Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones Movie Review

Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002)

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Written by: George Lucas and Jonathan Hales (screenplay by), George Lucas (story by)

Directed by: George Lucas

Starring: Hayden Christensen, Natalie Portman, Ewan McGregor, Christopher Lee, Samuel L. Jackson, Frank Oz, Jimmy Smits, Rose Byrne
Rated: PG
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Plot
Ten years after initially meeting, Anakin Skywalker shares a forbidden romance with Padmé Amidala, while Obi-Wan Kenobi investigates an assassination attempt on the senator and discovers a secret clone army crafted for the Jedi.

Verdict
Star Wars movies are always event movies, but this one has glaring issues despite improving upon the faults of Episode I. I can't recommend skipping it as it's a crucial part of the trilogy. While Episode II has a better story, the dialog and acting are a glaring shortcoming. The dialog rarely sounds like something people would actually say. Hayden Christensen's portrayal of Anakin never feels real, and with Anakin whining so frequently, the Jedi hero isn't likable. Much of the dialog seems like it's read off of cue cards. The emotion that should be in this movie is lacking, and that's mostly Anakin.
It depends.

Review

I've enjoyed revisiting the Star Wars prequel trilogy, but my opinions haven't changed since the movies released. Episode II continues the Episode I trend of lots of CGI just because it can. The action and the set pieces are the high points of the prequel trilogy.

Obi Wan Kenobi and Jango Fett face off.

This one has a better and more coherent story that Phantom Menace. War is brewing and that's an inherently fascinating story point. Obi Wan is playing detective and uncovers a secret clone army. His part of the story is pretty good.

What drags this movie down is Anakin's nonstop whining. It doesn't help that the performance feels wooden and forced. I get the movie is presenting him as head strong and over confident, but it doesn't work. He's annoying, and I don't understand why Padmé indulges his constant complaining. According to Anakin everything is Obi Wan's fault.

Natalie Portman plays Padmé Amidala.

I don't buy their romance. Anakin's feelings should be more schoolboy crush, but he seems like he's not far from being dangerous if Padmé refuses his advances. Padmé never explains the problem with the romance, she just brushes it off until she accepts. Not a single part of their relationship is subtle and it should be. They are coming at this from very different angles.

Anakin's training goes out the window in a second for a woman he's only imagined for ten years. He doesn't know her. Padmé is risking her political future and doesn't seem to have a care. Her relationship to Anakin is much more familial, but that goes out the window. I get why Anakin would forsake being a Jedi, but the movie doesn't do justice to the repercussions. I'm surprised the movie doesn't just have the characters flatly list the problems with the romance. The movie wants this forbidden romance as part of the lore but doesn't know how to implement it. It's not a bad plot element, it's just forced. What's unfortunate is that it could be so much better. I can think of several romance movies that do this exact relationship better.

Jedi fights.

The concepts and ideas in the movie are interesting, but they are disparate parts of a story that are trying to create a bridge to the conclusion. Much like Episode I, this is punctuated by cool moments while the story falters. I appreciate the more developed story in this movie but it's a blunt edge.

Hayden Christensen plays Anakin Skywalker.

I get this is rated PG, but Anakin goes on a rampage and we see nothing. The movie could use a wide shot with light saber flashes to signify what's happening, but instead we get a jump cut to after. Padmé and Anakin's conversation about what happened is underwhelming. So little of the dialog has the right emotion. It sounds read or repeated, and a lot of those lines are Anakin's. Is he proud or remorseful at killing a village? Padmé should have a strong reaction. Your boyfriend just murdered a bunch of people.

The problem with Anakin is that we want him to be cool while powerful and conflicted. The movie fails to juggle that. It brute forces character traits by basically having Anakin state how he feels in monotone delivery. He's just annoying and frequently ineffective. R2D2 saves Padmé when Anakin can't. She escapes when Anakin can't. He's supposed to be the prophesied Jedi. The greatest Jedi is rather underwhelming.

The way people act and react never feels authentic. Nearly everything else feels forced, from the romance to the comic relief.