It's not perfect, but it's pretty damn good!

Rating: Null/10 (29 May 2002)

Like any Star Wars fan that grew up with the original trilogy, I looked forward to Episode II with a great deal of excitement, and I must say, having seen it now 5 times and having had many opportunities to digest its pros and cons, that it really quite extraordinary. As with anything that has such hype and historical success attached, viewer can't wait to tear it to pieces. After all, initially people complained about the title. For God's sake, was the titleThe Empire Strikes Back so inspiring, Return of the Jedi something special? And what does the title title matter anyways? After my first viewing, my initial feeling was wow!! What degree of imagination, design, craft and sheer graft must have gone in to creating such a movie? it is probably the closest to George Lucas' far away galaxy that we've yet seen. The characters, far-away-worlds and their applicable religons or beliefs are phenonmenal. And to think that this has all been brought forth from the in of one man is even moreso. If nothing more, George Lucas deserves praise for his vision and perseverance. As for the movie, sure it has it's faults. But what film doesn't? Some of the dialogue is a bit clumsy, but don't forget that it is designed to appeal to all ages. It's not Shakespeare and it's not Rugrats and neither is it meant to be. The enduring success of Star Wars is its universal appeal - and that may mean simplification, particularly where speech is concerned. The story is superb, especially when wee links to the original trilogy are thrown in. I particularly enjoyed Obi Wan's remark: "You'll be the death of me". Visually, the film is astonishing! The cityscape of Coruscant, the damp Kamino and the mysterious Geonosis all look fabulous. The action scenes including the early changeling chase, the Obi-Wan and Jango Fett battle and the always anticipated lightsabre showdowns were amazing. The performances were so-so. I can't still quite get used to Ewan McGregor's "Guinness" accent, Natalie Portman seemed a little bland while Hayden Christensen was good. For me though, the presence of Christopher Lee made all the difference. His brief scene with McGregor clearly showed the difference between "master" and "apprentice" in the acting stakes. As a fan I was thrilled. Whether you are a fan or not, cut the film some slack. Sure, note it's shortcomings, but recognise its merits, as there are many. And above all, just enjoy the fun, because it is after all, just a movie.