The Episode II is pure fun with a well-made best laying depth relationships with others (especially with episodes IV and V) and it brings many elements of the series

Rating: 7/10 (18 May 2020)

After the great box office The Phantom Menace, George Lucas returns to the penultimate part of its hit series, this being the second in chronological order. Lucas back in the direction and the script alongside Jonathan Hales. As a major news, the Episode II, is the first big-budget film to be shot entirely with digital cameras.
Long ago, in a galaxy far, far away ... There is concern in the Galactic Senate. Thousands of solar manifested his intention to leave the Republic. This separatist movement, under the leadership of the mysterious Count Dooku, has made it difficult for the limited number of Jedi Knights to maintain peace and order in the galaxy. Senator Padmé Amidala, former Queen of Naboo, is returning to the Galactic Senate to vote on the delicate question of creating a Republic Army to help beleaguered Jedi ... Ten years after an unsuccessful attempt at invasion of the planet Naboo, Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor), Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) and Amidala (Natalie Portman) are together again. At this time Obi-Wan went from apprentice to teacher teachings Jedi Anakin, both of which were assigned to protect Senator Amidala now, whose life is threatened by unknown separatist factions of the Republic, which threaten to unleash a civil war. While Obi-Wan takes care of the second mission, finding an army of clones on the planet Kamino, with the passing of time comes a forbidden romance between Anakin Jedi and Senator Amidala, as Jedi Knights are not allowed to fall in love.
Lucas and Jonathan Hales absorbed some criticism and corrected some mistakes in The Phantom Menace, again managing to raise the level of the franchise. Completely different climate more childish Return of the Jedi and The Phantom Menace, this second chapter flirts more with the elements and atmosphere of The Empire Strikes Back.Without any fear of virtually abandoning the lighter side and returning to opt for a gloomy mood. It is curious to see, looking at all the movies, the perfect symmetry created by George Lucas from The Empire Strikes Back and Attack of the Clones, in both secondary reinforces the narrative construction of the personality of the main hero (training Luke in "Empire", and dating of Anakin in "Clones") and a fantastic scene including a dueling saber light-end. Not to mention the most important: a hand severed works representing the change in the two films.
We should emphasize the debut of Hayden Christensen, who got his first chance to play Anakin Skywalker. The actor had just before delivering a great performance in Life as a House (2001) was nominated for many awards, including a Golden Globe for his portrayal. His dramatic appeal suggested that would be the ideal actor to develop Darth Vader, from its rise to its fall to the Dark Side of the Force Natalie Portman, Queen before and now Senator Padmé Amidala, can have much more space on the screen and continues to show why was at the time one of the biggest revelations of cinema. Even the romance with Amidala Skywalker, who works a few times and is too corny in other, ends up working for the good chemistry of the two actors. The problem is that the romance scenes of the two did the pace of the plot falls abruptly. We see here also the first moment of hatred and anger that will make it clear that Anakin is already dangerously close to the dark side. And Christensen does very well on the task.
Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan holds a much larger and decisive. If previously he was an apprentice, now he's a Jedi master wiser, experienced and who commands respect. Ian McDiarmid is once again excellent as Palpatine, able to manipulate everyone to achieve their goals.
The partnership with Luke Hales made the film darker with less humor, more mature and full of spectacular scenes. The night scenes in cities give a climate futuristic and technological achieve mesmerize the viewer. The dialogues were weak virtually eliminated, although still there, specifically in the romance scenes. The comic relief was a factor corrected. Sai Jar Jar Binks, one of the most hated characters in the galaxy, which has a very low participation in this and Chapter III, and they turn their attention again to the duo R2-D2 (Kenny Baker) and C-3PO (Anthony Daniels) .
The way the plot is tied to the other episodes is much more noticeable and appeals to everyone. It is interesting seeing the former senator becoming Supreme Chancellor. His rise to power and the consequent fall of the Republic will be increasingly consolidating more. Parts and relations between the films are becoming increasingly evident and will all converge in the third episode Revenge of the Sith. Continuity, incidentally, is what makes fans of the series increasingly passionate universe of George Lucas, to realize that everything is thought out in detail so that everything fits in six films. As an example, the family farm Lars (Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru), first seen in Episode IV, it is shown much younger in "Attack of the Clones". The original design of the Death Star appears also being studied as well as the ships, which are starting to look more like those we know from the original trilogy. This concern is evident even in costume and makeup. Palpatine is more pale and thin, as seen in Return of the Jedi. Senator Amidala wears clothes and has hair very similar to his daughter Leah uses in A New Hope. On Kamino, Obi-Wan discovers plans for creation of the clone army, and also discover the array of clones is Jango Fett (Temuera Morrison), a bounty hunter hired to kill Amidala. Jango is the "father" of none other than Boba Fett (Daniel Logan).
The action sequences are excellent. Here we see one of the greatest demonstrations of "Force" as present in this universe, with a clash of giants among the former Jedi Count Dooku and Yoda (voiced by Frank Oz). At this point we see an impressive fight and we can finally see the Master apparently quietly, weak and old, showing his power to control objects and mastering the Force as few, plus a stunning agility in fight scenes. This all would be impossible using the puppet animated first trilogy. No doubt this is one of the highlights of the film. The scene of the Jedi in the arena is also exciting with the presence of Anakin, Obi-Wan, Amidala, and Master Mace Windu (Samuel L. Jackson). Importantly Natalie Portman in a sexy costume breathtaking, and his daughter Leia (Carrie Fisher) had starred in "Return of the Jedi", though well-behaved more.
The chase on Coruscant night is breathtaking. It is an exaggerated and prolonged scene, but it would show how good the film. The final part, on the planet Geonosis, where mystery investigated by Obi-Wan, Anakin and Amidala and where, now imprisoned for Dooku, end up meeting again, involving the fight between Yoda and Dooku, and the beginning of the war between clones and droids, is fully satisfactory. A climax as few films.
The special effects once again did not disappoint. Never before in the series had been using both the computer graphics for the construction of scenarios and also the characters. The art direction and photography are darker and more apocalyptic the highlight. The decision to show the ships, palaces, and other elements are perfect. Lucas and staff art show and knew a time more technological mastery that after Empire suffers a absolute decay, as shown in the first film of the trilogy. The art is also need to distance each planet / scenarios. The dark storm sequences on the planet Kamino in has nothing to do with the gloomy caverns of Geonosis. The scenarios Naboo appear as well as the arid deserts of Tatooine, they are the scene of a tragic death in the family Skywalker. There is also the striking air traffic and the futuristic buildings of Coruscant, the capital planet of the Republic, full of spectacular ships. The composer John Williams could not fail to mark their presence. Only the scene where Anakin, after suffering a major loss family, is seduced by the dark side for the first time, and we hear the "Imperial March" more subtly adapted to that moment, opens a smile on every viewer instantly.
The Episode II is pure fun with a well-made best laying depth relationships with others in the series (especially with episodes IV and V) and it brings many elements of the series back. A must-see film that makes racing all the preparation for the last part of the puzzle created by the mind of George Lucas.