Pretty Disappointed

Rating: Null/10 (19 May 2002)

All right, I was very disappointed with Episode II, but even more so with the fact that it has over an 8 on IMDB. I was completely turned off by the fact that the entire movie was shot on a sound stage. Every scene was ruined for me by the insane amounts of computer graphics. The real achievement in this movie was the graphics and special effects. The tech guys that worked on this stuff should be the ones getting to appear on Jay Leno and the late night talk shows because im sure they put in far more work than anyone else did. I work on movies myself and have done some basic 1-2 minute light saber fight sequences. This alone would take around 40 hours to edit. I can't imagine the frustration and time it would take to do all of the computer generated backgrounds to get the to line up on the blue alpha mats to match the pace at which the actors were moving. It was as if George Lucas found that he could get more reliable actors if they were churned out by 80 computer techs working in a little room who will receive little recognition for the movie at all. This however may have been true going by the very, cough cough, talented acting ability of Hayden Christensen. I mean what a lucky guy he is, here is a guy who isn't that great of an actor and he gets put in a Star Wars movie. Something many of us have dreamed about our entire lives. And then on top of that he gets to make out with Natalie Portman. Blah. I only wish I could move to Hollywood and fumble over all of my lines and get to swing a light saber. Anyway, I think I would give this movie a 4 at best.