A solid, respectable addition to the first trilogy, at least

Rating: 8/10 (20 May 2002)

After the initial advertisements and generally condescending reviews, I was ready to concede that the only reason I was going to see "Star Wars II: Attack of the Clones" was to fulfill a societal obligation to yield to the Lucas franchise juggernaut and keep abreast of Star Wars lore so I wouldn't be blatantly ignorant. Well, after leaving a boring birthday party early and going to see it at Showcase Cinemas in Revere, MA at 7:15 p.m. on Sunday, May 19, 2002, my final evaluation of the movie, out of 4 stars, is 3-3.5 stars. Overall, the movie is a well-crafted, intelligent, and worthy addition to the Star Wars canon. I think it falls somewhat short of the IV-VI first trilogy (but then the initial trilogy is beyond emulation anyway), but, as others have noted, it is better than "Star Wars I: The Phantom Menace". Even in its own right, as a movie disconnected from the series progression, "Attack..." acquits itself well.
As a brief synopsis, as others have noted, "Attack..." is a tad slow and ponderous for the first half and exhilaratingly frenetic and dynamic in the second. The backgrounds, CGI work, visuals, other special effects, and general cinematography are superb, especially in the coliseum and final battle sequences. Not once did I feel any artificiality or "blue matte painting" unreality. It seemed logically real. Despite Roger Ebert's grumblings of vague, grainy, and obscure visuals, the movie looked bright and colorful enough to me (and I didn't see the digital version). The set pieces involving the "Fifth Element"esque chase by Obi-Wan and Anakin of the would-be assassin, Obi-Wan's battle with Jango Fett on the eternal waterworld, the conveyor belt ordeal Anakin and Amidala endure in the droid factory, and of course the "Gladiator" beast and droid/clone clash toward the end of the movie were pulse-pounding, energetic, and ultimately convincing.
The plot was convoluted and labyrinthine, to be sure, but quite comprehensible if one paid sufficient attention. I agree that the dialogue and other verbal exchanges were prosaic, pedestrian, and dull, but I believe that was so because of the dreaded portent of Anakin's (Hayden Christensen's) future descent into Darth Vader's nefariousness. I think neither the actors nor Lucas dared to add any levity to the movie because of this solemn main plot. I admit the lack of sprightly banter so prevalent in the first trilogy was a handicap, but not a fatal one. Also, Christensen's performance was not as horrendous, IMHO, as others had opined. Sure, he was an impudent, impatient whiner at times, but at others he eerily foreshadowed the monstrous villain he would become (as in the black cloak and sinister Darth Vader silhouette he sported on Tatooine). Also remember, although an accomplished Jedi apprentice, Anakin had not yet attained full knight status; add the facts that he is still in the throes of confused adolescence and identity, and I think one could find his willful, arrogant, conflicted behavior quite natural and expected. Luke Skywalker started out as a confused adolescent himself; remember how mature and serious he became in "Return of the Jedi".
Aside from the relatively uninspired banter, all the actors performed admirably, nobly and competently, especially Obi-wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor), Mace Windu (Samuel Jackson), and of course, the inimitable Yoda (voiced by Frank Oz). I even found Anakin's fitful romance with deposed Naboo queen/current Naboo senator Padme Amidala (Natalie Portman) generally charming, sweet, and pleasant, if awkward, but again, first love is almost always awkward and first lovers are usually not a font of eloquence. C3-PO (voice of Anthony Daniels) had some amusing moments, especially during his mind/body switch with a droid, as did the utterly dependable R2-D2 (Kenny Baker), especially during his flight sequence in the droid factory (question: did he lose his flight capabilities in IV-VI?) Even the universally loathed Jar Jar Binks (voice of Ahmed Best) was rather tolerable and even subdued at times, of course considering he had only three scenes or so. He goes down easy in small bites, but how in the galaxy did he become a Federation senator? Count Dooku (the immortal Christopher Lee) was an imposing villain, especially in his unforgettable showdown with an animated "whirling dervish" Yoda. I especially found his line "Obviously this battle will not be decided by knowledge of the Force, but by lightsabers", humorous; shouldn't it be the other way around? Ah, any excuse to rouse the philosophical little gremlin from his Buddist reverie! Yoda, of course, is the most memorable character and by now transcends description. CGI suits him well. My favorite line in the movie comes from him (and I paraphrase): "A planet Obi-Wan has lost, my students. Help him find it, we must!"
In conclusion, "Attack of the Clones" is a good movie that generally has nothing to be ashamed of. It delivers on all cinematic counts except sparkling dialogue and competently and mostly seamlessly advances the Star Wars mythos. Star Wars purists will most likely cherish it. I'm glad I saw it (not solely due to peer pressure) and it makes me avidly anticipate Episode III.
Good show (detractors notwithstanding)!