Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones

[Mr Morningstarr*]

Here we go with the second of the Star Wars prequels, another rollercoaster ride of quality and failure.

Episode II has some super highlights, Jango Fett and the clones rank highly amongst them. In this film McGregor gets to play a much better role as the Jedi master, plus he has a beard. Obi-Wan is sent to investigate the assassination attempts on the now senator, Amidala. He uncovers a secret clone army all replicated from the bounty hunter Jango Fett. Cue a great fight scene between Obi-Wan and Fett. Fett is criminally under used in the prequels, the popularity of Boba Fett in the original trilogy should have sealed a larger role for the galaxy's favourite bounty hunter, or at least his clone father.

The action moves to Geonosis, where new Sith Count Dooku AKA Darth Tyranus (yes, both shit names) AKA Christopher Lee is plotting together with the troublesome Trade Federation. Obi-Wan calls on the Jedi council for support and we get a great Jedi versus droid battle and then the clones turn up to kick some ass too!

Dooku/Tyranus gives Obi-Wan and Anakin a proper beating and the film rounds off with Yoda doing a few somersaults in a surprise lightsaber battle with Dooku.

All of this I thought was great, great action, great effects, the Star Wars story developing like you'd expect.

Then there's everything which is wrong with this film. It is difficult, pretty much impossible to make a film like this with a central character you don't like played by an actor who can't act. Anakin Skywalker is a terrible character, an arrogant cocky mummies boy destined to fail. Lucas seems to attempt to get us to sympathise with Skywalker, a big mistake. In the Star Wars galaxy good and evil is black and white, Lucas' attempt to complicate things with the prequels was in my opinion the biggest mistake of his career. If not American Graffiti.

The scenes between Skywalker and Amidala are almost entirely badly scripted and acted, they should've cut to the chase made Anakin a villian and given us more Darth Vader for our money. With Skywalker as such a central character the 'Han Solo' maverick hero is simply overlooked, and the prequels suffer for it.

After first watching this film on it's release in 2002 I was disappointed to find that Anakin was still Anakin at the end. And I still am.

[online.education]

Definitely better than I. I, II and III rely on CGI a little too much and I guess that's another reason why acting is pretty lousy, but II is ... definitely better I.

[jambolo]

I thought this film was complete pants, I think the little child Anakin in the first film had more acting ability than this hairbear. I don't like the idea of the clones, I always saw the Stormtroopers as normal people so when one was killed you would smile, but now you find out that they can just be manufactured again! rascals! The whole film was pretty stupid, You'd think with the C.G.I the battles would look much better, but alas I end up thinking back to the battle of the hoth, good times.

[online.education]

Originally Posted by jambolo

... You'd think with the C.G.I the battles would look much better, but alas I end up thinking back to the battle of the hoth, good times.

C.G.I. can work both ways.

It can enhance what's already shot in camera; it can also be used to lower the over all budget by creating just about everything using it. The latter tends to be the case sadly ...

[judel]

Much much better than the Phantom Menace. I absolutely fell in love with Hayden Cristianson (Anakin) after seeing him in this movie and feel he was much better suited for the role of the young Darth Vader! Too bad there wasn't better chemistry between he and Natalie, though!

[Zombie Mastermind]

And I thought the muppet that played young Anakin was bad.

Then we are introduced to a certain Hayden bloody Cristianson.

Part man, part wooden chair. All tool.

Again as in ep' 1, the best bits are the 'sabre hairbear-fests.