Mixed Bag

Rating: 8/10 (4 June 2002)

Visually great, but once again a slow, politically heavy beginning, leading into a fair middle and end.
The characters were mostly bland or just didn't follow Episode 4-6's style.
I hated Yoda's mexican jumping bean style. Sure he may not use the force to walk and so needs his walking stick, but the change in him seemed out of character and more comical than awe inspiring.
It would have seemed more in character if he had declined the Counts juvenile challenge and instead used some new power that a Jedi of only his level and persuasion (the good side of the force) could wield.
Anakin and Amidala's relationship was very strained. There conversation was forced and no chemistry was apparent between them. This was very much in contrast to Han and Leia's relationship.
The scene where Amidala falls in the sand and then gets up saying she is OK was a total farce.
The clone factory and the planet it was situated on was brilliant, as was Obi-Wan's role.
The gladiator show was a little ridiculous as far as Amidala was concerned. The battle that followed was fine except for the atrociously corny one-liners that C3-PO kept dropping.
The dual between Dooku and Anakin was stylishly done. I loved the use of sound, or I should say, lack of sound, for the mines that Jango Fett used against Obi-Wan.
Another highlight was the chase through the city. But when we see too much of the city, ie. the diner that Obi-Wan visits, it is too American.

Star Wars should be other worldly with very little borrowed from our Universe.
The part where Obi-Wan seeks guidance from Yoda regarding the missing planet seemed very lame. George tried to give the impression of Force assisted brilliance from the children, but it just seemed obvious and made Obi-Wan appear lame.
I disliked the constant bickering between Obi-Wan and Anakin. Obi-Wan seemed overly critical and Anakin backed down in a strange way. It would have been better if they had built the tension between them by showing some spectacular training sequences in which we see Anakin's skills improving beyond Obi-Wan's and thus causing the tension, unspoken, between them.
I still give it an 8 out of 10 simply because of it's visual style, generally good storyline and the occasional brilliant scenes.