What a relief! We FINALLY get a Star Wars movie that's FUN again!

Rating: 10/10 (27 May 2002)

(WARNING: Spoilers about both this film and the Star Wars series altogether are throughout this comment, as I found it impossible to discuss the film and its relation to the others without revealing details. If you don't wish to take any chances with having anything given away concerning anything Star Wars-related, please read no further.)
I'm no Star Wars fanatic, but I do love the series dearly. I stayed spoiler-free and eagerly saw "Episode 1" on its opening night...only to leave with a collective sigh of disappointment. I thought it was awfully flat, and nearly fell asleep simply because it seemed so boring due to my not understanding anything significant going on. (My comment here on the IMDb concerning the film wasn't exactly complimentary.) Only later when a co-worker explained that it was showing the Emperor's rise to power, that Palatine was the Emperor seen in "The Empire Strikes Back" and "Return of The Jedi", and that Queen Amidala was destined to be the mother of Luke and Leia was I able to watch and enjoy it upon a second viewing.
So this time, in order to brace myself for whatever I would encounter and not be disappointed again, I prepared well in advance for "Episode II". I read the book, for one thing. I also did slight "research" on some of the background story not explained in the original trilogy so that I'd understand affairs better. I'm glad I did. I was impressed with the story for "Attack of The Clones", and thought it would work great in a movie provided it was handled well.
I saw it, and I breathed a huge sigh of relief. This film is genuinely fascinating from beginning to end--provided you understand "Star Wars" lore, that is--and is easily a delightful improvement over "The Phantom Menace". That's to be expected. After all, "Episode I" was basically just setting all the pieces in place for the remaining five films, and it really had its work cut out for it. Plus, the war hadn't actually BEGUN yet! But in this film as the situation grows to a head, the war actually STARTS and things kick into high gear. What was equally impressive was how well the movie thrilled me and kept me in suspense even thought I HAD already read the book!
The movie isn't perfect, though. Near the opening scenes, acting is still a bit wooden, although better than TPM. Natalie Portman in particular seems extremely stilted, although I'm honestly still trying to decide whether it's supposed to represent her determination to be impartial to the situations she's facing and finally has her reserve broken down or if it's simply good old fashioned bad acting. Lots of times while flatly reciting the goofy dialogue, she doesn't sound like she's actually trying to put any heart into making the bad lines work and instead seems to have the attitude of, "Can you BELIEVE this stuff I'm being asked to say??!" Fortunately, the story and its characters are so appealing that it more than carries her.
It's Hayden Christensen's outstanding depth-giving performance as Anakin Skywalker, though, that threatens to steal the show. Granted, he doesn't appear to be as excellent an actor as Leonardo DiCaprio, who was also interested in playing this role (I was actually hoping that DiCaprio *would* have gotten the role--not just because I thought he could have really pulled it off, but also because I had thought it would have been hilarious watching obsessed SW fans go into traumatic conniptions everywhere over it!), but nevertheless... he's so perfect for this role. His job was to convincingly sell me the notion that he was the youthful vision of a character I had known nearly all my life, and he succeeded.
Darth Vader has always been known as The Coolest Villain in Motion Picture History since his debut. Once this prequel trilogy is completed, he will also quite possibly be known as the best developed one as well in terms of background and characterization, not to mention the most sympathetic and relatable. We will never be able to watch the original three films again without understanding precisely why he's doing all he does, as this film evidences.
Simply put, the young Jedi knight who eventually becomes Darth Vader was so desperate to set things right in the galaxy that he went fanatical in his goal as a result.
I know that a movie has really involved me personally when I immediately imagine to myself while watching it, "What would I be saying to this or that character right now if I was standing there...? How I only wish I could say to them..." And that's what happened here. It was during Christensen's best moments in the film, during the entire sequence when he's off to find his mother and afterward, easily the most impressive and moving set of dramatic scenes in the movie. Tears stung my eyes with sympathy and understanding when I watched him throwing things against the wall raging about how he couldn't save his own mother in a gut-wrenching performance during which we also hear the first ominous notes of John William's "Darth Vader" theme stirring threateningly in the background. I instinctively found myself thinking about several things I thought I could have said to Anakin at that moment to ease his rage and help him get a grasp on everything--all of them comforting and gentle, helping him to remember that Shmi had finally enjoyed freedom with a wonderful husband and a loving family, had been so proud of him and had finally gotten to tell him, of how he had done all in that situation that a Jedi should do and even more so even if he didn't succeed in rescuing her, as well as so many other things I thought he desperately needed to hear--things I was hoping Padme herself would eventually say in the film. And that's when it hit me: I haven't felt that way since watching the original three films. I mention this because I see it as solid proof that this movie is in its own way just as good as the classic releases.
I also heartily enjoyed Ewan McGregor's performance as Obi-Wan, as he is finally allowed to cut loose by Lucas. "I HATE it when he does that!" he remarks irritably after Anakin jumps out into the middle of thin air. And watch for how he handles a certain pest in a bar. McGregor makes this character so thoroughly HIS that you really do end up believing that he IS the same "Old Ben" from "Episode IV". He and Anakin, in their scenes together, have a Mick Jagger/Keith Richards relationship which tends to tense up the screen with dark anticipation, not to mention wisecracks.
And not only does he have some great one-liners and moments which rival Han Solo's (as Yoda hints to him at one point, Anakin isn't the only one with an attitude problem at the moment), but longtime fans will be delighted to know that Jar Jar Binks is almost completely nonexistant in this film's plot! (You will, however, realize with sheer horror why the idiot is in the series at all). Instead of Jar Jar's jeuvenile obnoxiousness, comedy relief has once again been returned where it belongs, to two of the characters that helped liven up the first three in the first place--C3PO and R2-D2! And man, it's about time! The whole last leg of the film concerning C3PO's predicaments in particular are simply priceless.
My absolute favorite line here, though, is made by Anakin during a moment when his lightsabre is chopped in half by machinery in a highly-tense and genuinely exciting moment--seeing it ruined, he had the entire audience roaring as he merely rolls his eyes with annoyance and mutters, "Oh no, not AGAIN--Obi-Wan's gonna KILL me!"
Casual Star Wars viewers might still be a tad confused here without knowing more of the concept's background, and any such confusion will be muddled even further by the fact that paid critics such as Roger Ebert had written comments praising TPM for its visuals and look despite its ultra-slow plot and refusal to explain what's going on to the casual audience member, but turn around and harass AOTC for the *exact* problems found in TPM despite the fact that this second episode has more action, a more involving plot and better acting with smoother pacing (Ebert, did you accidentally get your two reviews mixed up with each other or something? I know, I know, you hadn't seen "II" yet before reviewing "I", but nevertheless your remarks both read as if you did. WHAT on earth are you inhaling?). But I'm pretty positive that they will nevertheless enjoy this one anyway because it has far more variety than its predecessor.
An extra note I wish to add: if you loved this movie (even if you're already a huge SW fan and enjoyed it as it is!), I want to also heartily recommend R. A. Salvadore's excellent novelization of this episode to use as a companion piece for viewing it. See the movie, read the book and then go back and see this movie a second time. The book works as a perfect companion piece that will greatly enhance your enjoyment of the film even more, adding wonderful emotional depth as well as explaining any confusing gaps not caught the first time around.