Empty spectacle

Rating: 6/10 (7 May 2004)

George Lucas is in danger of becoming the C.B. deMille or Stanley Kramer of his generation: a producer who insists on miscasting himself in the director's chair. This picture shows off what George does best - creating eye defying visuals of a fantasy landscape. Some of the vistas in this film - the cityscape, the clone factory and the terrain rushing by in the final chase are truly breathtaking. Unfortunately we also get George at his worst - writing clunky dialogue and failing to coax even moderately engaging perfs from his attractive and talented cast. Okay, Hayden Christensen lacks for talent, but the rest of the cast should have carried even him. The result is a fantastic looking, but dramatically frustrating film. I wanted the leads to shut up and quit blocking the scenery - never a good sign in a film where the central romantic plotline is crucial to the overall drama.