Nice Star Wars feel, but does NOT live up to the hype!

Rating: 7/10 (20 May 2002)

This film does NOT live up to the hype. It is NOWHERE NEAR on a par with "The Empire Strikes Back", and it's not as good as either "A New Hope" or "Return of the Jedi". The film is spoilt by flat acting in both the opening stages and the love scenes (Hayden Christensen is a little wooden when it comes to the film romance). There is also, once again, a heavy over-reliance on CGI; so much so that you sometimes think you could be watching "Who Framed Roger Rabbit". This film could take lessons from "Dog Soldiers" in the artistic and subtle use of computer effects, combined with excellent REAL COSTUMES!!!
On the positive side of things though, this film was nowhere near as bad as "The Phantom Menace". I actually enjoyed "Attack of the Clones" to the extent that I've awarded it a grudging 7/10. There is a definite Star-Warsey feel to the film once you get past the dreadful opening stages (spoilt by the wooden acting more than anything else) and it begins to gather momentum. This time there is a story that manages to arouse your curiosity, leaving many questions to be answered by the film as it goes along (and most of them are answered, but not necessarily in an obvious way). It was almost like watching a detective story, apart from the annoying interruptions of the flat love scenes with Christensen and Portman. The film becomes progressively darker as it draws towards its conclusion, and is permeated by undertones reminiscent of "The Empire Strikes Back". Hayden Christensen, whilst playing a wooden 'love-struck' role, becomes quite convincing as an Anakin Skywalker gradually succumbing to the dark side of the Force. Christopher Lee's "Count Dooku" (unfortunate name that) character is excellent, and his battle with Yoda is a must see. To say that Yoda is pretty nifty with a lightsabre once he chucks his walking stick away, would be an understatement! Euan McGregor has begun to shine as Obi Wan Kenobi, and Jungu Fett is also a character that assisted the film in coming together, along with little 'Boba'. Questions related to the origin of the Stormtrooper army in Episodes 4, 5 and 6 are undisputedly answered!
Anyway, to conclude, there are a couple of pointless scenes, but nowhere near as many as in TPM. Lucas has definitely put the story first this time over the imagery of his imagination. A final plus point is that you hardly ever see Jar Jar Binks (I reckon he gets about 10 minutes screen time, tops, and hardly ever speaks - thank God! All he needs now is a laserbolt to the head). His childish antics have been replaced by the tried and tested combination of R2 and 3PO, although some of their scenes are cliched from the original films which spoils things a touch.