Lives up to the sub title

Rating: Null/10 (25 October 2002)

"Attack of the Clones" - sounds like a bad sci-fi flick out of the 50s. Not quite, though--it's a bad sci-fi flick out of the new millenium, only it has the Star Wars name attached so it's good by definition and will generate millions. Go figure.
I guess you'll like this prequel if you don't start asking questions like Why is this film's name inconsistent with the plot? How can the the fearsome Darth Vader come from a whiny little prick who (force with him or not) would not survive high school? Why can't they find a decent actor for Anakin? Why did the supposedly "powerful" jedi get the crap kicked out of them by a handful of droids? How did that beast's claws only manage to tear off the midsection of Amidala's shirt when they were obviously sharp enough to penetrate stone and climb that pillar? You get the idea . ..
The first half of the film breezes by with chases, space exploration, something that's supposed to be romantic--I dunno, right when you figure out what Lucas was trying to do with a scene it cuts elsewhere. In other words, the first half of the film is an excuse to let ILM flex its CG muscle, but after awhile you become dead to the constant stream of special effects and the cease to impress you. Meanwhile there's a plot and character development that's supposed to be going on, which would be going on if Lucas would slow the hell down and keep the camera on the real people.

Did we really need the 'picnic' scene with Amidala? Did it do anything besides be cliche? Star Wars meets Little House on the Prairie--yay! I don't think so. Lucas, you could've shown the progressive relationship between Amidala and Anakin with fewer scenes involving them--just expand them so they can actually get intimate and not be the equivalent of a one night stand in motel 8. Real love there. Or better yet, take a cue from Orson Welles and do a montage scene with Anakin and Amidala to help convey the love story. Get creative, and stay the hell away from the cutting room.
I can't even say the CG impressed me; there's so much of it on screen all the time you get used to it. You're no longer awed, or inspired, it's just there. Be sparing guys; nothing ever works in excess.
At least John Williams delivers once again as to be expected. The love theme was a wonderful nod to some themes from the older star wars, and with William's magic is uniquely its own. His usually engaging original music, and in just the right places we'll here motives from Episode I, IV, V, and VI where appropriate. It's nice to know the Force is still with someone on this production.