I didn't expect much, and it delivered

Rating: 3/10 (16 May 2002)

To be honest, after the horrid Episode 1, I didn't expect much from Episode 2. Because of that, I can't say I was disappointed. Lucas delivered about what I expected.
It was gorgeous, and it truly sets a new standard for special effects in film. The problem was that it doesn't integrate the actors well in places -- it looks bluescreened.
To complain about the normal stuff, the dialogue was hokey (Yoda's lines sounded the most natural), the acting was stiff, and the directing was non-existent. For the most part, the actors do an OK job of pretending to see something that isn't there, but it's a stretch at times.

Natalie Portman has established herself as a fine and powerful actress, but I kept feeling like she had to dumb it down for the role and play down to the more limited talents and experience of her costars.

Hayden Christensen is pretty, but that's about it. He looks pompous and spoiled when he's supposed to be immature, and he looks constipated when he's supposed to look dark and brooding. Forget about the "sexual chemistry" between him and Portman that supposedly won him the role -- it didn't translate to film at all.
Ewan McGregor is the film's one laudable success. He character has matured since TPM and he has adopted a style and accent that could conceivably grow into Sir Alec Guinness. The lines are trite, but the performance is admirable.
The faults for this film, ultimately, lie solely on the shoulders of George Lucas. With the budget, the franchise, and the guaranteed returns, this movie could have commanded all the might of Hollywood, yet he retained the script and directorial reigns. A good script and a solid director could have made this movie work. Lucas is a brilliant mind and a top-notch visual effects guy, but a writer and director he is not. A perfect example is the event which really marks the turn in Anakin to the dark side. They hint at it, they talk briefly about it, but the single most significant event of all six movies wasn't shown for the true horror that it was supposed to invoke. Sure, it might have taken some careful editing to avoid the R-rating, but we're talking about the event that sends the innocent blonde kid down the road to Darth Vader.
Even he has conceded that TPM was a disappointment, but rather than purge the worst of the first, he tries to salvage them. GEORGE - IF YOU'RE READING THIS -- JAR JAR NEEDS TO GO AWAY. A "limited role" isn't good enough. GONE. GOODBYE. NO MORE. There's also the Pod Race II -- same ole thing in 3D with guns. Admit mistakes, let them go, and move on.
Perhaps the worst element was the misplaced attempts at suspense. This is a prequel, so we know that Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Amidala will live. To go through extended action sequences which place their lives in jeopardy is insulting. We all know they're not in any real danger, so don't waste our time. There is only one fight sequence that's worth noting, and that's the much commented-upon light saber fight at the end. (And no, I'm not talking about Yoda -- that was tacky.) There was an element of mystery because we didn't know if the bad guy was going to buy it, but it's notable because it was simply gorgeous -- perfectly choreographed and visually stunning.
I'll grant that the Star Wars franchise is a difficult task to undertake. It's a much-anticipated epic with a religious following. I can only hope that Lucas will focus on what he's truly good at, and let others handle the rest. Peter Jackson might be a good source of input -- he's got some experience in such matters.