IMAX Version: One of the Best Films o 2002

Rating: 10/10 (16 January 2003)

ATTACK OF THE CLONES: THE IMAX EXPERIENCE
CONTAINS SPOILERS
If anyone ever needed a testimonial to the importance of the editor to the film-making process, here it is. The old adage "less is more" is ironically confirmed in the gigantic IMAX version of the second episode in the Star Wars Saga. Lean, mean and twenty minutes lighter then it's theatrical release, ATTACK OF THE CLONES: THE IMAX EXPERIENCE moves with all the speed and exuberance of the Saturday-morning-serials of yesteryear that the title emulates. Fasten your seat belts folks, you're in for a heck of a ride.

Firstly, the sheer visual beauty of the film is like no other eye candy ever experienced. The gorgeous worlds of Lucas's galaxy are colossal in their detail, and hold up remarkable well on the huge IMAX screen. On the other end of the scale, the intimacy of the acting performances is also increased rather than overwhelmed by the five-story screen. You feel as if you are peering over the shoulders of the characters, eavesdropping on their conversations. In terms of the patented STAR WARS action scenes, several of them almost seemed designed for the IMAX experience, especially the vertigo inducing speeder chase through Courescant and the colossal battle of Kamino that touches off the Clone War. Occasionally, but not often, the mise-en-scene suffers under the huge increase of visual detail - certain effects lose their sheen, make up becomes more noticeable - but these small quibbles are infinitesimal compared to what is gained by viewing this film on the IMAX screen.
The best thing about this version of ATTACK OF THE CLONES however, isn't the massive viewing experience: it's how wonderful the story works with twenty minutes of footage cut from the film so that it could fit into the IMAX format.
With these deft trims to the film, all that is left is concentrated storytelling that lifts ATTACK OF THE CLONES to a near perfect level of escapist entertainment. By cutting twenty minutes out of the story, the editor, or editors, actually improve the plot lines that suffered under the weight of elongated story time. The "mystery" plot line, which follows Obi-Wan as he investigates the riddle of Jango Fett and the Clones, now has a much stronger cause-and-effect element to the pacing. Obi-Wan goes to Kamino - boom, uncovers the clone factory. Fights Jango - boom, pursues Jango to Geonosis. Boom, boom, boom. Discovers that Count Dooku is behind the whole mess. Boom. All hell breaks loose.
This is also true of the Anakin/Padme romance subplot. The long scenes of political bantering are replaced with almost real-time decisions on how they should respond to the events unfolding around them. Plot momentum is increased experientially. However, what works best about the Anakin/Padme story line in the IMAX version is how much the performances improve. Hayden Christensen and Natalie Portman seem ten years older in this new version. They seem mature. Stoic. Resisting every step of the way their feelings for each other with maturity and intelligence. Gone are the silly discussions of love and the cringe-inducing dialogue. Instead, Christensen and Portman sell the moment with a look and silence. Their intimate scenes together now work splendidly, packed with the emotion of a doomed love affair on the eve of war.
And of course, we get to see a five-story tall Yoda fight with a light saber. Need I say more?