A lacking second instalment to a disappointing trilogy.

Rating: 4/10 (12 April 2016)

Phantom Menace may have established the phase for disappointment, but Attack of the Clones is the film that finally reduces expectations to absolute zero.
In response to the previous instalment's criticism on the emphasis of comic relief from Jar Jar Binks, George Lucas seems to overlook other flaws that made the Phantom Menace a letdown.
Phantom Menace was devoid of any likable characters. The movie was bogged down by its tonal inconsistency. The dialogue, while cliché in some scenes, was for the most part believable and partially structured by good performances. Attack of the Clones however, the entire movie is full of abysmal dialogue and has no decent performances to compensate whatsoever, in exception to Ewan Mcgregor as Obi Wan.
There are more attempts at characterisation and development, but George Lucas struggles to convey the narrative due to incoherent writing and dialogue so cringe-worthy and laughable.
Anakin serves as a very unlikable protagonist, making the transition to Darth Vader in the consecutive instalment Revenge of the Sith underwhelming and nothing more than wasted potential, considering his downfall was the foundation of the entire prequel trilogy to begin with.
I am admittedly partially skeptical of saying that Hayden Christensen was a poor casting choice for Anakin.
As nostalgia critic stated, he can convey an intimidating presence in scenes that are not dialogue oriented.
His acting gradually improved in episode III, but during his worst scenes (I don't Like Sand-Fireplace scene-I killed them all), he is seriously lacking.
Even the effects are not a redeeming quality, due the film's emphasis on CGI without any composure or balance. The film is stylistically distant from the original trilogy, exchanging a gritty and realistic universe to a clean, polished environment that looks nothing like what was established in the original trilogy.
The CGI serves no genuine purpose other than to push the boundaries of digital film making. The movie just looks dated now, as opposed to the originals which still looks seamless to this day.
There are however moments of stunning cinematography. Geonosis and Kamino are artistically creative. The scenes that actually do feature practical imagery are stunning.
In conclusion, Attack of the Clones is arguably the most forgettable and flawed of the entire saga.
Despite it being the worst Star Wars movie, I acknowledge it as the most entertaining and enjoyable of the prequels.
With the Phantom Menace being dull and Revenge of the Sith being dark, Attack of the Clones is the one prequel that feels like a genuinely good time, not to say that implies I think it is a good movie.