So close and yet so far

Rating: Null/10 (28 May 2002)

So close and yet so far, this is exactly how I felt when I left the cinema. This is the only way I feel best to describe this latest installment of the Star Wars trilogy. This is because it almost fulfilled my expectations but always seemed to let me down when I felt it was finally getting somewhere.
Now before I get into the film I do want to make it clear that I am a Star Wars fan and I had great expectations for Attack of the clones and I also enjoy watching a good film and like to be fair with what I watch. So when I went to watch Attack of the clones I felt that it was only fair to give it a chance after the watching the previous installment of this prequel trilogy (i.e. The Phantom Menace) which to be quite honest was disappointing. Attack of the clones however, was not disappointing but more of a puzzlement to me.
By that I mean Im unsure whether I like it or not. The film has so many good qualities but these are matched by the bad ones as well. The film starts off well enough by reaquainting us with some of the characters and starts with a plot situation that is a bit more easier to follow than the previous installment. The galaxy is still in turmoil and the republic is on the verge of collapse, the Jedi are also struggling to keep the peace in the galaxy. In comes Natalie Portman as Queen Amidala who is dispatched two Jedis (Obi Wan Kenobi and apprentice Anakin Skywalker) to guard her as she has become the target of assassination by an unknown assassin.
Ewan McGregor steals the show with some of the wittiest dialogue the film has to offer (that is, he has all the great lines) and great action scenes, an improvement over his last performance as Jedi Knight Obi Wan Kenobi. But its business as usual for the acting veteran Christopher Lee who plays the mysterious Count Dooku and puts in his usual creditable performance.
The film is packed full of CGI and is very impressive at that. There are baddies a plenty on offer including the deadly bounty hunter Jango Fett. There is enough lightsabre swinging and laser blasting action to keep the average film-goer entertained and the star wars fan impressed.
So now you wonder, what can be so bad about the film? Well to begin with, the use of CGI was impressive but after a while it all seems too fake. The plot after a while seems a little confused and even left me wondering at the end what was going on. The dialogue is also of a poor standard which after a while becomes very tongue in cheek and at other points cringe worthy!
The acting from the new Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christenson - I hope thats spelt right) is a bit sketchy at times. For the first hour of the film he seems to overact and moan too much for my liking, but I will give him his credit as well because he does manage to pick it up later in the film when he goes back to Tatooine and performs well in some key scenes, I wont spoil it for you!
However, as necessary as the love scenes were, there appears to be no chemistry between the on screen couple Portman and Christenson. It all seems to corny and forced at times. Also, in some instances you wonder what the attraction is between the two (in terms of personality).
The lightsabre battle at the end is more adequate than impressive. Yoda has more of a presence in the film but again you wonder after a while if this is a good thing or not.
Now this is the sort of film you could pick holes in all day about plausibility but its star wars, its supposed to be fantasy, so I wont even consider attempting to do that. If you are looking for the kind of film that can just go straight over the top of your head and keep you mildly entertained with its action spectacle than this is your film. Its not bad for something to watch on a night out, but I would'nt rush to see it.

However, I think other star wars fans like myself will walk away feeling slightly confused with how they are supposed to feel about this film. That is, was it great or average? Better than The Phantom Menace but it just falls short many a time of being a truely great film. I'm gonna hold out till the next installment to see whether or not George Lucas truely deserves the credit for his prequel trilogy.