Still missing the old magic

Rating: 5/10 (15 May 2002)

George Lucas' latest installment of the Star Wars saga, Attack of the Clones, provided a bitter mixture of extraordinary special effects and stunning landscapes along with a story that is presented rather forcefully and emotionally sapped. The old combination that worked so well in the 70s and 80s has been derailed to the point that frankly, it just isn't fun anymore. For all the digital technology and the CGI creations and the wondrous imagery that Lucas paints on the screen, he is simply unable to reinvent the fascinating story that made Star Wars what it once was.
With the passing of ten years, Anakin has grown into a cocky Padawan learner who has trouble with patience and obedience. He, along with his master Obi Wan, is assigned to protect the former Queen, now Senator (strange politics) Amidala when an assassination attempt is made against her life. Upon finding that a bounty hunter was responsible for the attack, the Jedi Council assigns Kenobi to find him while Anakin remains in charge of the Senator's safety. The story takes a confusing detour into a contrived love story, full of sappy lines and cliched events, sharing time with the more interesting story of Obi Wan's pursuit. Lucas' love story is labored and missing the tension and the clever barb play that we witnessed between Han and Leia. Unfortunately, the rest of the story takes a back seat to this melodrama until the ending battle.
The action sequences are excellent. We see the full strength of the Jedi in combat and finally get to see Samuel L. Jackson wielding his purple light saber. The Yoda/Dooku battle has been discussed thoroughly with excitement by most, but I found the end result to be nothing more than a gimmick. Ironically, however, the best acting performance in the movie was by the computer generated Jedi Master himself, giving credence to the notion that Lucas is more comfortable with the technology than with the actors.
George Lucas envisioned one of the greatest movie epics ever created, but at his best, he was an influence behind the scenes and let those that excelled at writing and directing handle the details of his vision. Two movies into his second trilogy, it may be too late to rectify that mistake. I have two words that Mr. Lucas would be wise to heed before he undertakes the final chapter: Lawrence Kasdan.