A Visual Feast

Rating: Null/10 (19 May 2002)

This movie is breath-taking, there isn't a better word to describe it. I certainly have never seen anything so visually impressive in my life - although I think this may change when episode three is released. Attack of the Clones has give star wars fans pretty much everything they have been wanting to see since the original films - Yoda in a lightsaber battle, a guided tour through the Jedi HQ, the list is endless...
Compared to Episode I, which I didn't hate, but seemed a little bland (and the introduction of Jar-Jar Binks is self-explanatory) this has much more substance, and easily compares with the original trio in terms of the mythology, story arcs, atmosphere and action.
However, despite its brilliance, Attack of the Clones is not flawless: I personally cannot stand the 'new' digital-Yoda, I can't see why they couldn't use the original puppet design for most of the film and introduce animatronics for the fight scene; the love story also seemed a little forced - especially when Amidala suddenly reveals her love for Anakin before the arena-fight; Obi-Wan Kenobi appears to have been neutered - he behaves like a model Jedi and yet at the same time gives the impression of a incompetent, cowardly idiot; and finally, I would like to have seen more of Zam Wessel, the female changeling bounty-hunter.
But, despite the brief, and suppressed appearance of Jar-Jar Binks, these minor flaws are all that is wrong with this film. All the new elements fitted perfectly into the Star Wars saga - I'm a little apprehensive of Episode III as many of these 'new' characters are more than likely going to be killed off to fit the continuity of the sequels.