Star Wars - Episode II, Attack of the Clones (2000)

"Star Wars:Episode II-Attack of the Clones"

"Star Wars:Episode II-Attack of the Clones" was presented at the Cinemark Theatre at the Hampshire Mall in Hadley,Massachusetts.I purchised my ticket a couple of weeks in advance and despite some of the negative reviews that I read,I was still eager to see this film.After leaving the theater,I realized that although it wasn't as good as the first three "Star Wars" films,but was just as good as "Star Wars:Episode I-The Phantom Menace",I was being entertained.I like watching movies that entertain me and this film did a good job at that.I like to point out that we are living in an age where computer technology seem to be an open doorway to the art of special effects."Star Wars:Episode II-Attack of the Clones" is a great example of that.Some people question the idea of Yoda being recognized through CGI.After all,he began as a puppet in "The Empire Strikes Back"."Star Wars:Episode II-Attack of the Clones" did prove to me that even the best ones have a downfall and even though I enjoyed this film,it seems to lack the same sort of storytelling that was evident throughout the first three "Star Wars" films,but that didn't bother me at all.Director George Lucas is in my opinion telling a story although some people might not see it."Star Wars","The Empire Strikes Back" and "Return of the Jedi" were all about the end of the bad and the beginning of the new."Star Wars:Episode I-The Phantom Menace","Star Wars:Episode II-Attack of the Clones" and "Star Wars:Episode III" which will come out in Summer,2005 is more of of an explanation to how we got to the events of the first three "Star Wars" films.I question myself as I type this review.Would George Lucas use the CGI technolgy if it had existed when he made the first "Star Wars" movie.Yes,I think he would have."Star Wars:Episode II-Attack of the Clones" gives us more insight on the evolution of Anakin Skywalker's path to the darkside."Star Wars:Episode II-Attack of the Clones" is a film that I have seen twice because it entertained me and I enjoyed it.Every movie series has a downfall and while this film proves that,it still has that grab your popcorn and stare at the screen in amusement attitude.Despite some of the negative reviews it had and despite some of the negative thoughts I had about this film,I liked it for what it is:A fun film that did not dissapoint me. October 5, 2008

Better than Episode I...

But not as good as the third or the original trilogy. I bought it just to finish my SW DVD collection. September 25, 2008

My son enjoys the series

I ordered episodes 1 thru 3 for my son. They all arrived before the promised arrival date and with no damages. September 2, 2008

There is no Beating the Beginning of the Clone Wars...

I've Waited long Enough, heard enough Criticism taken enough Star Wars and George Lucas Bashing. It is August of 2008 as I write this. Star Wars Is and always has been a Cultural Phenomenon. Why has the Original Trilogy Flourished, while the Prequels have been treated less then kind to. First off Episodes I-III are The story of Anakin Skywalker. Not the back story of the Exploits of Darth Vader. We have to know the Man before we Know the Monster. Episode II is how Anakin and Padme fall in Love and the fall af the Republic into Civil War. I Thought it was a Terrific Movie. Hayden C. Can act, He is a Good (Young-Future) Vader. Natalie Portman is Perfect as the Mother of Luke and Leia. And Ewan Mcgregor is Without a doubt the perfect young Obi-Wan Kenobi. Yoda in action. Jango Fett, Young Boba Fett. The Origin of the Clones. THE JEDI IN ACTION!!!!!
as Star Wars fans We have been waiting A LONG TIME for this. It is happening in this movie. PLus we are Treated to the Start of the Clone Wars. The Battles are Unbelievable. What More do people want. So what, we have a Love story going on. Anakin and Padme are Supposed to Fall in Love!!!! They Sire Luke and Leia Don't Forget.
In My Opinion the reason the Prequels weren't as big as the Originals, I hear a Million and one reasons. The reason is clear. The Originals came out They Blew everyone away. No one EVER saw anything like that before. Since then there have been so many movies to come out with so many advances and action, effects, and blockbusters like never before. So when the 3 Prequels came, people were expecting the Second Coming. Obviously NOTHING can live up to that kind of Hype. So 3 Great movies each one better than the last get Destroyed by all the "so-Called" Fans and Critics. That is why they didn't get their Proper Status. August 9, 2008

Attacking the Legacy

After the overwhelmingly disappointing presentation that was "The Phantom Menace", we Star Wars fans were sure that our benefactor, the wise and creative George Lucas, had simply been dealing with a very large and lengthy brain fart that had caused some of his more questionable choices regarding what was to be the prequel to end all prequels; we were also sure that by ascending the director's chair again, he would be righting the wrongs of the first (or fourth) film and making us feel proud to be sci-fi junkies again.
However, to put it plainly, "Attack of the Clones" rights a few of it predecessor's wrongs only to replace them with faults just as great as those of the past. While the sequel is a maginally better attempt (I'd give it a 3.5 if I could), that's all that it remains: an attempt at replicating the original trilogy's greatness.

Taking place a decade after "Phantom Menace", the plot finds ex-queen and current Naboo senator Padmé Amidala (Natalie Portman) the target of an assassination attempt led by a separatist movement stirring in the Galactic Senate. Sent to protect her from further attacks are Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) and his maturing apprentice Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen), who has not relented his attraction towards the beautiful politician since the last movie. Upon the finding of a clue regarding Amidala's would-be assassin, the two Jedi part ways, with Kenobi tracking a bounty hunter and Skywalker escorting the senator into hiding on her homeworld of Naboo...where, against the vows of a Jedi, the two of them come to realize that their attraction is more than one-sided.

It's rare that I can place the majority of blame for a bad movie on a single individual, but in the case of "Attack of the Clones", a large part of what made the movie as big of a disappointment as it is was Hayden Christensen being cast as the adult Anakin Skywalker. I have no doubt that even decades from now, fans will still be debating about what state of mind George Lucas was in when he selected the then-21-year-old ex-star of TV's "Higher Ground" for what should have been one of the most defining roles in cinema history: the part of the troubled Skywalker calls for the juggling of several emotions, but even the most basic of core expressions seem lost to Christensen, who mumbles his lines like a supporting member of a school play, and sells the most humanistic of exertions as though he has something else on his mind. In truth, behind the scenes, Christensen was surprised to find out that he wouldn't yet be playing the role of Darth Vader until the third movie, and his obvious disappointment shines through in every scene, as though he's punishing Lucas for not letting him wear the enigmatic cape and helmet by performing in inexcusable monotone.
Luckily, Ewan McGregor has begun to grow into his role as the-man-who-would-be-Ben, and having Christopher Lee ("The Lord of the Rings" trilogy) in the cast as the villainous Count Dooku adds a sense of legitimancy to the otherwise flawed ensemble (which includes Natalie Portman resuming her poor job as Padme); he nicely fills the shoes that had been left by other acclaimed veterans performers like Alec Guiness (the elderly Obi-Wan) and Liam Neeson (Qui-Gon Jinn).

If we can forget the fact that the romance angle of the plot resembles "Dawson's Creek" to an embarassing extent, we can look at "Attack" for what it's best left considered as: a powerhouse of CGI magic and action galore. While "Phantom Menace" was no slouch when it came to delivering the thrills, its sequel dutifully puts it (and just about everything else) to shame by showcasing what are, without a doubt, some of the most beautiful and awe-inspiring visuals ever: the Obi-Wan/Jango Fett battle, the chase in the asteroid field (this one in particular is amazing), the droid/Clone battle, the climatic lightsaber duel, and roughly a dozen other scenes will remind anybody who's forgotten of what George Lucas and his team can do with special effects and that they really know how to shoot a fight scene, be it in space on the ground.
In addition, the environment has been refined to give it a more tangible feel: not unlike Mos Eisley in the original film, the characters actually traverse deeply into the locales they visit (Kamino, Geonosis, etc.). This is a great step upwards, when remembering the indifferent atmosphere surrounding the locations of the previous film: absolutely no expense has been spared to detail these vistas to an amazing degree, and I'm sure that a viewer could occupy himself throughout the movie by just paying attention to the backgrounds, the sound effects, and the texture of Lama Su's face.

Alas, we Star Wars fans would have to wait until Episode III until we would receive general satisfaction in the prequel trilogy, and for this, Episode II is a disappointment - not as a sci-fi or action movie, but as a part of the Star Wars legacy. No doubt fans will already own it, but anybody who hasn't seen it yet shouldn't be afraid of giving it a rent on a Saturday night. August 5, 2008

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