a flawed gem

Rating: 8/10 (17 May 2002)

Star Wars fans -- the Force is back. Anyone not a Star Wars fan -- umm, sorry. Lucas and ILM have raised the bar for visual effects, but a decent plot is undone by weak dialogue and a near-total reliance on the original trilogy to carry the prequel story. New viewers will struggle to follow plot threads that have meaning only in light of future events.
Ewan McGregor is finally comfortable as Obi-Wan Kenobi. With a few winks to the late Alec Guinness, McGregor gives a bold, mature performance that echoes the appeal of a certain star pilot named Han Solo.
Hayden Christensen is fabulous as the young, talented, and flawed Anakin Skywalker. He shows a depth of character that should cement his place on the Hollywood A-list, as well as revealing the tortured soul of the man who will be Vader.
Anakin's involvement with the lovely Padme (Natalie Portman) is, by turns, sweet and awkward. The supposed soulmates are undone by some of the stiffest, silliest dialogue outside of a cheap romance novel. Lucas' foray into star-crossed love should have been written by someone with real emotions in mind. What looks good in writing doesn't necessarily work on-screen.
The battle scenes, the introduction of Jango and Boba Fett, and the stirrings of the Rebellion all breathe life into a brilliantly executed visual masterpiece. Every computer-generated detail is perfectly real. If only the script were half as smooth. Even the witty C-3PO sounds like he's trying too hard to come up with a quip.
The flaws are there, but I believe they do not destroy the whole. A few clumsy scenes can be forgiven. "Clones" is satisfying, enjoyable, and worthy of the legions of Star Wars fans.
8 of 10