A truly great achievement

Rating: 10/10 (17 May 2002)

Everybody knows whether they admit it or not (even the critics) that George Lucas saved American cinema from death by banality and boredom when he released his first Star Wars film and revolutionized the film industry. This installment rivals the original Star Wars in terms of innovation and excitement. It is a sweeping epic that will excite and entertain anyone who isn't brain dead or a professional movie critic (which often goes hand in hand, at least in the US). I've been to two showings and on both occasions the audience was clearly moved and everybody cheered throughout the movie. There was a huge roar of applause from people of all ages after the movie ended. Some have criticized the acting but in my opinion that is absolutely ludicrous and has probably more to do with the fact that most of the actors are not from the USA than their talent. Hayden IS Anakin Skywalker just as Harrison Ford was Han Solo and its impossible to imagine anyone else taking their place. Ewan and Natalie play their roles well and Samuel Jackson and Christopher Lee are brilliant. I fear many of the critics that have given this movie a negative review have alternate motifs. We must bear in mind that Lucas is not a part of the Hollywood fluff machine circle that the critics move in and churns out one brainless and badly acted move after another to critical acclaim. It is interesting that in Europe AOTC has received overwhelmingly positive reports.