CONTEST: Post your SW2 Review here!

My review has a retrospective and is very long so please bear with me while I wax poetically about the past.

At the age of ten I saw Star Wars and my life was transformed into a world of wonder in a galaxy far,far away. The look, the sounds, the wonder, a definding moment in my life.

I will never be the same

At the age of 13 the impossible happened, TESB came out and was even better than the first Star Wars and I was literally blown away. I left the theatre glowing. I was thrilled (Hoth battle, asteriod chase,Luke vs. Vader),happy (best one-liners and faicial expressions from Han then any of the other movies) and sad (for Luke), worried(what was going to happen to Han),proud (Lando Carission, an African-American in StarWars), frightened (Vader was more menacing than in the first) and inspired (the Imperial march theme, Luke's training and of course, Master Yoda, nuff said).

I walked out of that theatre on cloud 9, glowing with a grin from ear to ear.

By the time ROTJ came out, I was 16 and by then I discovered there was actually a world outside of StarWars (namely girls), but still I got in a very long line and waited like everyone else to see the third installment.

The Excitment and wonderment was still there, but I felt somewhat let down because of the EWOKS and the downplay of Han and Leia in the movie. The scenes with Luke/Vader/and the Emperor was great as well as the space battle and the final shot of Anankin,Obi-wan and Yoda made me swell up with tears.

All was right in the galaxy far,far away.

16 years later I'm all grown up and have experience everything that goes with it
(being responsible and unfortunetly growing somewhat cynical,life you know), and suddenly it happen again.

Star Wars had return... with the first episode, THE PHANTOM MENANCE. I could relive my childhood.

The wonder and excitment was still there but I left with the same feeling I had with ROTJ, somewhat let down. It didn't feel complete. I wasn't one who gushed over it but I didn't bash it either. Hey, a so-so StarWars movie is better that none at all.

Last night I saw the second installment, Attack of the Clones.

Despite what some reviews say and even some members on this board state, THAT MOVIE WAS INCREDIBLE! THAT is a STAR WARS movie! A Classic.

There will be many moments that is considered movie classics in this movie that we will be talking about certainly and the implications of events forever in hindsight of the PTs as well as the OTs.

From the opening scene with Padme's ship flying into Coruscant I was mesmorized. The grey fog surrounding the platform set the stage for that movie. Certainly not the "dark" film everyone said it'll be, but it's certainly heading the series that way.

Obi-Wans trying to calm down Anakin seeing Padme again was nice and it set up their relationship very well.

The Couscant chase scene is amazing and the banter between Obi-Wan and Anakin is great. The bar scene has replaced the one in ANH as the ultimate bar scene, Obi-wan is one not to messs around with and just plain cool.

Ewan McGreggor is perfect as a younger Obi-Wan Kenobi. As quick-witted as Sir Alec was in ANH and as devilish as well. There are some scenes where he reminds me of Alec Guiness, it's scary. Perfect casting, and they used him to the tee in the movie. When he kill the Acklay(sp?),shocking! it's amazing how vicious Obi-Wan can be.

One thing that came to me seeing Obi-wans and Anakin interaction is that scene in ANH when he softly says to himself "...And he was a good friend".

I look at it now differently as more of regret and not of just missing a dead friend. Obi-wan may regret that he was more of a mentor than a friend to Anakin. Anakin certainly had more affection toward Obi-wan than Obi-wan had to him as shown in the way he talked and thought about him in AOTC. Which is proboly why Anakin's thinking Obi-Wan betraying him hurts him so bad.

The fight between Obi-wan and Jango was just as great including the space battle. that sonic sounding thing-a-mig Jango uses

 

I couldn't disagree more with the negative critics. I totally felt the power of this film. Anakin has been thinking about Padme for ten years. So it's easy to know why he falls in love her so bad. Padme has dated a few times, but she's usually to busy to be in a real relationship. She cares for Anakin, In episode I like a little brother or son, but she feels for him, but now he's all grown up. This is her opportunity to find romance. I thought it was believable.


There were also cool little things I liked in this film too. Obiwan meeting his friend Dexter. That whole scene was classic. Yoda with the Younglings and Obiwan. That Magical scene as they search for the lost planet. The somber music, just Beautiful. The Jedi Library, just cool. The way Obiwan stumbles upon the clone facility and pretends to act like he supposed to be there for the inspection, lol.

I like Obiwan and Anakin talking about a past adventure on the Elevator and Obiwan does a little laugh, Classic. The arguments between Anakin and Obiwan were awesome. I love the way Anakin kept doing what he wanted. The Chase scene was fun. It was like a ride at Universal. It was also cool to see a girl for a change, doing some cool action scenes in a Star Wars film.

The part where Anakin and Padme kiss as they're brought into the Arena. The love theme comes on, Awesome! You can't help, but think this will all bring what's to come in the future films. Obiwan looks at Anakin and Padme and realizes what's happening. I love that scene. I love the way Padme escapes first from the pillar. She seems to be on top of the things. That was cute and badass of her at the sametime. The Monsters coming in at each pillar. It was dramatic.

Yoda commanding the Clonetroopers. I love the way they kept saying, Yes sir Master Yoda. The cool War at the end was shot realistically. Chasing Count Dooku, fun stuff. Obiwan yelling at Anakin after Padme falls out. She didn't fall that far and it was sand and her performance when she gets up wasn't bad at all. The lightsaber fight, classic. Yoda fighting. Icing on the cake. I like the way this film just started and went along, no boring setups like Episode I. Jango fett Obiwan fight was awesome. I like Obiwans & Jango's first meeting, and that kid playing Young Boba Fett was a far better actor then Jake Loyd.

I love the relationship between him and his Dad. How about the way a lot of aliens finally talked in unrecognizable dialect. Or that robot in the meeting with Count Dooku. He adjust some tuner on is chest and it makes this cool noise, classic. It's like, what is that? It was odd, but that's what was so great. That weird way those charges Jango sends out in the asteroid field. There's silence as they hit. Then this strange noise and then a sizemic wave, what is that? I love that! Or the way when Count Dooku is preparing to leave on his flying bike thing. You hear that same emergency alert sound from the ending of Return of the Jedi.

When Obiwan says to Yoda, If it wasn't for the Clones. We wouldn't have won, and Yoda says, Won!? He gives this great speech. Yoda knows it's not over. The Clones weren't made for the Republic. They were made for the Emperor. This is awesome and don't get me started on the Tatoonie Homestead scenes, Classic, It felt so familiar. Hayden's performance in these scenes. I got a lump in my throat.

Count Dooku brings the Dethstar plans to the Emperor. Did you notice, how after they show the Dethstar hologram. We go to the next scene during the battle and the classic Star Wars theme comes on, Woohoo!, Perfect. You can see how the puzzle is coming together. I just love this Film and I feel sorry for people who didn't feel the Magic. Star Wars is back and I'm Happy

 

First of all, I have to say that TFN RULES!! (going for brownie points ) I also have to say that people who have a problem with The Phantom Menace can take it up with me. Jar Jar wasn't that bad guys!

Attack of the Clones is the best thing that I have ever seen! My old friend George has done it once again! I went to the midnight showing as Darth Vader and couldn't have been more pumped to see it. The beginning shots of Coruscant in the fog were visually stunning and I knew right then that I would not be able to avert my eyes even to blink. The chase seen on Coruscant was one of my favorite! I loved finally being able to see deeper into the planet's core and the goings-on there. The "billboard" signs were neat. The visuals throughout the whole film were remarkable, and I thought that Yoda appeared very realistic for a CGI character.(GO YODA!!)


The Story was fantastic, special effects were more than top notch, the acting was very good, and Padme's wardrobe was worth drooling over. (If you're reading this Natalie, CALL ME!) Another thing that I loved was Obi Wan's one-liners. Much more reminiscent of the original trilogy. My brother and I were jokingly poking fun at Mace Windu's great contributions to the dialogue, as he mostly agreeing with Yoda and pointing out the obvious. "Jedi good, Dooku bad." He's a good character though.

I had trouble staying still for the first 2 hours because I had heard of the whole Arena/Yoda fight ending. After seeing it three times already (I organized a skipping of the schooling) I have to say WOW!!! I get shivers down my spine. The lightsaber battles with Count Dooku were great, but I wish that they could have lasted a little bit longer.

When Yoda finally came in, I stood up in my seat and yelled "You're gonna die now Dooku!!" and was promtly responded to with a "Sit down and shut up!", to which I agreed for 3 seconds. Let me state for the record that Yoda is, has been, and always will be "The man." (sorta) I laughed my brains out, it was so cool! I wish that that fight could have lasted for about twenty minutes longer. I thought that Yoda was going to throw that pillar at Dooku's ship, too! Crap!

The ending left me hungry for more, and I thought to myself "Episode 3" will rule the movie business for as long as mankind is around." Until 2005, Attack of the Clones will have to do. Well, I have to go out and see the 1:30 matinee. After that, I'll be in line for Episode 3 if you're looking for me.

P.S. I just happen to be building my dvd collection and I don't know what to get next. I don't have any money either because I spent it all on the movie. If only someone were putting on a contest and giving away a free one. Hmm...

 

I saw AOTC in the best atmosphere imaginable; with Star Wars fans at midnight. I left the theatre with renewed hope that Lucas got some of the elements back into the series that were missing in EP1. First off, I liked AOTC. So much so that I rate it 2nd in the existing 5 films. What scored points in my book is the action. Without all of the action, this film may have been a dud. I'm thankful that Lucas's comments about the movie being a love story weren't entirely exploited in the film, it's more of a back story. The acting is better done by the older, mature actors but the young actors shouldn't be knocked so hard for their staleness. The character of Anakin Skywalker could be best explained in psychological terms in order to define who he is and why Christiansen's performance appears so "hammed". Other critics and fans have derided the acting and the unbelievability of a love between Padme and Anakin. It was believable since in today's world "quickie" marriages take place all the time with couples knowing each other for less than 2 weeks. Padme's stance as a politician and royal figure means that she's unable to fully understand a former slave that has all of the galaxy on his shoulders by being "the chosen one". Shakesperean acting we shouldn't expect, just personalities being portrayed on screen. Acting in EP1 was flat due to poor script writing. Jonathan Hales made a valiant attempt to correct the mistakes and he succeeded.
The CGI effects are outstanding, it was hard to tell the difference between a CGI clonetrooper and a real one during the battle scenes. Yoda does steal the film with his lightsaber duel and for this Lucas deserves an "A" for giving fans a glimpse of Yoda's true powers. The villains of the film are less shallow than EP1, but Jango Fett has entirely not enough screen time, his demise came way too quickly for a character that has been plastered all over the web pages, billboards, and toy stands. The lightsaber duels are adequate and right for the movie (other critics complained that they weren't impressive enough). Unlike EP1, Count Dooku is trying to escape not destroy the Jedi so shouldn't that make the duels less exciting?! After all, with plans for a ultimate weapon in tow, escape is better than being defeated.
Lucas has stated that EP2 would be a darker film. He has lived up to the statement. With members of the senate looking down upon the Grand Army of the Republic (thousands of Clonetroopers)forming in Coruscant, the film gives a peek of what to expect in EP3. Not even the final scene of Anakin and Padme joining in marriage can sweeten the ending, it's just the beginning of the tragedy that Mr. Lucas has so wonderfully weaved for the audience. That is why I give this film an: A-.

 

This seems to be the only general reaction thread going. So even though I'm not really sure I'm interested in entering a contest, I posted my thoughts on the movie on my web journal: http://www.riley-man.com/rileymain/journal/jentry.asp

In my rush to get all my thoughts out, I neglected to mention that my heart was racing during the Tuscan slaughter!

 

ANDY's REVIEW !! (spoiler-free)

Well folks. It has been accomplished. I have been to the Clones. I'll try to put it into the words the best that I can just what I experienced early Thursday morning...

"They arrived just before Dawn.."
I fell asleep last night while watching my EPISODE 1 DVD. Somewhere before the Pod Race I was tanked on the couch and didn't awake until the end Saber Duel with Darth Maul. In a sleepy haze I watched Obi-Wan slice Maul in half and send him plummeting into the vast pit. JOY ! I actually didn't make it up to bed after that until around 4:45am.

After not nearly enough sleep my bro calls to warn me of his impending EARLY arrival (8:30am). HE arrived with his girl Sabrina in tow and all very excited we made our way to the AMC STUDIO 30 theater. We wanted to be at the door early to assure optimal seating. But no one was there at all yet so we made a little excursion next door to the Wal-Mart where Robbie and Sabrina, the action figure SHARKS found 4 new SW figures to add to his almost complete (30+) collection of AOTC action figures. I, also, catching their figure fever, picked up an ORN FREE TAA figure myself. Yea.. he's a big ol blue guy who gets about 15 seconds on screen time in the film..but he's a cool looking figure. Anyways.. so we took our bounty back to our vehicle and returned to STUDIO 30.

Now I preface all of this by saying that for the last few years I have EXCLUSIVELY attended all my movies at the AMC STUDIO 30 off of Westhimer. I have found them to have superior theaters in all respects. Just recently Wesley and I saw Spider-Man there and enjoyed crisp clear digital surround sound with all the trimmings. So I have trusted these guys. BIG TIME.

"I've got a bad feeling about this"
In line, all snuggled in for a nice 2 hour sit we began conversing with other SW fans. We were very proud of our "first showing" tickets for the 11:45am show. Robbie had been 3rd in line to pick them up the very first day that ADVANCED ticket sales began. So we were a little ummm.."twisted" to hear that the 2 guys behind us had to tickets to a 10:15am showing. FUGGIN WHAT??? So after much himming and hawing the theater employees invited ALL people with 10:15am tickets into the theater. These 10:15am tickets were purchased YESTERDAY. not 2 weeks ago... yesterday. So all of the 11:45am people were a little TICKED as we watched people who had just walked up running into what we thought were going to be our seats in the middle of the theater. these were all the people that DIDN'T buy tickets 2 weeks in advance AND people who didn't arrive as early as we did.

I threw a mini-tantrum at the front desk and at the least got us tickets to an earlier 11:15am showing and 8 free coke and popcorn coupons. So... what am I bitching about? So we didn't get to see the early show....BUT we now had tickets to a show starting 30 minutes earlier AND in one of their bigger deluxe theaters. and to boot we had free concessions.

Sadly... that was only the beginning... (I promise I will get to the review soon)

We did get dead center seats so we were quite pleased....so we waited and bounced around with excitement. 3 long years of waiting for pure joy..

Then the previews started to role.

"Does it look out of focus to you?" Yea... ****.. I hope they fix that before the movie starts. So we suffered through all the trailers straining. and PRAYING that they would turn the sound up. These was NOWHERE approaching digital surround sound. BUT.. it was only the previews...

Finally the time arrived.. We held our breathes and.. and ... and......

Let me cover the technical issues first...
NEVER in my life have I suffered through a more horrifying theater DISASTER than this. Sure..I've had worse screen projection and sound. I lived in Nacogdoches, Texas in my college years where the movies ALWAYS looked like crap, sounded like CRAP etc etc... But that was for garbage movies like UNCLE BUCK or HEART OF DIXIE. NOT for a Star Wars movie. NOT for a movie that manifests itself in popular culture

 

Let me preface this review by admitting I have no idea what Lucas intended to do in this movie. It is possible that AOTC is the most ingenious parody ever created, although why he would want to mock his wonderfully imaginative world is beyond me.

Assuming that AOTC represents an attempt to seriously contribute to SW mythology, however, there is no way I can give this movie a positive review. Here is a list of the most glaring faults:

(1) Dialogue - Truly atrocious. At the midnight showing I attended, large portions of the audience laughed aloud during the Anakin/Padme fireside conversation and I couldn't blame them. Offhand, I cannot think of another major movie with such horrible writing. Indeed, many high school drama troupes could have given these lines more convincing readings.
(2) Acting - This really just accentuates the first fault and perhaps stems from it as well. The only characters who seem to believe in their own existence are Obi-Wan, Palpatine, and Yoda. Everyone else, whether it was their fault or the script's, should be ashamed with their lifeless delivery. Even Christopher Lee fails to do his role justice and comes across as contemptuous not of the Jedi but of AOTC itself (perhaps he was simply comparing the drivel he was handed here with the script for LOTR). By AOTC's conclusion, I would have actually preferred to hear Jar Jar deliver a full length senatorial speech on the taxation of Naboo's spice trade than some of the stilted pontificating that marred this movie.
(3) The Story - From some of the things I've read on this site over the last few months this seems to be related to problems in the movie's editing. As it stands in its theatrical-release version, though, the plot simply doesn't work. Now, I have no problem with cliffhanger endings and unresolved plot-threads - ESB is my favorite SF movie - but there is simply no attempt to explain anything. The biggest cipher in the movie is Lee's Dooku. Without the background story about the "Lost Jedi" and all that, he simply doesn't have any motivation. Sure, he's a sith and they're bad. Great. But he's also a fallen Jedi - a prototype for Anakin. I, for one, would have thought his background more important than some of the mindless aerobics in the droid factory.
(4) Pacing. Many people have commented on how the movie "begins with a bang" and just keeps on chugging along from there. Technically they are right, but there are problems even here that encapsulate the bigger problems of the movie on a microcosmic scale. O.K., so we all know Padme's ship explodes. Does this moment of spectacle and excitement lead into an exciting chase or fight or even animated conversation? No. Instead, we get a uninspired and insignificant death scene followed by a security guard spouting off righteous platitudes about duty. This is then aggravated by a conference where Portman's uncanny ability to suck the life out of any scene makes even her assertion that a former Jedi is trying to kill her seem boring. To summarize then: a 2 second explosion leads into at least 10 minutes of inactivity, poor dialogue, and bad acting.
This pattern is repeated throughout the film (exciting car chase/sad attempt to recreate the cantina scene from SW; interesting mystery on Kamino/dumb romance dialogue; Decent Obi-Wan battle with Jango/boring eavesdropping on Geonosis; slaughter of the "innocents"/Anakin's pathetic narrative to Padme). Every time Lucas seems to get something good going, he invariably kills it with the unnecessary and tedious before you can really enjoy it.
(5) Tone. Two scenes which seem to have met with almost universal praise actually killed this movie for me and led to the comments with which I began this review: the gladitorial combat and Yoda's duel. Let me just say that I laughed more during AOTC than at any other SW movie. Does Lucas really want us laughing at these emotionally pivotal moments, though? I mean, Anakin has just had his arm chopped off - a rather momentous development given the significance of lost appendages throughout the series - and then

 

We?ll never be able to relive the heady days of the initial Star Wars saga (Episodes 4,5,&6). The unique set of circumstances and feelings from both Lucas? and the audience?s perspectives just cannot be duplicated. Things just came together back then and ?gelled? in a once-in-a-lifetime kind of way. HOWEVER, if anything takes me back to the magic and powerful emotions of those days, it is AOTC. The connections Lucas made to the first series of films were much stronger here than in TPM. Being able to see the farm on Tatooine, see a young Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru, and to hear familiar musical themes, brought back those wonderful emotions and sparked some of the old magic from the first movies. AOTC is not perfect. Some of the acting is flat and some scenes lack true emotion. The dialogue will not win any literary awards and Lucas sometimes rushes through scenes, ?wiping? the screen before we really get to savor the stunning visuals or action. But, this is Star Wars and the overall picture that Lucas paints is spectacular. ILM has exceeded all expectations in building a stunning digital world filled with detailed characters- Yoda being the finest digital character ever put on film. Both Ewan McGregor and Christopher Lee rise above the dialogue and Lucas? hands-off directing style to present opposing sides of the Force. The fight scenes and action sequences keep you on the edge of your seat and open a window on the Star Wars universe we haven?t seen before including a Jedi battle, Yoda?s powers and agility, Anakin?s rage and recklessness, and the birth of the Storm Troopers. All the while making story connections, tying up loose ends, and bringing the Star Wars epic to conclusion. Well done George- 9/10.

 

Well,
I've seen it now 3 times. IT IS AWESOME...

However I say that with some reservations based on the negative arguments I
have heard about the movie to date...

It is awesome if you are a true Star Wars fan. It is awesome if you watch
for the little things like the way Yoda is the real star of this movie (not
just because of his big scene either...). It is awesome if you can leave the
movie with more questions than you went in with. It is awesome if you
realize that A) it's not going to be an Oscar winning romance movie and it's
NOT SUPPOSED TO BE...the romance that is there is good enough for you to
believe if you don't stop and think about it. I'm perfectly happy with just
accepting the fact that they fall in love; B) it's not going to be a stand
alone story and it's NOT SUPPOSED TO BE...there are 4 other movies that you
should know about before seeing this movie, they will help you understand
the little subtle jokes and some of the main plot points much better; C)
IT'S A STAR WARS MOVIE: there will be poor dialogue, plot holes and the
acting isn't going to be all that spectacular.

On that note, here's why it's awesome (NO FEARS, NO SPOILERS):
It's awesome because you begin to see the true Star Wars story that you
didn't see in Episode I. The Phantom Menace was for charcter introduction
and to setup the politcal climate that existed at the time that allowed
everything that happened to happen. Along those lines, it did it's job. Jar
Jar...well yes, he's a boob. He's meant to be a boob, but Lucas took things
TOO FAR. However, our knowledge of him as a boob in this movie helps us to
understand why he does some of the things he does...

The story moves reasonably well. It's not wall-to-wall action because it's
an investigation. But there's solid action at the beginning and end that
MORE than make up for the middle in which fact-finding and lovin' happens.

The visual effects are breathtakingly stunning...about 95% of the time.
There are a few shots where I thought...hmmm that doesn't look right...But
what was right...was VERY right...new planets with immense scope and amazing
visual creativity for the landscapes...Planets that we had already visited
given whole new views to see parts of them that we have not seen
previously...at times darkly gorgeous and at times pastoral, almost filling
non-visual senses with the visual clarity...new creatures done on the scale
and detail that could simply never be accompished without the digital
technology. Battle scenes with a frantic intensity yet unachieved in any
Star Wars movie in my opinion with new style camera pans similar to Saving
Private Ryan-type shots which lend to that intensity very well.

But most of all it was awesome because it was Star Wars...true to heart, not
watered down. Great villians matched up against great heroes. Ewan McGregor
and Christopher Lee are outstanding both combining wit and poise to make
formidable Jedi opponents. It was awesome because unlike any other Star Wars
movie, this one makes you want to be a Jedi because they are SO DAMN COOL.
We see part of the scope of the Jedi order like never before...young and
old, and it makes it harder knowing what is in store for all of them...

The Empire Strikes Back will probably always be my favorite movie. Partly
because it's so awesome and partly because I view it in a magical light. I
saw it when I was 5. Old enough to remember, and young enough to not care
about anything other than I was watching Han and Luke again. I remember how
devastated I was leaving that movie. I couldn't believe it! Darth
Vader...Luke's father?!?!? Han was dead?!?!? ( I sure didn't understand the
concept of carbon freezing at 5! ) Luke got his arm cut off by his own
father?!!? The movie has such a history with me that nothing can every
replace it. But knowing that...I stand by my statement that the last 40
minutes of this movie are the best Star Wars I have EVER seen. Absolutely
amazing.

My opinion is that I loved it. I CAN NOT WAIT for the next(and last )

 

It was worth the wait in line. Let's just start out with that.
It was great. I must say the best Star Wars movie yet. All those critics must have watched with earplugs in and their eyes shut. Everything, except maybe some acting, was perfect.
The beginning starts pretty much with action. About 10 or 15 minutes after the opening scroll Obi-Wan (played by Ewan McGregor) and Anakin (played by Hayden Christensen) are off chasing a bad guy. I'm not going to get into detail, but the chase is actually very enthralling, and I enjoyed every minute of it.
Throughout the whole movie, Padme (played by Natalie Portman) and Anakin get back together and fall in love (again...sorta...). The scenes where they are together are sometimes sappy. The kissing scene is ever so slightly sappy, but not as much as the picnic retreat. Perfect waste of time. Their first meeting is melodramtic, in a way. But otherwise, both Portman and Christensen did a great job of portraying two lovers *makes a lovey dovey face*
Obi-Wan is the saving grace of this movie. He's got some really good lines. Such as: "Why do I have the feeling you'll be the death of me?"---"Blast! This is why I hate flying!"---"It's not flying I mind, but what you're doing is suicide!". You'd really have to watch the film to understand what those really mean, but they're hilarious when you see them, and there are more where they came from. He also is the perfect Jedi Master. He shows great skills, leadership, and holds the movie together.
The Trade Federation comes back in, allied with Count Dooku (played by Christopher Lee). Nute Gunray and Rune Hako are still the stupid stunted slime, and they should have been left out.
The Sith are back, but don't have an attitude like Darth Maul. No, this time they're cooler than before. Most of it comes together, but there were still a bit of stuff that needs patching up for Episode 3. But Lee played Dooku well, and he's perfect for the Sith part (and he can swing that lightsaber pretty well too).
I must say that the worst, the absolute WORST part of the movie, was the return of Jar Jar Binks. He's worst than the first, and that just gives you the idea. His talk is ridiculous, his walk is ridiculous, everything he says is ridiculous, and why they put him back in I have no clue. He is indeed the armpit of the film.
The final battle with the clone army and the Trade Federation battle droids is awesome. Pretty much 98% of that whole sequence in complete CGI and special effects. The best I've seen in all my life. The Jedi come in and kick butt, and I've never seen so many lightsabers/lasers/fighters/ships in my life in a movie. They've really outdone themselves.
And then, for the final take, the Jedi. Mace Windu comes back in for butt-kicking lines, and lightsaber. He proves he's the Master, and so do the others of the Jedi Council. But...
Yoda proves he's better than Mace.

In all, Attack of the Clones is a great film, I loved it, it's a must-see.

9 out of 10

 

I read the spoilers on TFN. I read the elusive scriptment and the somewhat accurate screenplay some time ago.
I read the visual encyclopedia, the incredible cross-sections, the annotated screenplay, the comic book, even the coloring book!
I still lined up with my fellow middle-aged geeks at 11pm Wednesday night for the 12:01am screening.
And...my...jaw...dropped!
Unbelievable is a remark I reserve only to describe things I really enjoy (like AOTC, a good steak, the tropical fish seen while snorkeling) and things that are unbelievably stupid (like anything a politician does).
AOTC was unbelievable.

The acting was mediocre at best. Maybe because I knew most of the lines.

The characters, however, were much more developed.

Anakin was great, although he sort of talks like a punk.

Padme was hot stuff, although some of her lines were flat.

Yoda. Enough said there.

Sam Jackson had a bigger role than I expected, and it was nice to see the other Jedi Masters in action.

I would have liked to see more of Darth Sidious, although one can argue that when we see Palpatine, we are really seeing Sidious, since so many of Palpatine's statements are so filled with evil that only the audience sees.

The action was terrific. The digital characters has evolved 10 fold since TPM.
Even Watto and Jar-Jar looked better.

AORTC makes TPM a better movie, and really makes ANH, ESB and ROTJ better also, as we can see where the Stormtroopers came from, how Obi-Wan became a General, where Leia learned to do her hair, and where Beru learned to find new uses for Blue Milk.

Really, AOTC is two movies:

1. The beginning - re-establishes character relationships and sets up the situation for all out war.

2. The end - from the escape from Kamino onward was just a non-stop thrill ride.

Things I would have liked to have seen from the novel:

At the very least a few scenes with Padme's family - where they tell her about the way Anakin looks at her.

The senate scene where Palpatine is shocked at hearing of Padme's assassination, then is "surprised" to hear that she is alive. Although, one could argue that the Trade Federation was acting along in their bid to bump off Padme.

The rest was just what it should have been.

I especially like the background stuff Lucas puts in, like the pit droids scavenging parts, the window replacement droids on Padme's apartment, people milling about in various outdoor scenes, because that's what people do. I liked the sports games on the screens in the club.

Overall, I think Lucas made all the right choices. His cast is perfect. Ewan IS Obi-Wan, and when you see Anakin's shadow on the Tatooine homestead wall, you can almost make out Darth Vader's shadow. If you slap the helmet on Anakin, well, there you have it.

I give it 4.97 out of 5.

 

It just makes sense. The Movie just makes sense.

Now we get to see how things happen. Why they call Yoda a master. Why Anakin falls for Padme and a hint to how Anakin turns to the darkside for good. We see the struggle that OBI-one has to keep Anakin in line while trying to teach him to control his feelings and anger. How the clones come about and why the battle of Naboo came to be so important in Episode I.
We see how the clone wars come into happening and how Palpatine comes into power. We see the begining of the fall of the JEDI. We see hints of the evil that Anakin can do and how Padme can love someone who can be so cruel.
I belive the duels could have lasted longer but the Anakin vs Dooku fight was a shadow of things to come. An Evil Palpatine feeding the ego of a young VADER. All we have to wait for now is just the completion of the story.

I would say this is a 10/10

 

star wars episode two attack of the clones proves that George Lucas has still got it! starting the film off with a bang there was not a dull moment to be seen. carrying on ten years from the somewhat dissapionting phantom menace Clones is a story of forbidden love amongst a galaxy on the brink of war.
vetarens of Phantom menace ewan mcgreggor and natalie portman are joined by hayden christensen to take the lead roles. performances from all three of them were creditable given the fact that the diologue was somewhat stale at times.
by far an improvement on the Phantom menace i give this film a grand 9 out of 10

 

First of all, I enjoyed Episode I. Was it a magnificent, wonderous, sweeping epic that takes your breathe away when you watch it? Is Episode II? The answer to all of these questions is NO. However, neither is any ONE chapter of War and Peace!

The "professional" critics just don't get it. The whole Star Wars phenomenon is not about one movie. For the entire story to be told properly, it must be told through several chapters.

I have greatly enjoyed each of the episodes! Episodes I and IV bring out the kid in me (no, I didn't HATE Jar-Jar, believe it or not. Annoying, yes, but he has his place in THAT chapter of the story). Episodes II and V really make me see and reflect on the "big picture" that the entire story is presenting. Episode VI got me out of my seat wanting to yell: "Down with the Empire!" as it crumbled, just as I suspect Episode III will have me yelling "Down with the Empire!" as it begins to rise!

Bottom line, was Episode II the best movie ever? even the best Star Wars ever? In my opinion, no. However, is the entire Star Wars saga possibly the best movie-going experience and epic story, ever told? In my opinion, yes!

 

I wanted one thing from this movie. I wanted to be a child again. I wanted to leave my production reports and Monthly reviews behind. For Two hours I wanted to dream of far away places with mythic landscapes and monsterous machines. I wanted to watch these things without the burden of adulthood telling me that,"That couldn't really happen".
Well Attack delivered. For the fastest 2 and a half hours I've ever experienced I was a child again.
When the lights went up and Star Wars Episode 2- Attack of the Clones was over I found myself clapping my hands together chanting, "Again, Again, Do it Again". Sothat's precisely what I did.

 

Just to let you off, This was my most favorite Starwars movie ever. Of course I thought the same with Episode 1 but when I kept seeing it I thought no. But Episode 2 was so freakin awsome. It totally blows away TPM. Alright let me get to the bad review first.

When Shimi dies, it is fake looking and also when Corde dies. They jerk to much when they die. That is all I can remeber about the bad parts.

Now to the good parts. Hadyen was a great actor. When I first saw the trailers for it i thought he was going to be just like Jake Loyd. But if you watch the scenes then you know it is good. He did an awsome amount of acting especially when he told Padme about the Tusken Raiders.

The best part of the movie was of course Yoda. Everyone was cheering for him. It was funny how after he fought he got back on his cane. I was laughing threw the whole fight cuz it was YODA fighting with a lightsaber matrix style. And also when Jango Fett gets his head cutt off. That was awsome.

Some people said the begining is slow. If you pay attention it doest seem slow. I did see some easter eggs in the movie. The 3 Millennium Falcons when Padme and Anakin arrive on Naboo. And also x-wings chasig tie fighters through the Zam Wessel chase. You can miss this very easily.

This movie is definetly for everyone. The comedy was the best Ive seen George Lucas ever do.Action and drama were good to.

Also what is so awsome is the Death Star plans. I had read about it like in August but I didnt know if it were true. But when I saw those plans pop up I got the chills. Just what is in store for Episode 3?

The grade I give this awsome movie is an A-.

 

Well, I have to say that I was very disappointed with....just kidding, I thought it was a pretty good movie. Not the best of the saga, but maybe third, behind Empire and Hope.


I'll start with the bad stuff:
The first scene could have been better, actingwise and with the background stuff. It just didn't look right to me, even after three times seeing it. Also, the editing could have been better. I think most of the complaints about dialogue were because of the editing and not the acting. This was really bad in the Jango/Obi-Wan scene because one of the guys would say their line and the camera would change views before the other would say his. Thgis resulted in the "clunky" dialogue that results.

The good:
I liked everything else about this movie. The love story was not bad, despite everything that has been said. The Coruscant chase and the Obi-Wan/Jango fight and the final battles were very well done and still enjoyable after three times. I loved seeing all the clones eating and learnig and getting their armor. The visuals were the best I have ever seen in a movie. The movie overall was well done with some spoace for improvement.

My final rating: 8.75/10

 

Just to let you off, This was my most favorite Starwars movie ever. Of course I thought the same with Episode 1 but when I kept seeing it I thought no. But Episode 2 was so freakin awsome. It totally blows away TPM. Alright let me get to the bad review first.

When Shimi dies, it is fake looking and also when Corde dies. They jerk to much when they die. That is all I can remeber about the bad parts.

Now to the good parts. Hadyen was a great actor. When I first saw the trailers for it i thought he was going to be just like Jake Loyd. But if you watch the scenes then you know it is good. He did an awsome amount of acting especially when he told Padme about the Tusken Raiders.John Williams makes this scene so dark and intense. John Williams is a Genius.

The best part of the movie was of course Yoda. Everyone was cheering for him. It was funny how after he fought he got back on his cane. I was laughing threw the whole fight cuz it was YODA fighting with a lightsaber matrix style. And also when Jango Fett gets his head cutt off. That was awsome.

Some people said the begining is slow. If you pay attention it doest seem slow. I did see some easter eggs in the movie. The 3 Millennium Falcons when Padme and Anakin arrive on Naboo. And also x-wings chasig tie fighters through the Zam Wessel chase. You can miss this very easily. Also I noticed the first intergalactic thong when Anakin and Obi Wan walk into the bar.

This movie is definetly for everyone. The comedy was the best Ive seen George Lucas ever do.Action and drama were good to.

Also what is so awsome is the Death Star plans. I had read about it like in August but I didnt know if it were true. But when I saw those plans pop up I got the chills. Just what is in store for Episode 3?

The grade I give this awsome movie is an A-.

 

first post on this board, hope I am doing it right...

Anyway, I skipped out of work early yesterday to check it out.

I was very impressed for several reasons.

#1 - It was an adult story and I didn't feel like Lucas dumbed it down for those uneductaed movie go-ers. I liked how many of the questions I had were answered and I loved seeing how the republic and Jedi all had hands in basically giving over power to the future emperor. The politics of it all are great.

#2 - The actors I thought did a good job. I'm not to thrilled about the Jimmy Smitts thing and to be honest I don't know that I have settled with Sam Jackson playinga Jedi. But Hayden did a great job showing the anger and fear that are eventually going to turn him. He just looks like a mad young man and I hope he matures enough in appearnce to carry the role in episode 3. Natalie Portman... what can I say? In the last movie she was cute... in this one she is gorgeous! The best thing is that you can see elements of Luke and Leia in both characters. The frustration of Luke in Anakin and the impetuos nature of Leia in Amidala.

#3 - The effects, while in some scenes to much, were very well done. I agree that the lighting in the last duel sequence was odd - but I am sure some of it was to help mask a very complicated effects sequence - especially the Yoda fight. While the Yoda duel was interesting, it was in some ways comical and I felt degrading to the character. The effects were a lot to watch, but fun to watch.

#4 - the story was real. and by real I mean not over done with dramatic deaths, etc. seems like a lot of folks are not happy with the death of Jango Fett, but I thought it was a brave step to let him die in an ordinary way in battle.

Things I didn't like:
I can't shake the feeling everytime that I watch Obi-wan and Anakin in a fight scene, that I know they will survive. It takes away some of the guess work.

Also I can't help but feel like ep 3 will be predictable based on what we have already seen. I just hope Lucas has some curve balls left to show us. I do miss "normal" characters like Han and Chewie that aren't high council members or Jedi. But we are way to far into the prequels to be able to devote any character growth to a situation like that.

Overall - loved it. Will see it again.

 

I had to write this review in exchange for advance tickets, but here it is for the few of you who don't read the Hackney Express.



In case you?ve been frozen in carbonite for the last 20 years, Attack of the Clones follows on from 1999?s much hyped but poorly received ?The Phantom Menace? as the second of three prequels to the Star Wars trilogy, following the journey of Anakin Skywalker (this time played by Hayden Christensen) as a promising Jedi hero, before being seduced by the Dark Side and becoming the evil Darth Vader.

The story begins with the galaxy in turmoil, as thousands of star systems threaten to break away from the Galactic Republic under the leadership of an ex-Jedi named Count Dooku (Christopher Lee), while the Galactic Senate debates the creation of an army to assist the overwhelmed Jedi Knights in protecting the Republic from this new threat. Following an assassination attempt on Padmé Amidala (Natalie Portman), now a Senator who opposes the formation of this army, Obi Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) and his apprentice Anakin Skywalker are assigned to protect her. This mission leads to Obi Wan travelling across the galaxy on the trail of her would-be assassin in a Raymond Chandler-esque storyline, and uncovering the huge danger that the galaxy is facing. Meanwhile, Anakin discovers feelings for Padmé which challenge his monk-like Jedi vows of chastity, as a dark side emerges within him which he has difficulty controlling.

All the usual Star Wars ingredients are here in plentiful supply, with more lightsabers, bigger battles and faster chases than any of the episodes so far. As with Phantom Menace, fans of the ?latex and airfix models? effects style of the original films may complain about the heavy use of computer generated effects, but there?s simply no way that most of these scenes could be realised any other way - particularly in the sceneries of city-planet Coruscant, the epic climactic battle, and the chance to see Yoda show why he is the Jedi Master (now as a computer generated character doing things that would be impossible with a puppet.) However, the weaknesses of Episode 1 have been addressed- the plot is thicker and faster, the characters have more depth and Jar Jar has been relegated from comic relief (which is now provided by the old favourites R2D2 and C3P0) to a background character in the Senate. While the love story occasionally touches on the cheesy side while the young couple are rolling around in green pastures, it is an integral part of the story, and provides a chance to draw breath between the relentless action scenes, and counterbalances the sense of imminent galactic doom that the rest of the film sets up.

In short, a definite return to form for the Star Wars saga- not only is this an undoubtable improvement on Phantom Menace, but will easily sit alongside the classic trilogy as the kind of film that you won?t want to watch just once. The only downside being the three year wait until Episode 3...

9.5/10

 

i thought the movie was great. it is possibly my favorite one or at least tied with esb. i still think tpm sucks.

 

Most of the media critics and reviewers are pretentious snobs who don't understand the meaning of "1950's sci-fi B-movie Serial".

Attack of the Clones was very Enjoyable and lots of fun.

I expected to be disappointed but the opposite was true...

Its a typical Star Wars movie with a little bit of questionable dialogue and acting, but it was by far WAY better than The Phantom Menace. The last 45 minutes will blow you away. And if you are "fluent" in Star Wars canon, you will get all of the inside jokes and music references.... Music plays a BIG part in this movies and should not be overlooked (overheard?).

 

After three years of anticipation, Episode 2 flashed on-screen amidst the cheers and applause of loyal Star Wars fan. TIME: 12:01AM. Everyone there had desperate hopes to see a classic Star Wars film.

Part of AOTC was sheer brilliance. Naboo's setting was as gorgeous as ever, and seeing Obi-Wan Kenobi in a larger role and even a quirky smile and sarcastic remark here and there was a delight. Hayden Christensen's acting was better than expected, especially the scene where he tells Padme that he "killed them all."

However, the movie seemed to lose some of the Star Wars touch half-way through. Certain scenes just didn't seem right and came off as fake and unbelievable. While in some scenes, the actors really seemed to take on the personality of their characters, other scenes seemed lifeless. The short lightsaber duel between Obi-Wan and Dooku, and even Anakin and Dooku fell short compared to Obi-Wan's duel with Darth Maul in the previous episode.

However, Attack of the Clones was definitely better that The Phantom Menace. Yoda lit up the screen and attracted the thunderous applause from the audience as he ran circles around the dark Jedi. Very cool. And, as usual, John Williams magnificent score really accented the film.

A film to go and see again, and perhaps, if you're a die-hard Star Wars fan, maybe a third time. On a scale from 1 to 10, I'd rate it a strong 7.

 

Star Wars has (since I can recall) been my favorite movie. One facet of the original film was its goofy-cornball exchanges ("Oh, the uniform"), lines that plain didn't make sense ("He died about the same time as your father -- he knew my father? -- I told you to forget it"), and cheezy sarcasm ("what an incredible smell's been discovered"). It is impossible to say whether I would have had that same reaction to those lines, if first spoken today, as I did to several from the most recent star wars movie, Attack of the Clones. As it was, I winced in pain at some of the lines throughout Attack -- most notably the romance-scenes (which, as other posters have noted, elicited nothing but laughs from my audience).

Be that as it may, Lucas is clearly most excited about the special effects in movies: of digital projection, a million blaster blots on screen at the same time, and Crouching Tiger Yodas. That stuff was great - I loved every second of it (and wished there was more). But it was never the special effects in the first three films that made them great. It was the humans. And thus, since comparisons are inevitable in sequels, we must compare the humans of the original trilogy to the newest film.

And unfortunately, find them wanting -- if not for acting talent then for their material. Only Ewan McGregor seemed capable of infusing the at-once campy-sarcasm of the first three films with the serious emotions necessary for "a space opera." Portman and Christensen had their moments: I completely bought (despite the previous incomprehensibly poor exchanges) Portman's expression of love just prior to the arena battle; and I absolutely believed the young Anakin would some day be both the most feared and evil man in the galaxy and yet save it at the same time. He played the conflict of duty and passion well. However, most of the time I found the two protaganists so stilted and wooden I had trouble wanting them to succeed.

Was the movie good? Yes. A movie is never as simple as its component parts, and on the whole, I liked it. There were great surprises, the composition was strong, my attention (almost) never waned. There were what I am sure will become classic moments to me -- not like the Phantom Menace where all I can bring myself to do now is fast forward to the Darth Maul fight at the end: Obi-Wan researching on Coruscant; the verbal exchange and battle between Dooku and Yoda; Anakin tracking down the Tuskens, to name a few.

Could it be improved: Yes. But, and this perhaps is the keystone to the movie -- it is the middle chapter - the movie that sets up the ending. This was not a movie for resolution -- for the extremes of sadness and triumph. While I thought ESB was a fantastic movie, after seeing it, I did not breath a large sigh of excitement and want to laud its virtues, I sat on the edge of my seat, frustrated I could not watch the final chapter immediately.

Since I left the Attack theatre feeling the same way, I can only conclude that Attack, for all its faults, was a success.

 

I was 9 when I SAW A NEW HOPE in 1977.I didnt know what to think of Menace til the 2nd viewing(I liked it but felt it was missing too many classic elements.Enter 5/16/02.WOW! Clones couldnt have been better.
It exceeded my expectations.The love story was believable by the end,because I think she felt a little soory for and guilty for pulling him away from his mother.I cried when a certain someone dies.ILM truly outdid themselves.MY only complaint is why in the world is the arena music the same as the battle at naboo? note for note. Thats minor.I have only seen it one time and I thik it is a little better than empire and equal to a new hope for emotion and how much I loved it.9 out of ten.