Lesser version of Empire Strikes Back

Rating: 9/10 (16 May 2002)

Went to see the premier at midnight, and I must say the general excitement was much less than that of episode I.
Myself, I did not really know what to expect. I purposely did not see any interviews and only saw the original "forbidden love" trailer, so I had really no clue of what was to come. I was in for a bittersweet surprise.
What I had hoped was for something stronger and more refined than Episode I (although I doubt that it would achieve the craft of the first three originals). It turned out to be of similar value than The Phantom Menace, but a very different film altogether. Much Darker, much slower-paced and with an anticlimactic intrigue.
The beginning of the movie was stunning. After some questionable special effects in an early explosion, there is a relatively long flying car chase that looks so fresh and feels so good watching it that I thought I was in for a treat. Light witty humor (much better than slapstick Jar-Jar comedy). McGregor does a good job as Kenobi.
Then the middle of the movie explains a lot of the details of the storyline, but does not overly captive besides maybe Obi-Wan's shocking quest and cool looking aliens.
The ending collapses with the exception of one or two short scenes, and although we leave wanting more (Episode III), you wonder why Attack of the Clones didn't completely deliver.
The love thing worked out OK. The relationship with Obi-Wan and Anikin was good. Yoda and Mace-Windu did their part, and the early special effects were top-notch. However, the fight scenes were clearly a repeat of what we've seen before and the special effects 50% of the time looked plain fake.
Back to the drawing board.
All and all a good movie, worth your 10$ but can we all say together
"Unused potential" ...
Now for more in depth analysis
****WARNING: POSSIBLE SPOILERS****
The main problem with this movie is lack of originality. Droid/ Jedi fighting was seen in Episode I. Rescue someone: Episode IV. Someone getting his hand cut off: Episode V. In fact, the whole movie seemed to aspire to be Empire Strike Back. A dark mood. An unresolved ending...
Originality. OK, Yoda fights with a lightsaber like no-one, but you have to have more than that. The fight between Obi-Wan and Jango was weak... Ani and Padme falling in a droid construction chain was plain stupid. Mace-Windu's fighting was NOT too impressive. His Jedi composure out of the consul not too good either. Daku against Obi and Ani, not good... Fighting the animals was perhaps the second best fight!!
Take the car chase, enjoy it. The rest is rather uninvolving when it comes to action.
Threepio a battle droid... cool, but you have to make the droids helpful; more than saving Padme from "hot lava"... cheese
Enough complaints for today, there is still a lot of good stuff in the film. What exactly? The first half mainly. Yoda, definitely.