Fabulously entertaining. Critics should check their history text books.

Rating: 10/10 (17 May 2002)

--SPOILERS-- From the moment it's kickstarted (that being when a Jedi leaps out the window of a miles-high building) to the much-too-soon ending, this movie left me breathless.
I didn't expect to see Oscar caliber performances here, so I pretty much ignored every critic who has panned this film.
Such critics who say, "too much exposition... and boring political dialogue..." Perhaps they aren't up to snuff on their storytelling.
When Star Wars (that being Episode IV) begins, we are informed that it's a period of GALACTIC CIVIL WAR. How does this begin? Looking to what we've learned in history class, civil war comes about due to political disputes.

Attack of the Clones had me riveted for every frame -- if there weren't three hundred things blowing up on screen, we were being let in on the reasons which lead up to there no longer being a Republic or a Senate.
We see Palpatine already guiding Anakin Skywalker toward the dark side, hooking him, and feeding him the lines that lead Vader to serve at his master's side.
We see that even prior to the events of The Phantom Menace, Palpatine and Dooku have been coordinating their efforts toward a civil war, knowing that it takes these sorts of massive events to force sweeping changes such as the replacement of a Chancellor, or granting "emergency" powers.

We smile, knowingly, as Palpatine says, "When this crisis has passed, I will gladly lay down this power."
Perhaps the critics don't get it. Perhaps they don't understand that only two "good" Jedi will remain at the end of Episode III -- Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda will be in hiding, while the Emporer and a scarred and nearly-destroyed Anakin Skywalker will hold the places of power.