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As I am to soon venture out to my fifth viewing of ?Attack of the Clones?, I feel no regret as to emptying out my wallet into George Lucas? bank account. After ?The Phantom Menace?, many fans of this long-loved series lost faith in its creator. However on May 16th, it returned with a vengeance.
The story picks up 10 years after the Trade Federation invasion. Queen Amidala is now a Senator and Anakin Skywalker has grown up from the ?yippee!? proclaiming little boy into 21-year-old Canadian actor Hayden Christensen (?Life As A House?). The Republic is now under the threat of the Separatists, a political group under the lead of Count Dooku, an ex-Jedi played magnificently by Christopher Lee. As the film takes little time to suggest, there have been many attempts on the Senator?s life, as she is the leader of opposition of the ?Military Creation Act?, which would, as it implies, create an army ?to counter the increasing threats of the Separatists?. This is where Anakin and Obi-Wan, once again played by Scottish actor Ewan McGregor, come in. As the plot unfolds, Obi-Wan is ordered to track down the Senator?s assassin while Anakin travels with her to Naboo, where they are to start an agonizing love for one another.
This love story is often called sappy by fans of the series simply because it wasn?t exactly the Han-Leia- ?there aren?t enough scoundrels in your life? relationship. There is a meadow picnic, a Force-employed dinner, and a metaphor about sand. It takes some warming-up to, but is well worth it. Soon we see the nice pace that old Mr. I-always-wear-flannel wanted us to encounter.
The acting in Star Wars is never expected to be top-notch. Oddly enough, the actor playing Obi-Wan tends to be the best one out there. However, with the combined forces of Ewan McGregor, Ian McDiarmid, Samuel L. Jackson, Hayden Christensen, and Pernilla August, not to mention CG Yoda, really pulled it off this time. The only thing that held them back were the lines. Basically anything that seemed like bad acting was most likely at the fault of old Georgey.
The lines were not the best thing since sliced bread. For one, there are too many of them. It is the subtle movements: smiles, glances which will be remembered. Mace Windu?s footsteps, for example, quietly creeping towards Count Dooku, the tension in the room when Obi-Wan is lecturing Anakin, the fight between Yoda and Dooku. But not even the fight itself (even though it was spectacular); the little things: when Yoda appears in a shadow, when he gets in a kung-fu stance, when he reaches for his lightsaber. These are the things that we adore. However, hearing Obi-Wan say "my young padawan" over and over again is just a tad redundant. And, not meaning to offend anyone in the dairy business, but the lines were cheesy. Sometimes they felt just too stiff, even for a politician.
Along with the return of many of our favorite characters, our favorite composer has decided to come back too. Isn?t that special? John Williams, who has averaged one Oscar nomination since 1968 is back once again with the music that augments ?Attack of the Clones?. Nothing really special here, however. The only piece that stands out, other than the ?Star Wars theme? and ?Imperial March?, along with other past Star Wars music, is the ?Love Theme?. And while it is beautiful, I think that ?Wars? fans were expecting a little bit more from the 70-year-old composer.
But it?s Star Wars, people! This CG-heavy film is not to be taken seriously! It is entertainment in its purest form. And while there is still Jar Jar Binks, Lucas has managed to improve upon many of the mistakes of its predecessor. From the better plot to the more satisfying action, Lucas leaves fans wondering one thing? ?Why couldn?t this be the first one??

 

I absolutely loved AOTC. I could rant and rave about 100 things, and go on endlessly like the freak I am. But, as I am a fan, I am impartial to write a truthful review. Therefore, I shall try my best to remove all my emotional and semi-religous attachments to this awesome film. Read on, my friend.

Approaching now as a non-fan, I do not clap or cheer when I see the Star Wars logo. Until Obi-Wan jumps through the window, I am still not certain if this movie will ever get started. Once it does, I am entertained completely for a fantastic 2 hours +.

The acting: Very good- Hate, love, peace and revenge are all portrayed nicely in this film. However, some of the lines did not come off as moving, but hey, give George a break, eh? I really, really, enjoyed Hayden's Confession bit. Powerful stuff.

The music/sound effects: While the original pieces are excellent, the crusty leftovers from TPM made my gastric juices churn. Uhhhh. The sonic charges where awesome. BOOM!

The photography: Excellent, of course. Every shot is stunning. A true gem lies in AOTC. Finally, we have seamless CG characters. Take a close look at the Cloners on Kamino. Incredible detail.

And now, the category we've all been waiting for....

The Yoda: He's back and greener than ever. One second he is teaching young Jedi, and before ya know it, school's out and he's fighting like there's no tommorrow. Yoda is the coolest green thing since,... since nothing.

As a fan, I am so crazy about AOTC. As just a normal guy, this film could use a little work. But who cares about "normal people" right? AOTC is made for Star Wars fanboys like you and me! Yeah! Go Yoda!

Boring Non fan side of me says: 8/10

Delusions of granduer aside, I give it a freakin' 11/10 !

 

I absolutely loved Attack of the Clones much better than the Phantom Menace. Even my sister, who really dislikes Star Wars, loved this film. John Williams once again outdid himself on the soundtrack with creating majestic sweeps of music both exciting and wistful.

Although the acting was a bit corny, the actors were wonderful. Ewan McGreggor was wonderful as Obi-Wan. He is such a versatile actor and such a chamelion. Natalie was stellar as Amidala and I was really surprised by how well Anakin was portrayed. My favorite scene (not to give anything away) was when we first gimpse at when Anakin first starts walking towards the darkside due to his fear and anger.

And, of course, who could forget Yoda? I was on the floor when that little green guy was using his saber!!!!! Look at that little guy go!!!!!

My favorite planet was the water planet where the clone army was being constructed. The aliens were the best that I've ever seen in a Star Wars film. They were so graceful and elegant. They moved like silk. And hey, my sister even liked them and like I said before, she dislikes Star Wars.

So, on a scale of one to ten based on the Star Wars films I've seen, I give this a 9.5. Return of the Jedi will always be my favorite, but this comes in a very close second.

 

Ok people, I'm tired of everyone saying how good Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones is. I mean come on, be original here! If you want to do a review of a movie, you can't just say it's good. No, not even if it is.

So in light of this revelation here is my review:

I sum up my opinion of this movie with one word... "Romulans." Yes, Romulans. I mean they made Star Trek so cool; so much better than Star Wars. No amount of CGI can make up for this discrepancy. How can you beat pointy ears, huge green ships, and cloaking devices? And I don't want to hear any of this crap about how a Star Destroyer would blow up the Enterprise... I just don?t want to hear it! (That?s pure BS anyway). Also, my friend said that Star Wars has hyper drive and Star Trek only has warp drive and therefore it sucks (wtf?). Obviously, since Star Wars takes place not only long long ago, but also in a far away galaxy, there?s no way to test the two against each other. But, still no matter how fast the ships from Star Wars go they will never catch up because their ships make silly noises.

Another thing that bothered me was how I keep hearing people say things such as "Yoda is GOD!" and "Three words: Yoda is badass!" when leaving the theatres. They even went so far as to start a chant outside the theatre, "YODA! YODA!" This was just too much for me and even though I too enjoyed the "scene" I took it upon myself to inform them of the awesome and unrivaled power that is known as DATA. Yes, Data is so much cooler and even more powerful than Master Yoda combined. Data's head ALONE could beat Yoda and still have time to filter Captain Picard's fish tank. The evidence for this claim comes from the Episode #132, when this gang of Ninjas are flipping out and killing people when Data's head sees them and tells them to stop. They don't stop but instead they all pop 50 boners and start playing guitars, at this point you think Data's head is a real wuss, but then he screams and they all die. Not only does Data stop the ninjas but this babe picks his head up and uses it as a door stop in the girls locker room, so he gets to see some sweet lesbo action.

Sorry, I got side tracked. Let me get back to the main topic of this article... ROMULANS! They are so cool, I've always loved how they are sort of like Vulcans except they can have emotions and stuff. Man! They are so awesome! I mean, yea the Jedi are cool too, but do you see them cloaking entire huge ships? NO. All they can do is fly around in their little ships, and when they aren?t doing that they usually whine about not getting laid. What can you expect, look at Yoda, he's one ugly little alien. (Data's head is much more good looking, that explains why its gotten much more "action.") Jedi can also open doors with a hand waving motions, big WHOOP, i can open a door with my wrist turning motions! Romulan's doors open AUTOMATICALLY. Granted, the Jedi do have this huge temple, the rent on that ****'s gotta be outrageous... this is proof that the Jedi are using their secret powers to smuggle "death sticks" and crack into Coruscant. How else could they afford that army, and hell, did you check out Yoda's bloodshot eyes?

Still there?s no point in comparing the two (Star Trek is better though). They both have great stories, despite the fact that apparently someone forgot to put a freakin storyline in Star Wars Ep II. It's not good enough to just have a string of events that eventually comes to an end. THERE HAS TO BE A STORYLINE! You'd think a storyline would be a simple matter. Begin with A end with B, not too hard is it? Other essentials that were lacking were the Plot, Setting, and Characters (The sounds were good though). The characters just had no development! I've waited 3 years to find out what happens to Jar Jar only to be disappointed by a measly two lines of pseudo-Jamaican alien babble! Thanks for nothing LUCAS! That wasn't so bad except for the straw that broke the camels back, which was... uhhh, I forgot... (Guess I'll have to go back for a fifth viewing).

Oh yea, and I give it a 8

 

Ugh...Star Trek???WTF?? Star Trek sucks. Dude quite comparing Star Trek to Star Wars. That was the worst review I've ever read.

 

Little did my father know, when he brought his 6 year old daughter to see Star Wars at the RKO Theater, that he had created a monster. Since that fateful day, I have seen all the movies numerous times (too many to count), read the books, collected the toys, the cards, the comics, the music, and more. So was I going to see the next installment of the series, Star Wars: Episode II: Attack of the Clones? You bet your lightsaber I was!!
I'd seen the trailers, heard the hype, and heard the spoilers. Was I excited? You bet! Was I disappointed? NO WAY!! The grin I wore on my face began when the title lit up the screen, and didn't leave my face until the movie was over!
The story begins 10 years after Episode I. Natali Portman shines as Padme Amidala, who having served her 2 terms as Queen of Naboo, is now a Senator for Naboo. Now she champions the cause against the Separatists, a faction rebelling against the Republic which is led by former Jedi Count Dooku (another excellent performance by Christopher Lee). Hayden Christensen is completely believable in his portrayal of Anakin Skywalker, the padawan-who-would-be-Vader. He is joined by Ewan McGregor, who reprises his role as Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi. When an assassination attempt is made on Padme's life, Chancellor Palpatine asks the Jedi Council to offer their protection, and Obi-Wan and Anakin are assigned to the case. The awesome adventure spans several worlds as we learn who has ordered the assassination attempt, watch Anakin and Padme's love grow, and watch as the Jedi and the Republic defend themselves against the Separatist army. Excellent action scenes include a fight between Obi-Wan and Jango Fett, the Geonisian arena scene, and the much hyped Yoda fight scene. This movie very well may be the best of the prequel trilogy. With movie prices being what they are nowadays, I'm usually hesitant to view a movie more than once at the theater. Suffice it to say, that I'm running, not walking to the theater to see Attack of the Clones again and again! I can't get enough!!
In short, I rate this movie an impressive 9/10!

 

Last winner being selected now! Thanks for all of these amazing reviews ...

Josh

 

Overall, I was very disappointed with AotC. My criticism is extensive, but focuses on 3 primary areas: disparity between this movie and the OT, irrationality of the characters, and minor issues like FX quality and the pace of the movie.

IRRATIONALITY OF THE CHARACTERS
Before May 16, critics had been pointing to the acting of Christiansen and Portman as the primary weakness of the movie. I disagree. I think that the most obvious weakness of the movie is the way that these characters were written, not the way they were acted. Their behavior is often irrational. For example, when Anakin massacres the Tusken raiders, Padme is like "Ooh, when you kill babies it just gets me sooo hot for you." Remember, this is the same Padme that was like "I will not condone a course of action that will lead us to war." A pacifist like Amidala would NEVER fall in love with any murderer. This would have been greatly mitigated had Padme expressed more internal conflict between her desire for Anakin and her love of peace and democracy, two things that Anakin plainly does not value. This conflict is not expressed; the only problems that Padme points out are their individual commitments to the Jedi and to the Senate, although truly the relationship between these two characters should have much deeper issues. Therefore, the love story that the entire movie revolves around is flawed, unrealistic, and irrational.

The irrationality that plagues AotC extends also to the Jedi Council. After Obi-Wan reports the situation on Kamino, the Council does not ask many important questions to themselves. They are only mildly concerned with who it was that truly ordered these clones. If there is a Jedi imposter, a rogue Jedi, or a renegade member of the Council, this is an important issue. Yoda seems all too happy to ignore the origin of the clones and simply utilize this illegal army to defeat the separatist movement. The Council, especially Yoda, are too wise to take things for granted. In TPM, Windu asks ?Which was killed the master or the apprentice?? In AotC, why didn't the Council ask ?Who is this Sifo-Dyas??

Although not necessarily irrational, the flat antagonists were very disappointing in their lack of motivation. By contrast, in TPM, at least the Trade Federation were greedy, and had that as their motivation for being evil or committing evil acts. Think about little boy Boba. "Yeah Dad, kill those Jedi!" Are 8 year olds really that evil?

DISPARITY BETWEEN AOTC AND OT
Just as the character of Padme is not true to her pacifist origins in TPM, the character of Yoda is also changed for the worse in AotC. ?Great Warrior? Wars not make one great.? Remember that? For the last 2 decades, Yoda has been a pacifist. I am not necessarily complaining about the lightsaber combat between Dooku and Yoda; I am much more disappointed in ?General Yoda? leading the illegal clone army. The violence in that battle was gratuitous and unnecessary. It displayed a ?take no prisoners? approach to war that does as much damage to the image of the Jedi as it does to the fleeing separatists. It was never explained why it was crucial to destroy every one of those spherical ships.

In the original trilogy, lightsaber duels were epic. Now they are just gratuitous exhibitions of martial arts. If you want to see swordplay, watch Scorpion King. In the OT, the most important plot developments often happened during duels. "No Luke, I am your father." and "Sister -- so you have a twin sister. If you will not turn to the dark side then perhaps she will." What do we get in this movie? Admittedly more than in TPM, but still it is basically Yoda trying to defeat the bad guy. There is no real struggle or temptation going on and that is what made the original duels so great.

The glorification of violence illustrated by reducing lightsaber duels to lightsaber fights is also evident in the overall look of the clone/droid battle. The clones flying in helicopters looked like news footage from the Vietnam War as much as the dog fights in ANH looked

 

Okay.

Yoda grabbing his lightsaber from his belt by way of the force = cool.
The cinematic romance with the least on-screen chemistry in the history of film = not cool.
Samuel L. Jackson blocking mad lasers with a lightsaber = cool.
Making the space coon be the patsie that hands over the Republic to an evil Chancellor = not cool.
Ewen McGregor's Sir Alec Guiness impression = cool.
Ewen McGregor saying "I've got a bad feeling about this" before his own execution = not cool.

So, the last twenty minutes or so were pretty loaded with lasers and fighting. Once everybody got into the troop ships, things were pretty exciting, I admit. But even when Jedi were battling droids beforehand, I wondered why I should care about the outcome of the battle. My overall opinion of the film is not high, I was left feeling like, either, "are you kidding me?" or "who cares?" Padme Amidalla and Anakin Skywalker, arguably the "lead roles" in this film were boring, drab, and without motivation. Anakin, a character who is burdened with both intense passion and Jedi training to be centered and wise, could have been an excellent anchor for a series of films. His gift and curse would be the great power of the Force. But yet, his internal conflict only appears as creepy juvenile flirtation or sophmoric angry outbursts. Wooden dialog was there to help us make the mental leap that this one-time annoying little nine-year-old turned annoying 19-year-old will one day become the most menacing figure in the galaxy. Padme, a woman stern and rational beyond her years begins the movie by telling us that "Annie" will always be that little boy they found on Tatooine to her. He creeps her out a little, grabs a little sugar, and next thing you know, she's professing true, deep love for the guy. This is a lesson to all would-be stalkers and obsessives -- if you annoy her enough, it'll work! While arguably a better actress than Carrie Fisher, Natalie Portman manages to bring very little of her distinguished manner and poise to a character who, as a former Queen, should carry herself with regality.
It's been touted as a straight up Romance, a Love Story, but what's to love in Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones (the clones come to the rescue in the last act of the film)? It has traditionally been given that a love story focuses on love, an emotion, the realm of characters. In this, acting is central. For the duration of the history of drama, authors have found ways to pit the trials of lovers against a back drop of bigger conflict. Politics, war, a big ass boat sinking, family fueds, the destruction of humanity, you name it -- the greek playwrights and poets, the bard Shakespeare, oral tradition in non-written cultures, and today's director were all able to do this, with varying degrees of success. Even if Titanic is a superbly overrated film, wrought with pretension, lame dialog, excessive spending, and James Cameron's ego, the writer/director still had the understanding of what was central to romance. Character. In that case, one-dimensional archetypical characters. But their romance was more realized, and more "believable" than that of Annie and Padme. Why? Because George Lucas could give a rat's ass about character. He has a story, a plot, to tell, and goddammit if he has time to stop to let the characters develop. I'm not suggesting that Star Wars should become Gosford Park, but that if a character interaction is central to film, then dammit, let those characters interact, and let the actors playing them just plain ACT. I think GL's central reluctance to let his characters drive the story is key in why Episode II doesn't work as a good movie. Even as high-concept a film as Star Wars had the time to let Luke Skywalker ponder his life as a nobody farm boy at the ass-end of space, and gave us moments to check in on him as he became a big hero in the middle of the biggest struggle in the galaxy, the biggest hit at the box office. Luke changed from boy to man, in that film. Anakin changes from a whiny brat to an angry whin

 

Lets begin, I almost threw-up with evryone cheering at everything as it first appeared on the screen. Yes we know it's a star wars film and Lucus Arts filmed it - That's why we were in the theater in the first place. believe me this would have been a wait until the DVD movie if it wasn't Star Wars.

The movie starts off with a predictable deseption and then heads down hill from there. Ewan McGregor proves that he does make an excellent Obi-Wan. But his acting shows exactly how horrible everyone else in the film is, with exception of yoda. Enough said on that. The story seemed forced, no pun intended, and rushed to the "dramatic conclusion.

I would have liked to have seen more of Anikin in control of his feelings, sort of a lancalot character. Doing his best to keep it together while everything around him is falling apart. Shmi's death scene could of been more dramatic if there wasn't already signs of Anikin's lack of control.
This scene I would of completely redone. Having Anakin save his mom only to find as he got back to the farm that she had died during the journey home. Then have him turn around and head back to the Tuskin Raider Camp to kill evryone. This would of made it very delibrate, calculated, and evil. Showing the slip not to be of an impluse but a conscious choice to join the dark side. Yoda knowing only raises the fears that Obi-Wan can't put his finger on.

It also would have been nice if Amidalla was already married to Bail Organa (who is practically invisable in this movie). Making the love affair even more of a secret and putting to rest the reason why the Emporer wouldn't know about Luke.

The Yoda fight scene with Tyranus went too quickly like Miss Piggy on crack. Only during the pauses was it awesome. Yoda on the otherhand did an awesome job leading the clone troopers and had an air of leadership about him that everyone else lacked.

Overall it was a disappointment, the effects were nice and unlike Phantom it was a Star Wars movie. So for a regular movie it was great but for a Star Wars film it came up short.

end of bumble's review

 

First of all, I absolutely loved Episode II......
did i love every single scene and moment in the entire movie?? of course not.....most everyone on this message board owns one or more copies of the OT on video......and when you go back and rewatch those 20 year-old gems of pure bliss......do you not cringe at certain scenes or certain dialogue? the list of flaws in the original trilogy is an endless one.......yet, if you consider yourself a star wars fan of any caliber, then these flaws and miscues and awkward moments only make you appreciate and love the trilogy more.....
instilled within the greatest trilogy ever, is that sense of the imperfect, the cheesy effects, the horrible haircuts, the puppets......whatever, you still love the movies! like most fellow jedi on here, i consider ESB to still be my favourite film of all time......its certainly the most humanistic and emotional of the OT......which brings me to my view of Episode II........

With AOTC, the prequel trilogy is finally on the right track......with a heavy sigh of relief and sheer bewilderment, i sat in one of the only DLP theaters in this great state of Texas, and watched what I will certainly consider to be one of my favourite installments of the SW saga.......

and no, of course I didn't love and adore every single scene, or every time the line "yes, my young apprentice" was spoken.....but the writing had gotten much better since TPM......much more emotion and feeling can be sensed in the angst-ridden diologue of the future Vadar, you can finally see this headstrong kid allowing his emotions to rule him, and send him down the path of the dark side.....how this will eventually come about is yet to be seen.....will he eventually turn because of the agony of his doomed love affair with amidala? obviously, some horrific things are going to have to occur to him in Episode III to push him over the edge.......and i cannot wait until 2005.......

but back to AOTC.......i felt like i could actually feel this movie fitting into the overall saga more than in the last episode........the links are becoming more apparent, the backstory has begun to line up with what we already know.....i actually felt like this was a star wars movie this time around, as weird as that may sound......

and i'm so tired of the naysayers filling the air with their endless criticism and worthless banter......these movies will never please all the people, all the time.....this you can be assured of.......you cannot critique this movie as you would any other hollywood blockbuster that comes out.....these films are more than that, they are engraved into the very fabric of our modern culture......you cannot watch one single sci-fi movie today, and see referrences, or technology, or effects that were pioneered during the original trilogy......and you cannot judge this movie based soley upon some occasional awkward dialogue......that has always been there......this is not a shakespearean play......you go into the theater knwing this, or you are an idiot.....i just loved the comment Roger Ebert made about how "there is not one line of quotable dialogue that you will remember after seeing this movie." You missed it completely Roger......these films are meant to be experienced, not quoted for your damn movie review! and i normally totally agree with Ebert.......

Episode II was the best fun i have had in a movie theater in a long time......much has been said about the amazing visuals and effects and cgi and yada, yada, yada.......and i dare say, you will not witness a more intense, more bewildering action sequence than the final battle, in ANY movie until Episode III comes out.........the screen was so filled with slashing light sabers and laser fire and explosions, that my eyes were tearing up because i didn't dare blink for fear that i would miss something......

and yes, i definitely wanted to major fight sequences between OBI-WAN and Jango, and OBI/ANI/DOOKU, and YODA/DOOKU to last longer.......who didn't? but what i did see was incredibly entertaining.....i was let down that n

 

I've seen this movie twice now. I'll go over the things I didn't like first:
Lucas's script-writing skills haven't improved much, not even with the aid of Hales. There aren't many memorable lines, and there are some between Hayden and Natalie that made me cringe. The lightsaber duels are too short, and not exciting enough (although the way Anakin and Dooku fought in the darkness was cool, and I'm sure i don't even need to tell anyone how cool Yoda was).
The good points were that it was more action-packed and the effects were great.
Overall, it was a good film, though still not matching the epic action and moving scenes from the Original Trilogy.

 

This movie rocks.

I've been anticipating this film for three years and have never been so excited about watching a movie as I was about watching this one, but as i stood in line on opening night, in the back of my mind i knew that there was a chance that i would be dissapointed. But not only did this movie exceed my expectations, it blew them away. It is by far the best Star Wars since ESB, and maybe the best ever.

AOTC did an awesome job of setting up the turn of Anakin into Darth Vader. Hayden put forth and excellent performance and really made you belive that he would become Vader. One scene that sticks is the his massacre of the Tusken Raiders and him confessing it to Padme. It was a great scene. Also you started to see his anger and defiance of the Jedi even from his first scene.

Also it did a great job of setting up the fall of the Republic and rise of the Empire. Ian Mcdiarmads excellent performance as Chancellor Palpatine had a big part to do with this. I especially liked the final scene as they showed him looking over the clones with the Imperial March music in the background. It was an excellent scene. Also, though I am not a Jar Jar hater, i was glad to see how Lucas made it seem as if is Jar Jars fault that the Empire rose by giving Palpatine complete Power.

Also great were the baddies. Jango Fett was cool, as was Boba in the original trilogy. His fight scene with Obi-Wan on Kamino and in the asteroid field was great, as was his final battle with Windu. Also i liked the father-son relationship between Boba and Jango. But even bettter was Christopher Lee as Count Dooku. He is always great and no different this time. It will be interesting to see what happens to him in Episode 3.

Ewan McGregor put forth the best human performance by far as Obi-Wan. He almost seems to be channeling Alec Guiness. He also has a great Master-Padawan chemistry with Anakin. The chase scene is great. The not so great performance is Natalie Portman. Though an improvement, she still seems stiff as in Phantom Menace. Still she looks the role and I cant think of anyone better for the role.

All the usual characters were great as well. It was awesome to see R2 and C3PO together again and they were great comic relief. I also liked seeing Owen and Beru Lars make an appearance here. And i hope to see Jimmy Smits as Bail Organa have a greater role in the next movie.

And the action was just great. From the Coroscant chase, to the Kamino Escape, to the Asteroid Field and the Droid Factory. The action rocked. But the final forty minutes were just plan magic. Thats what movies are all about. From the Arena battle to the Jedis vs. Droids. And then the arrival of the clones it was great. Its the best Action Scene in Star Wars yet. And the final duel scene was great. Anakin with the two lightsabers was cool and it was also interesting that he got his hand cut off.

But obviously the moment we will all remeber is Yoda fighting. It was so great. It is a instant classic in movie history. I dont know what can top that scene. Yoda kicks ass.

So overall this is a great film and you should ignore what the critcs say. This film rocks and I cant wait to see it again.

Bring on Episode III

 

My review:

MY WIFE LOVED IT.

Need I say more? She was glued to her seat with the biggest grin I have seen on her face during a movie in a long time.
She went in unspoiled. I was completely spoiled, and yet surprized at the same time by little things, like Padme hiding the key in her mouth.

The movie captured me with the graphics. The characters were realistic. The action was not overdone, and left me wanting more.
We all laughed at the evil look on Yoda's face, but I was impressed by the way they made him fight without looking goofy.
Yoda's close ups were spectacular. Some of the walking shots of him were poor though. Anakin riding the cow creature was poor cgi.

I truely believed everything else though. I felt like I was going to fall in the chase scene. I could feel the vastness of the cloning chambers.
I can't wait for the DVD so that I can set up the surround sound and play it at home turned all the way up.


I give it only a 9 because the wedding scene was too short to explain it well.

 

dont forge, gl could have changed his mind and not done the prequels.we all need to come together and love all the films.they all have their good and bad points.these films are like your own kids,you love them all the same.what i want to know is will they put ian into the esb like they should have for the special edition.
tesb 10
anh 10
ROTJ 8.5
TPM 8
AOTC 9

 

ATTACK OF THE CLONES INDEED!

Reading this contest thread is like being bombarded by an attack of clones. Do you all think and write identically? Whether you like or despise AOTC all of your reviews rehash the same old tired ideas. The premise is always the same: TPM totally wrecked my world and I was skeptical that AOTC would deliver, however AOTC although it does excel TPM is not without its flaws ad nauseum.

Bollocks! Poppycock!

I screen The Phantom Menace with great regularity as often as several times a week. The only Star Wars film I screen as often is the 1977 original. Although I love esb and rotj, I only screen those several times annually, or else I would become very annoyed. The Phantom Menace requires and stands up to repeat viewings as much as Vertigo and Citizen Kane. It is a classic of the ages, having nothing to do with petty fanboy prejudices.

So, my concern upon entering AOTC was would it compare to the absolute cinematic grandeur of The Phantom Menace. Would I love it as much as THX 1138 and American Graffitti? Would the legacy of the greatest working auteur remain intact and totally unspoiled?

Mr Lucas has delivered his most peculiar and original work to date. The images linger long after the screening and the ideas and metaphors constantly reoccur upon reflection. Viewing Attack of the Clones from a psychoanalytic perspective, it is a work of pure genius.

Some of the great moments: Obi-Wan falling as in a nightmare; Anakin falling as if flying in a dream...Padme in leather corset as Anakin protests of his agony and his desire to obey her every wish. Padme dominates him in behavior and is the object of obsession in Anakin's Mind. Padme is also obviously a surrogate mother figure to Anakin...The war with the Separatists resembles our phony War on Terrorism, seeing that the head of state is secretly the enemy behind the scenes, manipulating public opinion and instigating fascism...Your weapons, you will not need them: Both Jango and Obi-Wan lose their weapons mid-fight...There are more decapitations onscreen in Attack of The Clones than in any PG rated movie ever: 3 Tuskens, Jango Fett, and C-3PO, 3 times (See-Threedecapitations), obviously a theme, the number three occurs as a visual metaphor continually, as it did in The Phantom Menace...

On my third viewing I left the theatre feeling gloomy, sad for Bail Organa and feeling VERY afraid for that kooky couple. On the same viewing I was struck by the light touch of the arena section, in contrast to the moments of arabesque that surround it. I must watch this movie many times and I will always be happy to screen it for anyone who is curious, and I will always be into discussing its implications.

Overall verdict: Another Lucas Masterpiece; unappreciated and underrated by contemporary critics. It will stand the test of time and pass with 100% correct.

 

Up (for any additional reviews).

 

I realize the contest is over but I saw AOTC for the first time today and thought this was the most appropriate place to post my review.

I have to admit leaving the theatre very disappointed. My inital thought was, "If George Lucas writes Episode III rather than someone else (ala TESB), I'll just wait for it to come out on DVD." The story was VERY shallow-- little to no character development and the love story was just ridiculous. I can't believe that a woman as sophisticated as Padme would fall in love with someone as immature and ANGRY as Anakin. I just wasn't buying it at all.

However, a few hours later I've come to the realization, albeit very late, that Episodes I and II were designed (we can only hope) to set up a great and VERY dark finish in Episode III. About 100 times darker than TESB I'm hoping. And that 25 years ago George was smart enough to realize the meat of the entire story is in Episodes IV, V and VI. I mean when you look at history, for the most part, who really cares what led up to the American Civil War, WWII, etc? People are more interested in what happened from the start of a war to it's conclusion. That's what people remember. Clearly the OT had more appeal because of this. While the politics leading up to the OT are sort of interesting, they can't hold a candle to the "Star Wars" (OT). Anyhow, JMHO.


What I liked about AOTC:

1. The acting was much better than I had anticipated. I had read many reviews and was expecting something god awful. It was pretty good considering the script.

2. Of course the CGI was outstanding. A big step up from TPM which was well done.

3. Yoda. Enough said.

4.<turn on obvious statement mode> Natalie Portman is a hottie! </turn off obvious statement mode>. She was stunning.

5. Christopher Lee was quite good and believable as a Sith Lord.

6. The musical score was a nice upgrade from a pretty forgettable score for TPM. It also touched on the OT quite a bit more.

7. The chase through Coruscant was fun but a bit too long.

8. Jango Fett and his fight with Obi Wan. Again, enough said.


What I didn't like about AOTC:

1. Weak script as mentioned above. And the plot was sometimes a little hard to follow. This was definitely NOT a movie for a non or casual Star Wars fan.

2. The love story was forced and not believable. Again as mentioned above.

3. None of the characters (outside of a few Anakin temper tantrums) seemed to have any passion or "human" qualities like they did in the OT. They were a little wooden. I mostly blame this on the poorly written script and not on the actors. Lucas is more interested in moving the plot along rather than developing characters. There's no question about this anymore.

4. Not dark enough. At least not as dark as I thought this episode was suppose to be.

5. The second AOTC ended I said "that's it!?" I was expecting even more plot development. It appears Episode III will have to be a 3 hour movie to deal with all of the loose ends.

6. The lightsaber duel between Dooku/Tyranus and Yoda was extremely short. Even the fight between Dooku/Tyranus and Obi Wan & Anakin was very short. I was expecting a battle. It was pretty one sided.

7. The Jedi powers are a very inconsistent. This is a minor complaint though.


There are undoubtedly other Pros and Cons I could list but I'm getting pretty tired.


Bottom Line:

AOTC was better than TPM which was a pretty easy hurdle to get over. But AOTC still didn't come anywhere near the OT. This, IMO, is due to a poorly written script as far as character development is concerned.

I'm cautiously optimistic that Episode III will be the film all of us in the "The Empire Strikes Back is still the best in the Star Wars series" club have been waiting for. However, if George writes it, I fear the plot will move along but we won't get the emotion that a dark story should have.

Remember, George did not write the screenplay for TESB or direct it. And by most people's account (at least of my generation), it's still the bes

 

Episode II is the most entertaining SW film, and I consider it an equal to Empire as the best SW film. I will only grow to love it more as time goes on. It has unrivaled, intense action, and its dramatic scenes have moved me in a way no other SW film has. I thought TPM was very good, about on the level of Return of the Jedi. I am a staunch defender of TPM. But AOTC really does improve on every level. Absolutely everything I had hoped for in a new Star Wars film. The only disappointment was the music. Williams delivered a hauntingly beautiful love theme, but that was about it. Every other SW has had about 4-5 new themes, and the rehash of Phantom Menace music in ATOC was a travesty. There was so much opportunity for great new music in the final battle. (Yoda's theme set to the fast paced action of his fight?) And where was Anakin's theme? I heard it briefly about twice in the whole movie about Anakin.

However, I have every hope Williams will redeem himself in Episode II. Duel of the Fates will be back in full form, so we can look forward to that.

AOTC rocks. Anyone who thinks otherwise is biased, missing the point, too cynical, unimaginitive, etc. (take your pick)
It will last forever as a great testament to what the imagination is truly capable of, and as a premium installment to the SW saga.

 

"AOTC rocks. Anyone who thinks otherwise is biased, missing the point, too cynical, unimaginive, etc. (take your pick)"


I pick biased. Biased by seeing the OT starting in 1977 when I was 8 years old. And in my opinion, TESB is still the best because not only the plot was developed but so were ALL of the characters, not just one, maybe two like in AOTC.

AOTC has its moments though. The visual and sound effects were tremendous but that's a given with a SW movie.

JMO.

 

After my first viewing I loved it and rated it #5 in my preference. Now after the fourth viewing, I must concede AOTC IS THE GREATEST! BEST STAR WARS EVER! RIGHT ON!

Don't like the dialogue? It improves with familiarity. This will be a great movie to talk along with word for word, like anh. The script is SO funny upon familiarity.

It's the best of them all. without a doubt. GO PADME! ROCK ON GIRL! SHE IS THE BOMB!

 

I agree that the characters were better in the OT. But I also take into account things like art direction, costuming, fight choreography, etc. and these are things that AOTC and TPM clearly do undeniably better than the OT. So, I consider AOTC to be as good and ESB, being better in some areas, and lesser than in others.

 

"Don't like the dialogue? It improves with familiarity. This will be a great movie to talk along with word for word, like anh. The script is SO funny upon familiarity."


Trying to keep an open mind, I guess I need to see the movie again.

Goodnight.

 

Hey Hey guys. I got a good point to point out. Darth Shade(member of force.net) wrote a review on Empire Strikes Back as if the PT came first and the OT came last. I just love how he did his review. Because it shows that if ESB came right now we would complain complain complain. Just because they comparte it. LEt's just say the PT came first, people would not know that padme and anakin would fall in love Would they no. Getting anakins arm cut off would be a huge huge wow! but now we have the OT. See we see saw these movies back in the day and when we watch them now we dont critisze it as much because the picture in our mind is still the one that left the theater 20 years ago. Im not trying to diss the OT or saying theat AOTC doesnt have flawas because it does but doesnt every star wars movie have some. People are overly critical sometimes. Watching a movie isnt like passing a kidney stone. But some people think that, I just wish people can give George lucas a break. Yeh he isnt the best writer but he can tell a story, darn good one too. And yes the screenplay to ESB was wrote by him whoever said it wasnt. He got help from Kasdan. So heres the review that Darth Shade put. I find it amusing and great.
And man did it suck!! George Lucas has lost his touch... big time! Now I grew up on the original trilogy; as a kid, I used to dream of being just like Anakin Skywalker--even after he turned to the dark side. I grew up with him, as well as the other characters, and I was also stunned by the complexity of this galaxy far far away. Episode 3, easily the darkest in the saga continues to be my favorite--you do not get more dramatic than Anakin's turn to the dark side--how awful that we had to wait 20 years before we got the next installment!!

Episode 4, A New Hope, was in many ways a victim of its own hype. True, it didn't live up to the originals, but I still thought it was an okay movie. Probably the thing that annoyed me the most was Obi-wan lying to Luke. It was TOTALLY against his character; the obi-wan I grew up with would never lie, not even to protect someone from the truth. Also, killing him off was a bad move. He was my favorite character, and his potential in this new franchise was amazing.

But this latest installment, Episode 5, The Empire Strikes Back (what kind of lame title is that?) was a stinking pile of rubbish, with an isolated moment or two that brought back memories of the old glory days of Star Wars. Let me begin with the few things I liked.

1. I like Han Solo. He's probably the only good actor in the whole thing, apart from Sir Alec Guinness whose character gets reduced to nothing more than a cameo where he does his best Ewan McGregor impersonation.

2. Darth Vader is still an awesome villain who is put to far better use in this one than the last time around. I loved the way he kept killing Imperial Officers. He?s still not as cool as Count Dooku, though.

And that's about it. There were moments here and there that were enjoyable, but they were quickly lost and forgotten. And now, on to the bad...

1. Why oh why did they create that whole sub-plot at the beginning where Luke gets abducted by the ice creature? It was uninteresting, slowed the forward advancement of the plot down pointlessly, and besides, we didn't even get the see the darn thing! And why the heck didn't it just kill Luke in the first place instead of leaving him unconscious with his lightsabre conveniently beside him? It's unbelievable plot-holes like this that pull me right out of the movie, and this movie is full of them!

2. The Battle of Hoth was okay, but I constantly found myself wishing for the epic battles of the Clone Wars. It was just a by-the-numbers battle, lacking any sense of danger or excitement. And why on earth would the empire bother sending down those dumb clumsy walkers when they could have just blasted to rebel base from orbit? Or they could have sent down fighter craft to take it out. And how convenient that the rebels just so happened to have those cable things installed on their craft.

3.