A game of three halves...

Rating: 9/10 (4 June 2001)

Episode One: Quite literally the Phantom Menace, except gathering storm clouds are replaced by charming if a little cliched war-located love strands. Beckinsale is striking whilst Affleck and Hartnett cope well as the male leads. Of course, it's the centre section which is the titular attack and it's well worth waiting for. Some might say that the love story set-up drags for the first hour, but a 60 minute extravaganza of destruction makes up for it. Forget Independence Day, this is real! The final segment of the film tells us about America's retaliatory efforts and paves the way for the obligatory bittersweet weepy ending complete with wailing soundtrack by Faith Hill. She's no Celine Dion, but this is Titanic...with bombs.