Home :: DVD :: Science Fiction & Fantasy :: Robots & Androids  

Alien Invasion
Aliens
Animation
Classic Sci-Fi
Comedy
Cult Classics
Fantasy
Futuristic
General
Kids & Family
Monsters & Mutants
Robots & Androids

Sci-Fi Action
Series & Sequels
Space Adventure
Star Trek
Television
Star Wars - Episode II, Attack of the Clones (Widescreen Edition)

Star Wars - Episode II, Attack of the Clones (Widescreen Edition)

List Price: $19.98
Your Price: $13.99
Product Info Reviews

<< 1 .. 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 .. 190 >>

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Better than Phantom Menace, worse than "Anaconda" or "Spawn"
Review: There are two types of people in this world: Those that liked "The Matrix" and those that didn't. If you loved "The Matrix," you'll love "Clones"- if you thought "The Matrix" was a flashy waste of time, you'll dislike "Clones."

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: one of, if not the, best in the series
Review: I've never been a huge Star Wars fan, and I've always thought the films were overrated. The story lines were never impressive, the only reason I watched them was for the scenery and action. Same goes for this film, only the scenery and action are unmatched. This film looks incredible. It still suffers from the weaknesses of the other films, in my opinion, but the visuals alone were worth my [money].

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A massive Colossal Clone Attack has hit cinemas!...
Review: Star Wars Episode II can be described in two words, "IT'S GREAT". I've already seen it quite a few times and everyone loves it. I always loved Star Wars so my best friend and I personally preferred Episode I but this is great too. It's faster and the special effects are better. Former Queen Amidala is now a matured better-looking queen. The cast of Episode I had better acting performances from everyone but the humor and the massive destruction scenes make this movie great too. A lot of my other friends never ever liked Star Wars. For once (I was shocked) they loved a Star Wars flick. They are now crazy and are also Star Wars' [lovers]. It's thrilling, massive, faster and cooler than ever before! But Episode I gets the top Star Wars title having a better story, better acting performances, as well as better cinematography. Episode II is more a love-story and less a clone war. But then to continue the saga I guess Lucas had to add all these bits and pieces of romance in the movie.

The action in this version was however faster than that of Episode 1's. I think the Yoda fight sequence was one of the coolest and funniest parts in the movie. Though the movie sort of stretched out in the middle, it didn't take it a long time to get back on track. Natalie Portman has a better role in this movie. Just like in Episode I, Ewan and Samuel as well as most of the cast made the movie one that will be successful due to the great collaboration. It's good to see a sequel so good that it would almost match up to Episode I just like Rush Hour 2 did except that Rush hour 2 made part 1 (Rush hour) look like the doldrums.

Highly entertaining and faster than the eye can follow, this movie is one you should see. If you were always a Star Wars fan, an action/adventure film nut, like light humor, or silly shy romance, this is a movie you should see. Quite a few scenes that you shouldn't miss include the Yoda fight scene, Natalie Portman in action, and the city chase amongst quite a few others.

The movie is definitely a must-see for "Lord of the rings", "Star Wars Episode I", and for "The wedding planner" fans. The movie hopefully will repeat the work it's predecessors have accomplished becoming (hopefully) 2002's biggest success. Although a lot of things I've said may make it look bad, it should still be watched on the big screen because it is a movie that you probably would love.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Yawwwwnnnnnnnnnnnnn
Review: What a waste of time. An incredibly tedious film, dreadful dialogue and some appalling acting. Plenty of faults in the CGI too, something that ILM are usually flawless at (could they really not be bothered to animate the background characters??!?)

Good to see Lucas enjoyed the Fifth Element as much as did - so much in fact that he ripped off one of the best sequences early on!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Great movie with reservations
Review: I just went to see Episode II and I must say that I am very pleased. The film has far surpassed my expectations, being an excellent epic action film. The story spans a huge part of the galaxy, and things seem to tie together quite well. This is the redemption of Star Wars that we have truly been waiting for since Empire. Unfortunately, it is still missing some of the magic of the first two films, but it does manage to pull off a great performance. Now for the criticism, which is what I do best:

Over-used CGI:
It looks like George Lucas discovered computer graphics and went overboard in including them into the film. Every other scene has some CGI element in it. Unfortunately, there are a lot of things in the film that seem to have CGI just because Lucas can. While we don't have the 20 minute fiasco that was the pod race, we still have a few scenes that do no more than show off the pretty graphics of Lucas's computers. Again, this is not nearly as bad as Episode 1, but it still feels annoying.

BAD CGI:
One of the most important elements of doing CGI graphics is making sure that your final result looks real. The first step in this is to get great artists to design the characters in 3D and put textures on them. This was done fairly effectively. The next step is to get a crack team of animators to put realistic motion into the 3D models so as to make the motion look fluid and realistic. To get an example of this, just check out Toy Story, Shrek, or Jurassic Park. Unfortunately, it seems that Lucas ran out of cash and bought a bunch of high school animators to do the work here. The motion is completely unrealistic and unbelievable time and again. We're talking Greedo shooting first at Han Solo with his neck snapping off bad. When Jurassic Park did their dinosaurs in CGI, they had the guys who used to do the physical clay models move them. This is because they knew what real motion looks like. The characters here look ridiculous. In fact, they look like poorly made video game cutscenes. The same problem happened with Final Fantasy: The Spirit's Within. When are these people going to learn that you need to mimic the static look AND the motion of 3D characters. Ugh.

PLOT HOLES:
Lucas has his work cut out for him in the next movie. He didn't remove any of the plotholes from Episode 1, but added more plot holes into the series, most of which revolve around C3PO and Anakin Skywalker. From Episode 1, we have C3PO knowing Anakin Skywalker but not knowing Darth Vader; and C3PO being built on Tatooine, but not recognizing it when he lands there later. Now we have C3PO working on the Owen and Beru Lars's farm but not recognizing it when he works there later, as well as Owen and Beru not recognizing C3PO when they buy him in Episode IV. We also have the issue of R2D2 having rocket packs to let him fly, Darth Vader knowing about Luke but not about Leia, Obi-Wan getting involves with Counciler Organa of Alderaan, and much else. These are fixable, mostly, but will require a lot of work in episode three.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: the best..so far
Review: Episode II makes every episode in the series look like a joke. The most visually exciting film i've seen in a very long time , and the most intense. The Phantom Menace was good , but was nothing more than a setup for things to come making it the less interesting of the series. Fans will not be dissapointed , especially those feeling bummed after Phantom Menace.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Not a movie, a way of life
Review: Yes, I admit it. I am a STAR WARS nerd. I have seen STAR WARS: EPISODE IV, A NEW HOPE over 120 times, and as a little boy I had all the toys and used to dress up as Luke Skywalker and Darth Vadar. So, I should be honest right now that I am incapable of writing an unbiased and objective review of any STAR WARS movie. What I feel for these movies is quasi-religious and spiritual.

And it is completely logical that the STARS WARS series effects me, and many others, in this same way because George Lucas has said that many of the themes in these movies are based on millennia-old myths and archetypes. The themes touched on in these movies are embedded in our minds on an instictual level: love, war, power, betrayal of the father, the quest for spiritual mastery, a desire for peace and order, trying to relate to your parents while not becoming like them (i.e., Luke Skywalker and Darth Vadar). In THE POWER OF MYTH (available from Amazon on both VHS and DVD) Joseph Campbell notes that George Lucas has done something wonderful by giving my generation a set of myths to relate to. "I really think he did something beautiful," Joseph Campbell says regarding Lucus's depiction of Luke's quest for the good in his father, Darth Vadar/Anakin Skywalker. (THE POWER OF MYTH is a series of conversations Joseph Campbell, a scholar in world mythology, had with Bill Moyers. The conversations were recorded in the library of George Lucas' "Skywalker Ranch.")

Enough with the background, on to EPISODE II: ATTACK OF THE CLONES. I just got back from the theater, and I was riveted. This is the best movie I have seen in about five years. This is far better than EPISODE I: THE PHANTOM MENACE, which was really a movie intended for children. In ATTACK OF THE CLONES "Ani" is now a teenager and is falling in love with what I believe may be the most beautiful woman to grace the screen in a long time, Natalie Portman. The scenes of the two of them sitting together in a beautiful summer field of flowers, she is breath-taking. All our favorites are back, and we get background information on many of our favorites, such as Boba Fett. And the effects, the effects!, they are amazing. I am speechless. I am also thankful - thankful that Jar Jar is only allowed about three scenes in this movie. Mr. Lucas must've heard our message loud and clear: "Jar Jar stinks!"

The only complaints I have with this movie are the same ones I had about EPISODE I: THE PHANTOM MENACE, there is not as much character development or witty dialogue that we got in the origanal three releases: STAR WARS EPISODE IV, EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, RETURN OF THE JEDI. In ATTACK OF THE CLONES most of the witty dialogue belongs to the droids. The other "complaint" being that I just don't understand the concept of a "pre-qual." It sort of takes a "climax" out of the entire saga to have it shown backwards. For example, we already know what ends up happening to Anakin Skywalker, we know what happens to the droids. We get an odd feeling when, in this latest edition, we hear Obi-wan say about Anakin, "Sometimes I think he will be the death of me." The result is that it is sort of a "fill-in-the-blanks" experience, and the only surprises can come from characters we have not heard about in the original trilogy of STAR WARS: EPISODE IV, EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, and RETURN OF THE JEDI. Also, I preferred Yoda when he was a puppet and not digitally animated. Ironically, a puppet Yoda seemed more realistic than the animated version we now have in the pre-quals.

But none of this can take away from the wonderful, even spiritual, experience I just had at the theater. This is movie making at its best. This is why the whole thing was invented. Movies that have an underlying spiritual message ("Use the force") and carry us from our every day lives to worlds and universes we can only imagine, are movies that shape generations. The STAR WARS franchise is on its second, maybe even third, generation now. And I, at 26, am just as in love with it as I was five.

I think I may see EPISODE II: ATTACK OF THE CLONES as many times as I saw STAR WARS: EPISODE IV. I can't wait to get back to that theater! This is the best movie I've seen in a long time.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Learn to write, George....
Review: Despite the marvelous entertainment, action, fight scenes and outstanding special effects, this movie is ultimately a dud. Mr Lucas has spent so much time and effort on the background (special effects) that he has forgotten the most important thing, the foreground. This is the reason movies should be made in the first place - captivating plot, good acting, good storyline.

Almost everyone I know that has seen this movie has thoroughly enjoyed the action scenes, but they have cringed at some of the disgraceful acting and scriptwriting. When I saw this people were laughing in the cinema at the supposedly serious scenes between Anakin and Amidala.

I'm sorry to say it. I wanted so much more than the lowest common denominator for this movie. This script is a travesty.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Yoda kicks butt.
Review: In all my years of being a Star Wars fan I've known alot of
characters from good to bad. We all know Yoda for being a 900yr old Jedi Master and can use the force with some degree. We'll I've never seen Master Yoda kick some butt. For those of you who hasn't seen it I'll tell you have to see it to believe it. For not only does Yoda use his force powers exceptionally well, he hold his own with a lightsaber, and he also saves the day with the Republic Clone Commandos at his disposal. This has been one of the best of all Star Wars movies I can't wait for Episode III and see what else happens.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Attack of the Tech Geeks
Review: Just saw it yesterday, and as a part of the saga, the plot developments and nostalgia warranted that I see this in the cinema -- however as a film it is as medicore as episode 1. This proved those who admired Lucas' desire for making a modern mythology were mistaken. The story ironically parallels Anakin's plight, Lucas wanted so badly for the saga to "grow up", that it ended up with doing just that, badly.

Stilted ensemble acting might be excusable for a novice crew, but for a veteran crew with great track record?

The "post-modern" quotation from the original trilogy's dialogue and visuals also falls flat. One of the freshest thing about the original trilogy was its innocence which departed from the self conscious cinema of the late 60s and 70s. But here, with Anakin "quoting" Han Solo's line, and the parallel of Anakin/Luke's lightsabre amputation seems contrived and cheese drenched.

HIs ability as a "visual" film director is called into question. Most of the effects setpieces are impressive esp. the car chase, fett vs obi wan. BUT I am still unconvinced by the CGI, esp. during the large scale battle, I felt that the CG were no more convincing than those in Final Fantasy, sure they are "somewhat realistic", but yet remain sure what is real and what is CG. It becomes quite distracing when ILM attempts to use digital stunts for Chris Lee and the Gladiator sendup, CG avatars DO NOT MOVE like people and the image mapping was unconvincing to say the least.

Lucas really tested my endurance as the "visionary" filmaker with more than 30 years of filmmaking experience ask us to sit through the cheesiest of pre-adolescent courtship scene in the last 50 years!

The Watefall / Sound of Music scene.

Chemistry = 0

Dialogue = -5

Delivery: Portman = 4, Christensen = 0, John Williams = 2.5

The CG background which seem to resemble those generic painted faux-art in cheap hotels or bad D&D fan art rendered in Bryce = -

That scene probably took what i considered to be a 3 star movie down by one star, as it is inexcusable for anyone but the hardest of the hardcore Lucas apologists.

The reasons for not making this a 1 star rating are Ewan McGregor and Christopher Lee.

2 down, one to go. May be Episode 1 was meant to be a bad movie so that Lucas would make the saga's fans rave with joy even if he come up with anything as medicore as this effort.

Disappointed.


<< 1 .. 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 .. 190 >>

© 2004, ReviewFocus or its affiliates