Star Wars: Episode 2-Attack of the Clones (2002)
Grade: B+
Cast: Hayden Christensen, Natalie Portman, Ewan McGregor, Samuel L. Jackson, Ahmed Best (voice), Frank Oz (voice), Christopher Lee, Ian McDiarmid, and Pernilla August
Director: George Lucas
Rated PG for sustained sequences of action/violence


Succeeded it did.

"Star Wars: Episode 2-Attack of the Clones" is the fifth "Star Wars" film and the second one chronologically (hence the “Episode II”), and since all but 1999’s much-maligned "Episode I—The Phantom Menace" are considered landmarks in the history of science fiction (or outer-space set fantasy, take your pick), the expectations for "Attack of the Clones" have been so enormously developed that there is no possible way it will receive unanimous acceptance. Unsurprisingly, in a case that certainly solidifies my last sentence’s argument, there have been just as many bad reviews as good ones for "Attack of the Clones," easily the best Star Wars film since 1980 brought us "The Empire Strikes Back," and a rousing romantic adventure that also hints at the very dark film "Episode III" will hopefully be. Call me sick and twisted, but "Attack of the Clones" is better than the original Star Wars, the one that showed up on AFI’s top 100 and just barely lost the Best Picture Oscar to "Annie Hall" in 1977. It’s not as sure of itself, but it has better visuals, acting, plot, and action (have action it does), and that very tone of darkness I’ve spoken of hints that Episode III will turn the entire Star Wars saga into something that will surprise me: brilliant.

The story: Anakin Skywalker (played by Hayden Christensen pretty well, at least as good as the Star Wars format will allow its players to be), the future Darth Vader, is now a teen (alas, this is the result after puberty happens to Baby Darth, portrayed woodenly in Episode I by Jake Lloyd with none of the rebellious, effective presence Christensen gives us here), and in love with Senator Amidala (no longer a queen, but still played by Natalie Portman—hot she is, nude she should have been). We all know how the eventual story goes—Anakin and Amidala give birth to the original trilogy’s Luke and Leia, and Anakin somehow goes over to the dark side. However, the story here is limited to some flirting and major longing between the couple, as their love is forbidden, and also included as a scrumptious side dish are some of the best action sequences I’ve seen in quite a while (a while, as in two weeks, when "Spider-Man" was released). Also a major player in the film is Obi-Wan (Ewan McGregor, pushing the aforementioned quality limits with his wise and skilled performance).

The critical complaints surrounding "Attack of the Clones" are ridiculous; sure, some of the acting is flat and some of the dialogue is bad, but if one is complaining about that then they must not have liked the original trilogy either, since all of them had the same weak attributes. As Roger Ebert said in a review of "Episode I" with a quote that would be better used for this film, if this were the first "Star Wars" film it would be hailed as a visionary breakthrough. In the way it draws us into the plot, in the way it enchants us with its visuals, and in the way it grips us with its action sequences, it cannot be surpassed easily. Some of the romance doesn’t work, but then again some of it does, so despite the fact that that part of the film is slightly uneven, the point that the two love each other is effectively established.

Above all, "Attack of the Clones" has a sense of wonder that I didn’t really get from the rest of the films for the most part (keep in mind, though, that I still think "The Empire Strikes Back" is better). Anakin’s whole character was pretty interesting, and while some individual moments are weak, his love for Amidala is never in question; the special effects are so effective that they appear to subliminally leap off the screen and slap us until we accept that what is going on is real—we are essentially sucked into the entire "Star Wars" universe for over two hours by the visuals alone; alien creatures are sometimes so interesting that we wish we had a remote control to rewind the film and bring them back, especially Yoda, with a large part and a scene in which kicks ass he does with a lightsaber "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" style. I cannot argue much more for the movie; its virtues are extremely objective and hard to communicate to those that found few virtues. I can only say that I loved the film, was very rarely bored, and am disappointed with its quick box office drop and often lukewarm critical reception. As a film for which popcorn was made for, "Attack of the Clones" does what it set out to do pretty perfectly, and with an excitement for its accomplishments that couldn’t help but rub off on me.


-Alex, June 2002