Masterful in places, not so great in others

Rating: 7/10 (2 July 2007)

After Phantom Menace made some wrong turns in setting the foundation for the Starwars saga, Clones has tweaked a few of the blunders of the first movie, and provides plenty of impressive visuals, plot development, and good high-tech action. However, it also encounters some problems along the way.
The growing threat of the scheming "Emperor to be" with insidious political intrigue is structurally sound, and cleverly written. The gladiator sequence achieves on several levels, and provides a perfect igniting spark for one of the best choreographed massive battle scenes in a long time. Good plot line, well told. The Jar-Jar Binks fiasco was handled in the best way, by subtly pushing him into the background, without killing him off (croaking him would have inspired lots of jokes mocking the franchise). Special effects are uniformly superior.
The casting of Hayden Christensen was not a good choice. The pivotal Anikin character is a complex, conflicted, disillusioned hero whose descent into a monstrous about-face is on the horizon. A more emotive actor would have helped; this guy just sounds like a toddler having one long temper tantrum while being potty trained. Natalie Portman is OK, but she and Christensen have as much chemistry as a wet noodle. Other actors do better; especially those in "Dark side of the Force" roles. The whole sequence in the droid factory is unnecessary, and reminded me of an old Popeye cartoon.
A little better than Episode I, but Episode III was far better than this.