The Best Star Wars Movie Ever!

Rating: 7/10 (14 May 2002)

Let's get one thing straight: Attack Of The Clones is better than The Phantom Menace. Far better. Things start off a bit slow-paced, although there are a good few lively bits to keep people interested. However, things start to really pick up in the second half, with the pace building gradually until the explosive finale. I need to talk more about this ending. Without giving away any details, it makes the climactic battle in Episode I (the one good thing about the movie) look like Ben Stiller's battle with the dog in "There's Something About Mary". It kicks ass.
Anakin Skywalker (now older and much less annoying) makes a far more interesting partner for Obi-Wan Kenobi than Qui-Gon Jinn from Episode I. Obi-Wan seems more developed in this movie, and Anakin, whose dark side is just beginning to show, is a joy to watch. His relationship with Amidala is actually quite touching, and not as sickening as I thought it would be. Both Yoda and Mace Windu (yes, that's Samuel L. Jackson) have bigger and better roles, especially Yoda, who could very well steal the show by, without giving anything away, playing a part in what has to be the best moment in the Star Wars saga. Thankfully, Jar Jar Binks is only in the film in a cameo role, but the annoying character in this part is C-3PO, with some of the most cringe-worthy one liners I have ever heard. George Lucas will never learn.
Now for the bad guys. Jango Fett is, sadly, no Darth Maul. Jango, a bounty hunter, may have a bigger role than Darth Maul, but Darth Maul's smaller role was more effective, and had a bigger impact. But Jango Fett still manages to look cool. The film's best villain, however, is Count Dooku, played with sinister excellence by Christopher Lee. While Jango is the villain everyone thinks is cool, Dooku brings in the boo-hiss factor with the thankless role as the villain everybody will love to hate. It is he who surpasses Darth Maul, and (I'm about to make a bold statement I may regret) whose presence could even come close to matching that of the legendary Darth Vader.
With fantastic battles, and the choice to give great characters more screen-time at the expense of bad ones, this is a big improvement. Unlike Episode I, Attack Of The Clones can be placed side by side, perhaps even on a higher level, than the original trilogy.
10/10