Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones

  • Title: Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones
  • IMDB: link

Attack of the Clones is set up 10 years past The Phantom Menace, Queen Amidala (Natalie Portman) has now become Senator Padme Amidala and Anakin (Hayden Christensen) has grown up and become a love crazed teenager and an apprentice to Obi-Wan (Ewan McGregor). Just like The Phantom Menace there is still a lack of organized storyline and things get a bit blurred within the politics and reasoning, but it’s still interesting to look at and keeps the attention going. Finally, we get to see Yoda kick a little ass and R2D2 and C3PO pair up.

In Episode 2 Senator Padme’s life is in danger from an evil group of political activists led by the crazy ass Count Dooku, and Obi-Wan and Anakin comes to her rescue. Anakin makes it a personal goal to stay by Padme’s side and protect her, while doing so they begin to fall in love with one another. Anakin knows this is not allowed according to the Jedi code, but he can’t help it. He also begins to show his interest in the dark side and gives us a glimpse of things to come with Vader on the horizon.

After an assassination attempt on Padme’s life, Obi-Wan heads off to planet Kamino to investigate further and runs across the cloned army of Jango Fett. Chancellor Palpatine is having the clones made to insure his foothold on the galaxy through a civil war. Anakin is sent to Naboo with Padme, but stops off to see his mom on Tattooine, only to find her kidnapped by the Sand People and himself one step closer to the dark side when he takes his revenge.

The best part to this one is the awesome life saber fight Yoda has towards the end. He does all kind of awesome acrobatics and kicks some serious butt. The rest of the film is mediocre at best and confusing at times. The attention to acting on a green screen really stands out with Hayden Christensen and Natalie Portman. Hayden has a great set of acting chops, but absolutely no ability to visualize what’s going on around him with so much technology at hand and acting on an “x” marks the spot mentality. There is absolutely no chemistry between Natalie and Hayden, which makes this absorb love match even more far out, not only did they start out with an older sister and younger brother type interest, but end up married.

Lucas should have taken some advice from others when it came to the story, characters and editing; his ego got to big even for the big screen. The last three installments of the Star Wars saga is a prime example of when technology and lots of money isn’t always the best way to go, sometimes the struggle leads to the best creative and story.