Cooldom Goes to the Movies

Rating: 9/10 (15 May 2002)

I wish you could hear the inflection in my voice when I say that this movie was "cool". James Dean cool. The Jedi's deserve their own villa in the realm of cool. Every scene that had a Jedi in it - any Jedi - oozed greatness. And Yoda! I can't say enough about my short, post-muppet, CGI pal.
The ships were inventive and slick. The sets were detailed and vivid. The filming was seasoned and artistic. The costumes were imaginitive and beautiful.
People clapped. People cheered. In the New Zealand culture where composure in times of sobriety is almost law, these actions have to say something for a movie.
Although the script was often terrible and the CGI occasionally flawed, these setbacks in Lucas's vision don't compromise the movie as a whole. The layered political subterfuge intermingled with a broad spectrum of action sequences, push the plot forward at a pleasing albeit break neck speed.
The actors handled themselves well. McGregor's progression from the Obi-Wan we saw in Episode 1 provides an eerily accurate bridge to Alec Guinesses Obi-Wan in A New Hope. Jackson brings Pulp Fiction style to Mace Windu. Portman is beautiful to watch. Anakin - the sulky Jedi in training - irritated me in more ways then I can articulate. This in itself probably proves that Christensen did a good job as well.
I have to put the verbose descriptions aside for a moment. Put simply: this movie is fun to watch.
Go see it once. Go see it twice. Hell, take in your camcorder and see it a bunch of times.