I don't want to say that I am disappointed but I really expected more!

Rating: 6/10 (16 May 2002)

Saw the first show of Episode 2 on this side of Atlantic last night in a special preview after midnight. And man was it an event, but that's expected I presume of every Star Wars movie. Anyway getting back to the point, I really expected more than what the movie eventually offered. I heard people saying on television movie programs, those who had seen it in the Trebecca film festival in New York, that its better than Episode 1: The Phantom Menace and so on. But I beg to differ. I am sure that its not. Though I feared a complete love story after watching many many rushes in the last few weeks but luckily it has a lot more. Unfortunately it all doesn't seem to be linked to each other that well.
Now I don't want to give away the story so I would just say that it's about the attack of the clones :) On what and by whom I wouldn't say. And though it is the main theme but the actual attack was only one of the many sub plots in the movie. In my humble opinion the real story is the turning of Anakin Skywalker to the dark side. He is, as all know, the hero of the recent trilogy as Luke was in the first but he has to turn to a complete villain by the end of the next episode and George Lucas has tried for the first time in this movie to explain this transition. Anakin is shown to be suffering all the time by his new found love and by the nightmares of his pained family ties. Add to it his growing disenchantment with the system and the jedi order and the desire to be the most powerful. In the flow of emotions he does some things untypical of a jedi and the process takes him closer to the dark side. This transition as I wrote earlier is the sole purpose of this movie.
I found many a times during the movie an out of the ordinary effort by Lucas to explain things which he supposed or presumed in the original trilogy and I think any close viewer will notice this as well. As for the performances, I would say Hayden Christensen didn't make a really bad debut but he could have been a lot better. He looked stone faced and emotionless in many scenes. Natalie Portman was good in her role that was more realistic than the pomp and style of the queen she was in Episode 1. She seem to be the dominant partner in their relationship as she has more control because of her position as a senator and being more mature of the two because of their age difference. Rest of the cast did well but if there is a real star of the movie, it's got to be Ewan McGregor. He was really good. Visual and sound effects are outstanding and I found a marked improvement in the background score as well. The screenplay, though a little better than Episode 1, leaves a lot to be desired. If one had to point out one major difference with the original trilogy it has to be the strength of the original screenplay.
Now just to give a little away.... the high point of the movie comes right at the end, and the die hard fans will surely enjoy that.

My recommendation will be to go and watch the movie as every other fan would do but don't expect a lot or you'll really be disappointed. Enjoy the visual extravaganza and you may end up liking the movie. My rating 6/10.