What we've come to expect

Rating: 6/10 (16 May 2002)

Ah, the simplicity of the original STAR WARS: A standard McGuffin (the Death Star plans) to set the action in motion, a few heroes trying to rescue a princess, a bad guy in black. It's hard to believe that the writer-director who so masterfully conceived this space western could muck things up so much, both with complicated politics (who are we really supposed to be rooting for?) and inane dialogue. The film nearly comes to a standstill whenever Hayden Christensen, as Annakin-cum-Darth Vader, spills his heart to dear Padme' (Natalie Portman). As I suspected after LIFE AS A HOUSE, Christensen is a sincere and intense actor, but not a very good one. His face is boyish and flat, without any character, definition, or shadow: he's like a breathing Ken doll. But despite being a magnet for complaining fans, I won't trash the film. I went to see it eyes-wide-open, knowing what Lucas's obsessions have become: It is not even a "film" in the technical sense -- the whole thing was shot digitally -- because Lucas has turned into a techno-geek. His way may be the future of how movies WILL be MADE, but it is not how they SHOULD be FELT. Just as FINAL FANTASY reminded us why actors usually are needed to make audiences care, CLONES stands as an important and fairly entertaining example of the potential of technology, without doing much damage to the promise that good screenwriting and actor trump all kinds of glitz. Of course you should see it; but don't be seduced by the dark side. (c)