Binks in the Background makes SW2 a winner

Rating: 9/10 (26 May 2002)

Firstly, may I say (perhaps somewhat cynically) that obviously George Lucas has done some market research after the floppery that was Star Wars I - and in his next instalment has given audiences what they were really after. Yes, gone (for the most part) are Jar Jar Binks and the muffin-head kid playing Anakin Skywalker. Instead, we have a cast worthy for a prelude to the original Star Wars movies.
The mistake of the first Star Wars was to pander to the Disney market, resulting in an immature film insulting to the intelligence of the majority of its audience. Yeah yeah, I know - science fiction is for kids. But its also for grown up kids. We don't need Jar Jar Binks to be entertained... and yes, Star Wars 2 is a winner.
Here we see the real foreshadowings of things to come. There are action scenes, brilliant effects, a minimum of puppetry although a tad too much soppy romance with the unlikeable Anakin and the hot to trot Padme.
Key scenes to look out for: the Padwan (trainee Jedi) class; Obi Wan Kenobi's visit to see the clone army (our first real sighting of Bobba Fett; plus more!
Yes, there are still some corny elements - but hey, it wouldn't be Star Wars without them. Well done George and Lucasfilm. Now if we can just finish off Jar Jar once and for all in SW3...