Some sci-fi fun on its own; not quite "Star Wars"

Rating: Null/10 (5 August 2009)

Overall, ATTACK OF THE CLONES is okay. Full of imaginative action sequences and sci-fi environments. But the film, like all the spin-off prequels, doesn't seem to fit with the excellent original movies. It doesn't "feel" the same. Still, this movie should be a lot of fun for kids and sci-fi buffs.
This, Episode II of the saga, tries to lay the groundwork for the upcoming war and the fall of the Republic. A good amount of time is spent on a sappy romance. But there are enough battles and chases to keep viewers satisfied.
As a fan of the original films, I can't quite embrace the prequels. There's just something about them...
The Good:
A space chase through an asteroid belt, the return of the Tatooine moisture farm, the introduction of the clone army, John Williams's score, Obi-Wan's storyline, and Natalie Portman (she's very pretty).
Obi-Wan goes on an investigation into the attempted assassination of Senator Amidala. This story plays out like a Bogart detective noir. He travels around the galaxy, meeting people and gathering information, trying to piece the clues together. Dexter Jettster, an informant in a diner, is particularly cool. A good piece of voice acting. I just thought it was interesting to see the detective-mystery storyline in a Star Wars film.
The Bad:
The overly sentimental love story, the boring politics, some silly chase sequences, the green-screen sets, and Hayden Christensen's terrible acting. As Anakin Skywalker, the main focus of the prequel trilogy, Christensen is just awful. His performance is wooden and amateurish.
. . . . .
The prequels just can't live up to the original Star Wars movies. They just don't feel the same. I can't really explain it, but the original movies seemed realistic. War movies set in another galaxy. The prequels are more like sci-fi fantasy adventures.
I think part of it is the overuse of CGI. The new movies are created almost entirely in a computer. Most of the sets, backgrounds, creatures, vehicles, and effects, and even some major characters, are created digitally. And as impressive as the technology is, viewers can still tell that what they are seeing is not real.
The original trilogy seemed more "real". It used models, miniatures, puppets, practical effects, and real sets. The vehicles and equipment looked used and realistic, not polished and sleek and design-oriented.
And the stories are different, too. The originals were about a band of interesting characters in a war against a powerful enemy. They were underdog stories. And they had a sort of hokey charm. The recent prequels are grand and operatic space romances. If that makes any sense...
Still, ATTACK OF THE CLONES has some fun action and interesting sequences. It's an important transitional film in the series. It's not classic Star Wars, but taken as it is, the movie can be pretty enjoyable.