George Lucas: once was lost, but now he's found

Rating: 8/10 (16 May 2002)

Okay, George Lucas was once lost, but now he's found. Remember how cheesy Phantom Menace was? Not this one. This film is darker and better and it doesn't pander to children. Phantom Menace seemed to be a kiddie movie, but this returns as a film that can be enjoyed by all ages.
Of course, the effects were spectacular. They were tastefully done this time too. The CG on Attack of the Clones really didn't bother me. One can say that you know when you're looking at computer graphics, then criticize for it, but remember when watching the first three films you knew when you were looking at a matte painting, a model, or a puppet. So get past that and enjoy the film.
I was very pleased to see that Mace Windu is in this movie a lot, and Jar-Jar isn't. And just wait until you see what a badass Yoda is.
One complaint, if I may, is the love story between Anakin and Amidala was just plain awful. Of course, it had to be there for the story's sake, but I think it could have been done much better. Also, this film seems to drag a bit at first, but hang in there. It does get better!
This movie completely blew away my expectations too. What you expect to happen, doesn't, and that's a good thing. This film was a treat to watch. As good as Empire, better than Jedi, and a whole lot better than Phantom Menace.