I tried to be objective....

Rating: 10/10 (21 May 2002)

I viewed this film with a critical eye, I tried to be objective, but I couldn't for the life of me understand the criticism this film has received. I tried to hate Hayden Christiansen's performance, I tried to hate the bad dialogue, I even tried to hate that space water horse Jar Jar Binks but I couldn't. Aside from a few laughable moments I was completely satisfied with every aspect of Attack of the Clones.
I am 28 years old; those 3 films define my early childhood. I am not a raving Star Wars Freak, I may watch the films, including The Phantom Menace about 3 or 4 times a year but I would not wait in line for more than an hour to see any of them. My favorite one of course is Empire, but there is definitely a soft spot for A New Hope and without the ewoks and the labored acting by Harrison Ford (especially on Endor) Return of the Jedi has a flawless ending. I love the story, I love the characters and I couldn't wait for the prequels to be made.
Well, The Phantom Menace was released and I could sense a difference. I didn't hate the film like a lot of people but I could tell that for the most part it didn't feel like Star Wars, too much babyish add ons and stilted dialogue and of course that sea horse Jar Jar. I did however understand the reasons why. I knew that the next one would get more into the meat of the story and it does. Its disappointing to think that some critics and viewers just looked at the acting and dialogue which really wasn't that bad at all and I would even go so far as to say that as clichÃ©d it was it was pretty damn good for a Star Wars film. The acting was also just as good as the originals, because, what is the real draw is the story the world Lucas has created the characters and why things are the way they are in episodes 4,5 and 6. I loved the chess game being played in Attack of the Clones and watching it made me like The Phantom Menace even more.
I also loved the little hints of what type of guy Anakin is, he is ruled by his emotions and he feeds off them. My favorite part was after wiping out the Tusken campsite he is talking to Padme about his frustrations with OBI WAN when he reveals to her what he did. This worked very well and it made more of an impact, on me anyway, having him speak of the slaughter rather than showing it. I think Hayden is great as Anakin, and I think there is chemistry between him and Padme which leads me to Natalie Portman who is so hot, I mean that face and her acting is way better than some would have you believe. The comparison to Carrie Fisher is imminent but they are both quite different yet very much the same, if that makes sense. The characters are similar but the motivations are different and both are great, I love Leia's no bulls*** attitude and she is pretty sexy but I am absolutely in love with Portman can't wait to see what happens to Padme and Anakin.
Now for Ewen Mcgregor and his performance. George Lucas with the help of Alec Guiness has created one of the most interesting characters in this genre of filmmaking, Obi Wan Kenobi. In The Phantom Menace Ewen wasn't given much to do except wait around and follow Liam's lead, until the final light sabre battle with Darth Maul and there you get a glimpse of where Ewen Mcgregor is going to take this character. Well, in Attack of the Clones Ewen becomes Kenobi, he is phenomenal! I just wish there was more, but I guess I will have to wait for Episode III. His moment with Yoda discussing the missing planet Kamino is great along with the banter between him and Anakin. The bar scene is great too, Kenobi going to get a drink and then using the jedi mind trick on a weak minded drug dealer, priceless. I have always been a big fan of Ewen Mcgregor and knew he was perfect to play a young Obi Wan and boy was I right.
Yoda, as everyone has noted, kicks ass. This is a unanimous feeling whether you loved the film, thought it was all right or hated it, everyone agrees Yoda kicks mother****in' ass. He is the master, how do you fight something like that. I guess that's why Dooku just says f*** this and gets the hell out of there. I can't wait to find out why he ends up in the Dagoba system. Mace Windu is pretty awesome too; his take out of Jango Fett is great. Some people thought it was too quick, but, s***, he is second to Yoda on the Jedi Council so some bounty hunter is not going to put up too much of a fight. Which leads me to Jango, I loved seeing what that mandalorian suit can do and having temuerison play him was awesome, too bad he didn't last too long.
Finally, Dooku, Sidious and clones. Christopher Lee is brilliant this guy plays the best villain. Every moment with him shines, his little game with Obi Wan, his duel with Obi Wan, Anakin and then Yoda, his calm escape riding that speeder bike and that little look he gives when his right hand man Jango gets decapitated, Christopher Lee ROCKS! Palpatine/Sidious is not featured as much this time but Mcdierrmond is still great, I liked the little passive aggressive approach to getting Jar Jar to propose the full power bill to the senate.
Now for the special effects. I didn't see this in a digital format but it still was great, the speeder chase through Curascant was thrilling, the kamino stuff was visually stunning, except the waves, they looked pretty fake. Obi Wans chase of the Slave 1 through an asteroid field was very well done especially the seismic bursts, the sound was very original. The introduction to Geonosis was a little video gamey but I was glued to the action, I loved the design of the Geonesians and the arena monsters where pretty fun especially that cat thing, it was actually pretty freaky looking. The battle itself was awesome although it did look at times like a playstation role playing game, especially when they showed all the Jedi Fighting, some of them just looked stupid. I don't understand why no two jedi can look the same. One looks like a tiger man, another looks like whoopee Goldberg the next one looks like the Quaker oats dude and some Asian squid head. Anyway the worst CGI offense was Anakin riding some fat cow thingy in the fields of Naboo, that was terrible.
Aside from those poorly done effects, here some other aspects of the things that just didn't quite do it for me. C3P0, his accidental inscription into the arena battle was stupid as hell. Anakins nightmare caused quite a burst of laughter in the audience and a couple of long speeches by him induced some major groans. That's about it, oh yeah a couple of scenes where a character would seem incapacitated one moment and then all of a sudden jump up and be alright, not to mention that fat jedi that couldn't get into the gun ship without a helping hand.
Overall I absolutely loved Attack of the Clones and definitely can't wait for Episode III.