Episode I of the Star Wars Prequel Trilogy definitely polarized so-called "fans" and film critics, most who disliked the film because they idiotically thought the entries of the Original Trilogy were infallible despite their obvious myriad flaws, and hypocritically complained about problems the OT had, nitpicking about things like alleged inconsistencies, although The Phantom Menace certainly isn't without flaw. I never really understood the problems the film's detractors had and think it still a relevant entry of the franchise. Despite the hypocritical hate, series creator George Lucas soldiered on and continued the trilogy with Star Wars: Attack of the Clones.
A decade after The Phantom Menace, thousands of solar systems want to leave the Galactic Republic under the leadership of the enigmatic Count Dooku, with the Jedi finding it hard to maintain order. Senator Padmé Amidala, former Queen of Naboo, returns to the capital ecumenopolis Coruscant to vote on the issue of creating an Army of the Republic to subjugate them, with terrorists striking her ship, and Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi and his apprentice Anakin Skywalker being assigned to protect her. After another failed attempt on her life in the night, Anakin and Obi-Wan chase after the assassin, with the former being assigned to escort Padmé back to her home planet Naboo and the latter being tasked by the Jedi Council to track down the conspirators.
Obi-Wan finds out about the planet Kamino, erased from the Jedi Archives, where deceased Jedi Sifo-Dyas commissioned an army consisting of progerial human clones to defend the Republic. Here, Kenobi meets Jango Fett, father of Boba, and clashes with him, following him to the planet Geonosis. Meanwhile, Anakin expresses his feelings for Padmé on Naboo, with their relationship dialogue being awkward and one of the low points of the film. The Jedi Padawan senses his mother is in danger on his homeworld of Tatooine and meets Owen Lars (whose dad Cliegg purchased Shmi out of slavery and married) and his girlfriend Beru Whitesun, the young Jedi's new stepfamily.
Back on Geonosis, Obi-Wan is captured by Count Dooku, who warns that the Jedi have lost their way, and that the Republic is under the control of a Sith Lord. Anakin and Padmé eventually find their way to the planet and are also captured, with an execution ceremony including them and Obi-Wan interrupted by other Jedi led by Mace Windu. However, the Jedi are eventually overwhelmed, but the Clone Army comes to save the day, with Obi-Wan and Anakin chasing Dooku and battling him, being defeated. Yoda confronts Dooku himself, with the diminutive Jedi's battle against him actually being pretty awesome, along with the other standard badass effects the franchise is known for.
Back on Coruscant, the Jedi ponder Dooku's warning about Darth Sidious controlling the Senate, and Anakin and Padmé wed on Naboo. Overall, Attack of the Clones is, like its predecessor, definitely another misunderstood and wrongly-despised entry of the Star Wars franchise, and when I first saw it, I thought it was awesome to learn the Clone Wars involves actual human clones, although given the Army's template and Obi-Wan's awareness of that, it really makes me wonder why the Jedi would adopt them as a military in the first place. C-3P0 replaces Jar Jar as comic relief during the Battle on Geonosis and did a good job (the polarizing Gungan taking a more serious role) and did a good job, but the film's tone is admittedly inconsistent.
Back on Coruscant, the Jedi ponder Dooku's warning about Darth Sidious controlling the Senate, and Anakin and Padmé wed on Naboo. Overall, Attack of the Clones is, like its predecessor, definitely another misunderstood and wrongly-despised entry of the Star Wars franchise, and when I first saw it, I thought it was awesome to learn the Clone Wars involves actual human clones, although given the Army's template and Obi-Wan's awareness of that, it really makes me wonder why the Jedi would adopt them as a military in the first place. C-3P0 replaces Jar Jar as comic relief during the Battle on Geonosis and did a good job (the polarizing Gungan taking a more serious role), but the film's tone is admittedly inconsistent.
Obi-Wan also has some occasional good snarkiness, but scenes like that early on where he mind-tricks a scumbag against selling him death sticks, aka cigarettes, are mild cringe. Fans will further note rightful inconsistencies like Supreme Chancellor Palpatine's indication that the Republic is a millennium old, when in the Original Trilogy Obi-Wan noted that the Jedi served as guardians as peace in the Republic "for a thousand generations." However, John William's soundtrack, as usual, is awesome, with "Across the Stars" serving as a central theme and being inarguably one of the most beautiful pieces in the franchise, period. Despite its flaws (and again, the entries in the Original Trilogy are not flawless, you moronic fake fans), Episode II is nonetheless a good critical entry of the series with many awesome moments.
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| The Bottom Line | |
| Another misunderstood Star Wars film that's not perfect, but still disliked for the wrong reasons. | |
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