When will balance be restored to the Force?

Rating: Null/10 (17 May 2002)

After watching George Lucas' latest opus I am still questioning why I wasn't impressed. The major consensus between other people who have seen the film is that it is better than the disappointing Phantom Menace. Well to quote Master Yoda "Better it may be, but good it is not."
This venture out is a sweeping adventure, filled with amazing 3D computer generated environments populated with 2D characters. The eye candy in this piece is endless but when the characters open their mouths the dialogue feels flat & wooden. As a viewer I couldn't connect with them as the words spoken lacked conviction & failed to ring true with any emotional resonance.

The spectacle of the story may be laid out with schemes piled upon schemes, but it all feels like a poorly written elementary school history play. The original trilogy storyline seemed more straight forward and easier to navigate.
There were several moments where the film seemed poised to break through and present us with complex emotional scenes, but each time they fell drastically short. A spoiler free example is Anakin's scene with Shmi. It begins well but seems to end with an unintentional & uncomfortable audience laugh. Again what should have been an emotional scene seems cold.
The true breakthrough character of the film is Yoda. Moving from a static character to a dynamic CGI creation, it is now evident why everyone refers to him as a THE Jedi Master. Ewan McGregor also injects much needed life into Obi Wan Kenobi, and when it's shown it's like a glass of water on Tatooine.
Outside of the great finale & visual amazement, ATOC is still hollow at the center. I was hoping for more of a meal and less of a dessert, but with 2 down and 1 to go I won't keep my hopes up.