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Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
AKA: Star Wars II
Released: 05/16/2002
Version: Film
Length: Approx. 142 min.
Rated: PG
Main
Cast: Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, Hayden Christensen, Ian
McDiarmid, Anthony Daniels, Christopher Lee, Frank Oz, Silas Carson, Rose Byrne.
Probably the worst titled movie
in Star Wars history, unless you think the Phantom Menace sucked.
Now, I'm assuming you've seen this movie (who really hasn't?), so I feel
obliged to share major story elements.
Well now, set ten years from
TPM, the longest jump yet from one Star wars film to the next, we discover
that Senator Amidala (turns out Naboo's terms of office for Queen is the same
as our Presidential ones) is still being hounded by the little nerds from the
Trade Federation, who have allied themselves with Bounty Hunters and a leader
of a separatist movement named Tyranus who wants to break off from the
Republic.
To protect herself, the
Queen turns to (who else?) the guardians of peace in the galaxy, the Jedi
Knights, and she gets (imagine this!) Obi-Wan Kenobi and his 18 year old
apprentice Anakin Skywalker, who isn't exactly the sweet little kid that he
used to be. He's cocky, he's arrogant, he looks like a member of a boy band
and he's lusting after the Senator. Can't you already just hear the Darth
Vader breathing apparatus in the background?
This movie must be
given credit for being a totally different movie than Episode 1. The mood is
dark and brooding like the old Empire Strikes Back compared to a New Hope, and
it's basically the same idea. We've already established our characters and now
Lucas is putting them in times of hardship. In fact to tell the truth there
are many elements of this movie that seem to be echoing the ESB. The father of
Boba Fett, Jango, makes his first appearance along with his curly haired little
boy. Boba first appeared in the second movie of the original trilogy, so it
seems too similar. It is funny to discover that not only is Boba Fett a clone
of his father, but so is every Clonetrooper and eventual Stormtrooper for the
next trilogy. Hey, at least we know what they all look like now!
Anakin gets himself
into a lightsaber fight, which is like how Luke didn't get into lightsaber
battles until the second film. Ani (man, I hate when the characters call him
that) even gets his arm sliced off by an evil Sith, just like, yeah, LUKE! I
mean, I know Lucas goes by the philosophy of "poetry that repeats
itself", but, well, I dunno. It is awesome though to see the ships and
vehicles begin to shape up like the ones in the next trilogy, making this new
one seem more familiar.
Surprisingly the
special effects were NOT the highlight of this film, though they were as
always excellent. What was the most fun was seeing certain story elements and
how they will eventually shape into what happens later in the next trilogy.
For instance, ever wonder why Vader is so pained and turns on the Emperor and
then kills him when he's zapping Luke with the Sith Lightning? Well, Darth
Tyranus zaps young Anakin with the same stuff, and it REALLY hurts him. So he
knows what it feels like, and I think that seeing his own son having to go
through the same thing finally made him snap. I mean, I knew it hurt him
anyway, but now you know that HE himself knows what it's like. Nice touch.
Also, thanks
to that IDIOT (though lovable) Senator Binks we learn how control of the
Senate's major branches is given to Palpatine, soon to become that wrinkly old
Emperor. Jeez, I bet the Jar-Jar lovers must have loved that. Jar-Jar is
responsible for creating the Empire! Oh, muy muy! And as mentioned, with
Anakin losing a limb he is now gradually becoming mechanic, which will account
for when he finally must be put in that black refrigerator suit to stay alive.
I must admit
that I didn't like it as much as I hoped personally, mostly because I didn't
like the darker atmosphere. I liked Ep 1 because although it was tense it was
light. This one, and the 3rd one undoubtedly, are very dark and brooding, and
almost sad to watch. But the action is still up to Lucas snuff. Still,
comparing visually the computer graphics in this one to what they were in
Phantom Menace I was disappointed. They were excellent, but there were no real
advances it seemed, and some creatures were so obviously CGI that they seemed
far too cartoonish. Yoda was completely taken out of the puppet effect and
made by computer, while cool was not convincing. I know he needed to be CGI
for many scenes, like the lightsaber duel with Tyranus or floating around in
his little car, but I miss the puppet! Wah! What would Henson have thought?
Hey, I know I
complain, but this was an exciting movie, it was highly intriguing if you care
about the Skywalker family history, and all in all it's a good two hours of
fun. But just make sure you're a well viewed old school Star Wars person,
because half the fun is seeing the hints at things to come. Like the
holographic projector that shows the layout for the Death Star, or a very
young Owen and Beru (Luke's uncle and aunt).
Not the
best of Lucas' craft, but he's not shabby. Even at his worst he still sweeps
the floor with just about every other Director of action movies. I mean,
despite the cheesy love story I was still gripping my heart by the end of the
battles. So I was entertained, and I like that!
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