Originally posted by: PingSpike
Probably the same reason the lightsaber is hot enough to melt a huge hole in the door on that trade federation ship in EP1 and yet doesn't cause its users hands to burst into flames while he's holding it.
the users don't hold the beam 😕
anyway it's just a movie so "realistically" bolts should move much faster. andlike somebody said, the jedis can deflect the bolts not because the bolts are slow but rather b/c the jedi are just psychic.