SUMMARY: RUNNING TIME: Approx. 142 Min.
Released in 2002, this prequel (written, produced,& directed by George Lucas) occurs approximately a decade after The Phantom Menace.
A series of increasingly brazen attacks by Separatist forces have weakened the Republic. After a bounty is placed upon the head of Naboo’s Queen Padmé Amidala, the Jedi defenders are spread even thinner. Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi and his 20-year old protégé (or padawan), Anakin Skywalker, are tasked with keeping their friend, Padmé, safe. Yet, a related investigation pits Kenobi vs. mercenary Jango Fett (the father of the legendary Boba Fett). Meanwhile, the evolution of Anakin & Padmé’s relationship continues. With the Galactic Republic resorting to a clone army to help the Jedi keep peace, the nefarious Sith push closer to their own covert agenda.
The primary cast is:
Obi-Wan Kenobi: Ewan McGregor
Anakin Skywalker: Hayden Christensen
Queen Padmé Amidala: Natalie Portman
Mace Windu: Samuel L. Jackson
C-3PO: Anthony Daniels
R2-D2: Kenny Baker
Senator Bail Organa: Jimmy Smits
Yoda: Frank Oz
Jango Fett: Temuera Morrison
Count Dooku: Christopher Lee
Senator Palpatine: Ian McDiarmid
Dormé: Rose Byrne
Owen Lars: Joel Edgerton
Beru Lars: Bonnie Piesse
REVIEW:
If there was a movie that manages to jam-pack action, sci-fi, romance, drama, and stupidity all into one movie, it’s this one. As harsh as it sounds, George Lucas dropped the ball by making Episode II everything that Star Wars isn’t meant to be.
For example, the original trilogy delivered organic, relatable characters who grow as people. In this prequel saga, particularly this movie, the contrived romance of Anakin Skywalker and Padmé Amidala feels straight out of some awful romantic melodrama, not Star Wars. ‘Romantic’ lines such as, “I don’t like sand” and “I’m haunted by the kiss you should never have given me” will torment a viewer’s ears for days to come. As for Natalie Portman, despite her resemblance to a certain future Princess, she looks disinterested and would rather be anywhere else than on the set of Star Wars. Unsurprisingly, the on-screen chemistry between Natalie Portman and Hayden Christensen comes in at a whopping 0%!
All is not lost, however, because a swashbuckling Ewan McGregor comes to the rescue! He does, by far, the best of any main character in this movie. Temuera Morrison and Christopher Lee also provide great supplementary roles and it’s a shame that they don’t have bigger roles. Even with some good performances, the movie still underperforms. Considering that there’s a fight scene involving seemingly the entire Jedi order, how come it only racks up about 10 minutes of time? When discussing the production of a Clone army, most of it goes unanswered, leaving it up to viewers to decipher.
Getting back to the point that there is too much in the 140+ minutes of film, far too many doors are left wide open. Geonosians, Count Dooku, Jango Fett, Mace Windu, and other peripheral characters, who had not shown up in prior media, now appear without any backstory. Granted, there are far more films and comics now than in 2002, but imagine watching Attack of the Clones in 2002 and being expected to grasp what’s all going on. There are lightsabers, blasters, and droids, but that doesn’t make this movie feel like Star Wars. Instead, Episode II ends up coming off as a tone-deaf Star Wars wannabe and is arguably the worst in the franchise.
When looking at the graphics, Episode II is a step up from all of its predecessors. In fact, virtually every scene is shot in front of a blue/green screen. Keeping this in mind, it might be assumed that Attack of the Clones is a Star Wars video game instead of a mega-million dollar budget, live-action movie. With this, you’d think that would be enough cash to create either some believable sets or utilize a real outdoor location. Alas, neither happened, and it gives the film an overly-glossy, totally artificial look.
If this timeline occurs before Episode’s 4-6, why exactly does it have the most modernized look? These glaring continuity errors are evident throughout the movie’s exhausting run time. Still, as mentioned, bright performances by McGregor and some background characters offer viewers some compensation. In short, if Episode I relies on snooze control, then Episode II is a sped-up version. Attack of the Clones moves at a clip too fast to allow anyone to take it all in – yet, the film somehow drags on seemingly forever. Just imagine yourself watching someone else play a Star Wars video game for nearly 2½ hours straight.
Considering it was released within two weeks of Sam Raimi’s first Spider-Man, Attack of the Clones couldn’t even steal the thunder of the Spring of 2002 — much less be something worth watching years later.
BONUS FEATURES:
None.
ROSCOE’S ODD MOON RATING: 4 Stars
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