Casual Review

Rating: 10/10 (16 May 2002)

If The Phantom Menace hurt the credibility of Lucas and his franchise, which it quite obviously did, Attack of the Clones saved it. I'm not upset at Menace any more-I've seen the movie seven or eight times and it has won a place in my heart. Attack won over those who were less enthusiastic about Episode I, though.
Attack starts in high gear with (and this isn't really a spoiler; I believe this was mentioned in some of the trailers) a bounty-hunter's attempt on Amidala's (Natalie Portman's) life. Even after that's over, the movie manages to keep itself Empireistic proportions by Lucas' use of telling the many stories simultaneously. We're not stuck in a slow love scene because scenes are generally kept to five or ten minutes. Bored by Anakin's poorly acted advances towards Amidala? Worry not, for Obi-wan is off fighting with ridiculous amounts of enemies.
There are a few spoilers that need to be told; a few rumors that need to be verified: Yes, Jar Jar is tricked into causing all of the problems evident in the Universe of Episodes 4-6. And, yes, the beautiful Portman wears a rapidly shrinking white shirt constructed out of an ancient (not futuristic, mind you: remember "a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away") stretch fabric that leaves nothing to the imagination. Actually, a whole lot of imagining takes place, and Anakin is not there.