Star Wars - Episode 2 - Attack of the Clones

As I mentioned in my review for The Empire Strikes Back, It took me a long time to really appreciate it as part of the Original Trilogy. I didn't, at the time a long time ago, overly like it. It was the middle one, like the middle child...under appreciated and unnoticed. It wasn't until I was older that I really got it. A very close second to A New Hope and actually A New Hope was only #1 on my Top Ten List because it was the Star Wars movie that made me fall it love with the series. The Empire Strikes Back is an excellent movie full of intrigue, darkness, questions and answers.

I wonder if I will ever feel this way about Attack of the Clones. I probably will think higher of it as time goes by, and actually I already have. But when it first came out I was..eh. Nothing great, a good middle chapter, but again nothing special. The more I have watched it though, the more I like it. We get to see the beginnings of Darth Vader. We get to see why Anakin becomes what he becomes. The emotional young man who becomes Darth Vader.

Although not the greatest of actors, Hayden Christenson does a fine job as the teenager Anakin. The first time I saw AOTC, I thought he came off very whiny. But in truth he was only showing the turmoil that Anakin was going through with the loss of his mother. How would we feel if we could no longer see our rock, our one person who keeps us innocent and life real. And ultimately she dies. How would we react. I don't know if I would take my lightsaber and slaughter an entire tribe of Sandpeople, but I always said I wouldn't truly know what I would do if someone hurt the ones I love. I guess we see what Anakin would do.

Again, Ewan McGregor is great as Obi Wan. The wisdom that he gives Anakin throughout, the knowledge and respect that is shown to his Padawan is very true to how Sir Alec Guinness did it with Luke.

There were a couple of things I didn't like about AOTC though. The first one is C-3PO. Not C-3Po, but his dialogue. George Lucas has never been known to be the greatest writer of dialogue, but 3PO's dialogue was terrible. He is supposed to be annoying, but he came off very cheesy, very annoying.

The second thing I didn't quite get was the chemistry between Anakin and Padme. The problem is there was none. Christenson and Natalie Portman who plays Padme just did not have true chemistry. Their acting was very unreal, very tight. The love that they were supposed to have for each other did not show through and quite disappointing. Unfortunately it does not change in Ep 3.

The one big plus side is we get to see the Jedi in full battle mode. The Battle of Geonosis is a great one and we get to see the Jedi as they are supposed to be. Although in favour of peace they can still kick some ass. And leading the Jedi is Yoda. I remember when I was in the theatre and Yoda took his lightsaber out. The entire theatre cheered. It was an awesome sight. The CG for Yoda was also much better in this one then in The Phantom Menace. No puppets in this one and much more realistic.

I am sure that the next time I see this movie I will appreciate this one even more. It is a very strong chapter in the series. Check it out and look past the minor flaws and see what it does to the story. You won't be disappointed.

****1/2

Take care everyone and enjoy the movies!!

The Flick Guru