an improvement

Rating: Null/10 (17 May 2002)

George Lucas seems to have gotten lost somewhere in his life's journey between the original Star Wars in 1977 and the release of the Phanom Menace in 1999. Attack of the Clones confirms it. That is not to say that Attack of the Clones is a bad film, it is not, however the prequal trilogy seems to be entirely out of sync with the original films. I may be in the minority but I feel that CGI effects do not look real, in fact they usually don't even look good when used in excess, which Lucas seems to enjoy doing. I long for the ggod ole' days when filmakers relied on miniatures, matte paintings and models rather than filming everything in front of a blue screen and adding things in later. What results are films that seem as two visual layers that do not work together. That being said, Attack of the Clones is a good Star Wars movie not a great one. I am hoping that Lucas finally finds his footing with Episode III and makes a movie worthy of the original trilogy. The first hour and 15 mins. or so of this film are bogged down by scenes that are too long and the development of a love story that is flat and unconvincing. Yet somehow by the end, perhaps because of our knowledge of what is to come, Annakin and Padme do seem to be genuinely in love. Portman is better here than in Phantom Menace, Christiansen gives Annakin some depth that was lacking in Phantom Menace and has the perfect face for the part. In one instant he can seem heroic and loving and in the next we can get a hint of Vader within him. The rest of the cast is good for what they have to do. Ewan McGregor has more to do in this movie, but still lacks the depth that Alec Guiness brought to the character. Christopher Lee is great in the few moments he is on screen and Yoda...Yoda is at the top of his game. He is entirely digital, which looked better than I thought it would. But his lightsaber duel with Lee's Count Dooku near the end made the movie for me and mroe than made up for the listless pacing of the first half of the movie. In fact I would go so far to say that this scene was one of the best of the trilogy. But the good parts do not gel together and the whole movie does not eminate the word "Classic" like the original trilogy. But I have a feeling that when all six movies are seen together it will all come together and even the Phantom Menace's detractors may change their opinion about that movie.