Expectations not met, but a good movie nonetheless (Spoiler Warning)

Rating: 8/10 (19 May 2002)

(Spoiler Warning ahead)Learning from past mistakes with the euphoria of the Phantom Menace, I took a cautious approach to viewing the Attack of the Clones. In every way it is a superior film to Episode One and not because it lacked Jar-Jar Binks and more Yoda. There is the blend of a continuation of a long story that is the Star Wars Saga as we know it along with the stump splitting war sequences we all grew up with in the Original Trilogy. Visuals don't mean squat to me anymore if the story is not worth it, and this story does have merit.
However George Lucas, who several months ago suggested that there would be a lot of romance, smartly didn't push it so much towards the last month going into the release and rightly so; the romance was not believible due to his lack of letting his actors act, especially Natilie Portman. Hayden Christensen carried the emotional luggage for the both of them and although he was whiney at times (thanks to George) his protrayal of a Anakin Skywalker falling was excellent.
The shinning star was Christopher Lee; Yoda schmoda! The trilogy lacks an constant icon and it cannot be Obi-Wan Kenobi(Ewan McGregore). I would see it again just for Lee's performance as Count Dooku; (Spoiler) although late in the film ala Lando Calrissian in Empire Strikes Back it works noentheless.
Attack of the Clones, overall, is a good movie that could have been great if it was longer in everything and Miss Portman was allowed to act at the same level as her male counterparts, but I would still highly recommend it over Spider-man.