Fun-Filled & Action-Packed, But Lacking That Star Wars Magic

Rating: 7/10 (16 May 2002)

Why are the critics bashing this movie? If critics, like Chicago's Roger Ebert for example, can give good reviews to a movie based on its `popcorn value,' why can't they do the same for `Clones.' This was arguably the most entertaining and the most fun of the Star Wars movies. All moviegoers, fans or not, will enjoy this movie. (Yoda alone is worth the price of admission.) But the praise ends here.
Anyone can argue which of the original trilogy is the best. Mine personally is `Jedi' for the simple fact that everything came full circle. One can argue for `Empire' for its plot twist. One can argue for `Hope' for a variety of reasons. Any and all of these reasons are correct. The original trilogy had that `Star Wars Magic.' `Clones' unfortunately does not.
After the travesty that was `Phantom Menace,' I was rather pleased by George Lucas' second offering. This movie contains wall-to-wall action that is unheard of in a Star Wars movie. That would be all, though, that fans will remember of this movie. It's an action movie with a Star Wars theme, instead of a Star Wars movie with action. It just didn't have that `Star Wars Magic.'
I could still, though, watch this movie over and over again. - 7/10