idea, but I must admit it is difficult to relate emotionally to a character whose facial expressions are obscured by a mask entirely, which leads to the emotional centre of the story to fall flat, in my opinion. Ultimately, where Shards of the Past fails most noticeable for me is in its screenplay which, in my opinion, is rather meagre. It is as unoriginal as it is cheap: Appearing to be more of a vehicle to reference as many quotes from the Star Wars movies as possible, turning the characters into cardboard caricatures of their better written big-budget-movie counterparts. What makes a character great is when they invoke the idea that they aren't figments of a screenwriter's imagination, but self-conscious, "real" people who exist outside of the story we see them in. Vader and Palpatine fail to do so in this incarnation, I feel. Aside the fact that screenwriting which relies almost exclusively on the works of previously existing screenplays without adding anything new or original is plain lazy, it makes the characters appear lifeless and phony. "What is thy bidding, my master?"; "Guards, leave us"; "Rise, Lord Vader"; "ABCs do not concern me, military person, I want that 123" etc. pp. The movie is filled with things of the sort. There is nothing wrong with referencing past installations of a franchise (in smaller doses it isn't, anyhow), but when it seems to be the case that such allusions are the only reason for a film existing in the first place I see little point in devoting my time to it. The main plot point of the story (the little of it there is that isn't drowned out by noisy and over-the-top action scenes) is interesting, certainly, but nothing Revenge of the Sith hadn't tapped into already. There are also a number of passages that quite simply aren't well written and sound unwillingly amusing in the context. But perhaps it is just me who found Vader saying "I am fine" or "I have no such wish" to be funny. However, it is not only the screenplay that borrows from other Star Wars movies, the rather lengthy action scene that opens the movie also has little originality in it, and what is original about it is too bloated to be taken seriously. The stopping-blaster-shots-in-midair trick Kylo Ren used in TFA, the Vader-killing-soldiers routine Rogue One already had fun with, the force choking, the force lightning... Little of it is interesting, and when Vader enters Godmode, force choking his foe while stopping about twelve thousands blaster bolts just before him (meanwhile probably still occupied steering the starship with his mind and keeping the cosmos from collapsing in on itself), it gets laughably silly, mind-numbingly dull and noisy. That might be in keeping with the bloated, senseless action mayhem of the prequels- but it is rather far away from the character- and plot-driven fight scenes from the Original Trilogy. Alas. Aside from the screenplay and said action scene, about which I have ranted sufficiently now, the movie is passable, if not very memorable. It will surely be interesting to see in which directions the filmmakers will take these ideas in future episodes. I hope character and plot will become more important than sheer nostalgia, and I do hope the screenwriting and the action scenes will improve.