Great effects, dull plot

Rating: 6/10 (16 May 2002)

I wonder if people will ever learn... This marks strike two for Lucas. The second in his "prequel" trilogy represents a triumph of special effects and action but a giant leap backwards in terms of plot and dialogue.
The special effects are outstanding, but it would be nice if Lucas actually used some of that money to hire some decent script writers. As it is, the actors flatly speak their silly lines and in the end you're just waiting for the next action sequence to begin. Particularly excruciating is the romance between Anakin & Padme which explores every cliché in the book and drags on and on. Fortunately when the action does arrive, it is very exciting and the ending is pretty good with a nice arena sequence and showdown between Yoda and Dooku.
I actually rewatched this movie just recently on TV (a gap of three years since I first saw it) and if anything the acting comes across as even more wooden. The script isn't just bad, it's a rotten egg. With hindsight I see why every scene is filmed with CG eye candy - to distract from the train wreck in the foreground. As with the Phantom Menace, I don't believe the actors are at fault here. You get what you expect when you actors stupid lines to say to blank space in front of a green screen.
It is a slightly better movie that the Phantom Menace but nowhere near as good as the original three.