Imaginative Ideas but not well executed

Rating: 7/10 (24 November 2002)

The movie contains a lot of interesting ideas. It advances many aspects of the Star Wars storyline. It has great special effects and a fine soundtrack. The Yoda character is well-done. And Christopher Lee does a great job.
So with all of this, why was I left wincing so many times during the movie?
Because the lead actor, Hayden Christensen, can't act. I sat stunned by how stiff and unbelievable he was. His character wasn't helped much by the lines given him by Lucas, but he wasn't able to pump any life into the role. He delivered lines like he was in the first week of working with the script and was reading them off of cue cards.
So much as the distracting character of Jar Jar Binks distracted from the first movie, this time it was the worst performance by a major human character in the Star Wars series.
Natalie Portman wasn't outstanding either, unable to carry Christensen or breath any spark into their relationship. But at least she didn't distract from the film.
Still, after realizing early on that I had to endure the stiff acting, and trying my best to ignore it, it was a fun movie to watch. Not in the league of Ep 4, 5, or 6, but still fun. And it is interesting to see the story fall into place. The stage is set for a great Episode 3, should Lucas ever get his characters and casting anywhere near as good as his CGI.