The Force is Strong With This One...

Rating: 10/10 (17 May 2002)

We all know how all the Star Wars starts. The zoom out of the hollowed letters. The trumpet blaring against the bass tones, and the orchestra playing against the yellow letters fading in the distance describing the plot. Unfortunately, only a few years ago, the Force has lost some Jedi.
But not to, worry, as STAR WARS: EPISODE II- ATTACK OF THE CLONES will not disappoint. It attracts new fans, as well as the cheer of old fans. As the opening rolls, you can hear the cheer of the crowd.
ATTACK OF THE CLONES is, in basic, an exploration of Anakin (Hayden Christensen)to the dark side of the Force. It also explored the love between Anakin and Amidala (Natalie Portman). Of course, to have the obvious plot, the Republic starts to slowly turn into an Empire, and there is an assassination attempt on Amidala, and Anakin and Obi Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) must protect her. This throws them into a tangled plot of clones on the order of Count Dooku, with Jango Fett, Boba's father, leading the production of clones for the Republic's use. Unfortunately, a part of the Republic is corrupt. Throughout all this, the innocent, whiz kid at mechanics known as Anakin slowly succumbs into his fear and anger, as he is triggered, and begins his journey to the dark side of the Force. Of course, anything beyond that is a spoiler.
The effects are, without a doubt, surpasses SPIDERMAN. The CGI is so spectacular it can wow even the most skeptic viewer. The battles are quite something to look at, a PG rated spectacle that overshadows Harry Potter. Of course, Yoda is CGI, but for a reason.
The acting, though a little forced at times, matches the dialogue to fit the time, and McGregor pulls this off majestically, capturing the spirit of Alec Guiness' version of Obi-Wan. Unlike Episode I, Jar Jar Binks is reduced to a smaller role, but doesn't stop him from screwing everything up again. The most intriguing character being none other than Jango Fett, as he plays off McGregor's interrogation to rival his son Boba's quiet, but brutal character in the original trilogy. Portman is a little less made up, and has a finer wardrobe than her clunky and heavy Queen outfits. Samuel L. Jackson's cool-under-pressure performance gives us the "Shaft" of the galaxy, only to be outperformed by none other than Yoda. Everything is a big improvement over the Phantom Menace.
Don't listen to the critics on this one. We all know how dependent critics are (Titanic, Crossroads), and they are simply not to trust on a movie that was built to please its followers. Let's face it, folks: Critics are horrible with blockbuster films with a cult following. It's the EMPIRE STRIKES BACK for the new millennium. This won't displease the fans a bit, and there's proof when people cheer at Yoda coming into the screen, or a standing ovation on opening day. ATTACK OF THE CLONES fulfills the expectations of any first time viewer or long time fan, and more. Prepare to be sucked into a world of fantasy, where you'll enjoy it until the very end, where the end credits roll, and leave you yearning for Episode III. This is a movie to rank with the Classic Trilogy.
If you're still not impressed, then I find your lack of faith disturbing.-------- 10