STAR WARS: Episode Ⅱ – Attack of the Clones (2002)
directed by George Lucas
★★★☆☆
Whereas The Phantom Menace gave us an introduction to the Star Wars Galaxy at the first signs of turmoil, the events of Attack of the Clones precipitate the downfall of the Galactic Republic and (spoiler alert) Anakin Skywalker.
Taking place a decade later, Anakin is now a teenager, played here by newcomer, Hayden Christensen. Christensen’s performance is an oft-criticized element of the Prequel Trilogy, with this film being the primary target. Anakin is whiny, impulsive, and downright bratty as Obi-Wan’s Padawan, convinced of his own superiority and obstinate toward authority.
Many of the problems of the first film continue to plague this one: bad dialogue, sluggish pacing, extraneous side-plots, wooden acting, and too much CGI. Much like The Phantom Menace, most of the events of this film are designed to set up the conclusion in Revenge of the Sith. Moreso than any other Star Wars Trilogy, Episodes Ⅰ, Ⅱ, and Ⅲ tell a single story that unfortunately results in the first two episodes feeling directionless on their own.
It’s not all bad, though. Ewan McGregor once again shines as Obi-Wan Kenobi, who spends most of this film on a noir-inspired hunt for the origin of a mysterious bounty hunter. Temuera Morrison also puts in a standout performance as said bounty hunter, whose identity foreshadows events of both future and past entries in the franchise. We also get Christopher Lee, who needs no introduction and unsurprisingly steals any scene he’s in, although his character is missing some essential backstory that I hope to see explored in a future movie or Disney+ series.
The love story introduced here, while essential to the plot, is delivered with some of the most painful dialogue in the entire series. Natalie Portman and Hayden Christensen do their best to sell it, but most of it just lands with a thud. And that’s really the main problem with this film and, to a lesser extent, the other two prequel episodes. Most of the dialogue feels like a placeholder for something better that was unfortunately never written. Even though Attack of the Clones was co-written by Young Indiana Jones veteran, Jonathan Hales, it feels like it needed another draft or two to iron out the clunkers. It also doesn’t help that most of the real character development happens in scenes that were ultimately deleted from the final cut.
The third act is a rousing battle with some of the best Jedi action outside of the TV series (which unfortunately recycles a lot of John WIlliams’ cues from The Phantom Menace), and Lucas’ political commentary is eerily accurate, especially when you consider world events at the time it was made. Anakin’s actions and attitude in this film plant the seeds of downfall using teenage rebellion and possessive attachment as catalysts, and Ian McDiarmid’s Palpatine oozes off the screen like poisoned honey. This may be the worst episode of the Skywalker Saga, but it is an essential middle chapter to the Prequel Trilogy, and is perfectly watchable in that context.
