Rating: 
Summary: Will Someone Please Wake Up George Lucas?
Review: First of all, I am a huge fan of the trilogy. But the Episode one and two really disappointed me. Mr. Lucas is so sheltered all these years since he directed the first Star Wars that he's no longer in touch with the rest of the world. How ironic the title "Clone" is! That's exactly what Mr. Lucas is trying to do: to "clone" the magic and excitement of the original trilogy. But has anyone ever cloned a genuine article yet? So please, Mr. Lucas, stop ripping off the beloved trilogy. With your money and influence, your time can be better spent somewhere else.....
Rating: 
Summary: Verdict of a Star Wars Virgin
Review: Never having seen a Star Wars film before due to my deep-deates hate of sci-fi, i went to see this cautiously. (I was bored, and friends were going, so i tagged along.) And i was definitely not disappointed. This is a very good movie, full of all sorts of good elements. Action, intrigue, love, suspense. I was impressed with the way all these elements were handled and mixed in with one another. In terms of visuals, this movie is only beaten by Lord of the Rings. The graphics are good, if not sometimes a little...obvious. Lots of people have said that this film is not as good as the original trilogy. Well, if that is true then the original trilogy must be excelleny. (Which wouldn't surprise me.) Even I, who have never seen a Star Wars movie before, do know the basic plot. (I.e. that Anakin become Vadar, who in turn is the father of Luke Skywalker, etc.) Anyway, Anakin's anguish in this film is so brilliantly displayed, and it really acts as a brilliant showcase for all the reasons why he fell to the dark side. it is shown marvellously, and the beginnings of evil in his soul are only tantalisingly glimpsed, but they are definitely very present. Excellently done. there are some incredibly sequences in this film. The one in the arena (al la "Gladiator") which really knocked my socks off. The one where Obi-Wan takes his first visit to the makers of the clone army (Who were brilliant characters, and i think really deserved a much bigger part in the film. they really would make great villains, i feel...those tall white "things".) The final huge battle between the clone army and the droids. The light-sare (so those are what all the fuss is about!) fight between Dooku (Christopher Lee = simply marvellous) and Yoda (+ the preceeding fights). It is, at times, simply amazing. However, it does have flaws. Jar Jar Binks. I didnt see him in the first film. He was supposedly annoying then. He had three lines in this film and i wanted to wring his stupid neck. I cannot imagine how he must have been in the first film with a larger role. The humour. A big no no. I didnt feel it worked, and at times it was just embarassing. Ewan McGregor really didnt deliver many of his one-liners very well. Nor, at times, was his acting very good. The acting wasn't first-class, to be honest. At times it was plain wooden. But then, i could cope with that. Needless to say, those few flaws are nothing at all to spoil the enjoyment of this brilliant film. I shall now definitely be watching the other four films. Well done George.
Rating: 
Summary: "L'attaque des clones" a satisfying taste of things to come.
Review: I just saw "Star Wars: L'attaque des clones" last night (in Ste-Foy, Québec) at a sold-out show (it was playing in English at the theatre next door but I opted for the French version instead). First of all, the theatre itself was an experience: an immense screen that looked as large as an IMAX screen, intense surround THX sound, and the digital picture (even at that size) was amazingly crisp, the colours vibrant, and the sound effects were ear-splitting and exhilarating (especially the moments of silence that preceded the sonic depth charge explosions!) I have seen the other four Star Wars movies but avoided reading publicity and reviews for "Attack of the Clones" in order to enjoy every moment without worrying over a particular critic's faults with the film. This film is much darker than "The Phantom Menace" could have ever aspired to be. Lucas has moved from stilted, juvenile scriptwriting on "TPM" to (still) stilted, mythological, more adult scriptwriting on "Attack of the Clones." Here we see Anakin as a headstrong, angry, frequently obnoxious young adult who loves backtalking, disobeying orders, and getting his way--a most dangerous thing when you are destined to become the most powerful Jedi of all time. The dialogue is very politically minded (I had to wonder at the "separatist" politics of the film, being in Québec) and the romance scenes feel wooden and awkward, but Natalie Portman and Hayden Christensen definitely have onscreen chemistry. (I have since read that Hayden purposely would flash a thumbs-up at the end of his takes so Lucas would have to reshoot the kissing scenes...I did get a laugh out of that.) Jar Jar Binks has (thankfully) been reduced to a few mere minutes of screentime, in which he manages to be (awkwardly) regal and somewhat less annoying that in Episode I. My favourite part of the "Star Wars" universe has always been the astonishing variety of aliens and alien languages...when I was a kid I wanted to be the one that came up with all the cool sounding languages spoken in the film (I still do as a matter of fact). As usual, Natalie Portman's costumes are to die for, incorporating Asian and European fashion influences while still managing to be gracefully fresh and exotic. Only one I could have done without was the black leather getup ---elbow-high leather gloves and a black leather bustier, yet she's telling Anakin she's not interested in a romantic relationship...riiiight (Curiously enough, Anakin wears black leather as well...and if you listen carefully you can hear a whole lot of leather creaking onscreen). Portman certainly runs around baring her abs-of-steel midriff for much of the film (along with being very braless in a very tight white jumpsuit, which I found tasteless and unnecessary...I mean, the costumers spent the last film and part of this one coming up with these gorgeous gowns and now they're raiding Lara Croft's closet?) The CGI imagery was breathtaking, especially the chase through Coruscant, the clone army and all of the alien landscapes. John Williams' score incorporates themes from all of the previous "Star Wars" soundtracks, including the addition of a new love theme, "Across the Stars." The fight scenes were white-knuckle intense and had me on the edge of my seat. The battle scene with all of the Jedis of all different species was *awesome,* as was Mace Windu's (Samuel L. Jackson) purple lightsaber...a first in "Star Wars" history. And Yoda: we finally see him in action and understand why he is the greatest living Jedi. Another first: Yoda is completely computer-animated, and is extremely lifelike. The French translation of the film was almost an exact translation from the English...I actually found that some of the dialogue flowed more smoothly in French. Understanding some of the alien accents (especially the metallic robot ones) was a bit of a challenge for me, but it adds to the fun. Lucas has effectively planted the seeds for the next and final chapter in the "Star Wars" saga, redeeming himself from the sometimes mediocre acting, wooden dialogue and annoying creatures from "The Phantom Menace". Episode II is full of treachery, death, assassination attempts, massacres, and battles between good and evil where right and wrong are sometimes obscured. Unlike Jake Lloyd, the child actor who played Anakin in "The Phantom Menace," in Hayden we see Anakin torn between his inner feelings and his obligations as a Jedi...his romance with Padmé, the (implied) massacre of the Tusken camp, and his defiance, all pointing to his shift to the Dark Side of the Force. The film is rated PG, but it does contain some very intense moments: onscreen kissing and sexual tension of sorts, a decapitation, mutilation, creepy space caterpillars, a gladiator-style execution arena, a massacre and other intense battle scenes and that might be disturbing to younger children. But overall it is a very worthy addition to the "Star Wars" universe. Can't wait until Episode III!
Rating: 
Summary: I saw it, Awesome, but not awesome,
Review: I think this movie stinks when compared to STAR WARS, & the Empire Strikes Back, but it Kicks Butt compared to Return of the Jedi, & Episode One,
I especially like the part where Anakin slaughters all the Sandpeople, & when Mace Windu chops off Jango Fetts head, Or perhaps the scene where all the Geonosian Warriors are getting smashed by the huge machines, Some people think this movie is way to harsh to be rated "PG" I disagree, there was no blood, no guts, most of the things that died were not even Human, I think it should be rated "G"
Episode One should also be rated "G"
Rating:
Summary: A success on all (er, most) counts
Review: Going in to "Attack of the Clones" (hereafter, AOTC), I wanted three questions answered before I decided if it was a worthwhile entry in the Star Wars oeuvre: 1. DOES IT WORK AS A BRIDGE BETWEEN EPISODE 1 AND THE STORY WE ALREADY KNOW? Yes. Freed from the need for clunky exposition that throttled the first prequel, George Lucas gets down to business and tells the story he's wanted to tell along: How does Anakin Skywalker become Darth Vader? Anakin is now grown, a 20-year old Padawan learner, with the skills to rival Yoda, and an ego the size of Everest. The kid's psychology, his downward spiral, rears its ugly head in moments. Enough to send knowing signals to the audience, but not enough to ruin the heroism that he must confront in this movie. It's a fine line, and Lucas walks it nicely. The father-son dynamic that propelled "Empire Strikes Back" to the top of the Star Wars heap turns up over and over here. There's the obvious, as in Jango and Boba Fett's relationship. And then there's the symbolic, seen in the line of Master and Padawan learner that is fully filled-in, reaching from Yoda down to Anakin, and beyond. The atavism of the Jedi further broadens the timeless nature of these stories. This is also the first time we get to see a full-blown Jedi army at work, and the effect is stunning. Dozens of sabre-clad warriors battle in hand-to-hand combat, seemingly outnumbered, but never breaking a sweat. And along the same lines, the impending fall of the Jedi (necessitating the later "Return of the Jedi") is foreshadowed. We don't know how, but just seeing the subtle fear in Yoda and Mace Windu's faces, we know it'll be a powerful moment. There are, as is par for the course in a Star Wars film, script problems. The dialogue, not nearly as clunky as it was in Episode 1, is problematic, but less of a problem than the handling of the story. At times Lucas has many juggling balls in the air, and he struggles to keep them aloft. I wish that Lawrence Kasdan had been available for re-writes. Or better yet, he should have hired the king of snappy dialogue, logical story construction, and genre mixing (this is a "space opera" after all), William Goldman. Lucas gets credit for creating this universe that has us so involved, but the way he tells this story is often confusing (most confusing is the film's title, which, besides being a bit cheesy, is also a misnomer... for now, that is). That being said, the combustible narrative moves forward at a satisfying hyper-drive pace. 2. DOES IT WORK AS AN ENTERTAINMENT, IN AND OF ITSELF? Yes. The action scenes are thrilling, set against more stunning, CGI-created architecture. A speeder chase through the rush hour traffic on Coruscant rivals (and even trumps) the pod-racing scene from Episode 1. The love story, while pedestrian, is handled well. Its awkward glances, gorgeous backdrops, and cautious kisses overshadow the sappy dialogue. All of the actors do better work here than they did in Episode 1 (where there was enough 'wooden' acting and 'tin' dialogue to make one think of Jack Haley's "Wizard of Oz" character). Ewan McGregor manages to do a better Alec Guinness impression just by adopting his natural voice than the bad imitation he had in Episode 1. Obi-Wan Kenobi, in his hands, is an intriguingly flawed character. Ewan shows his power, and then his frustration, especially when dealing with Anakin's strong-headedness. Natalie Portman, freed (mostly) from her awful headdresses and her automaton vocal delivery, is a beguiling young Senator. And she even gets to kick some butt in the final battle (complete with bare midrift. Growl!). Hometown hero (he and I grew up in the same Toronto suburb) Hayden Christiansen does awfully well, essaying Anakin's already mature ego, and his growing anger. It's a complex character, although not necessarily written with much complexity, and Hayden does the brooding teenager act quite well. He makes the audience like Anakin, while they also fear what he is to become. The scene where he finally lets out the anger within, and its self-realizing aftermath, is handled extremely well. Christiansen play both rage and fear in equal amounts, struggling with the notion that the character is turning into something vile (akin to Henry Fonda's character from "Once Upon a Time in the West") but powerless to do anything about it. A slight quibble with these scenes: John Williams' "Vader" theme blares from the soundtrack a little too obviously. Eventually, this musical cue will become necessary. But at this time, it just seems forced (no pun intended). All of this is moot however, for there is one scene here that makes the whole enterprise worthwhile. It features a sabre duel between evil Count Dooku (a regal Christopher Lee) and a certain green octacentenarian with pointy ears. The duel is set up perfectly, teasing the audience, knowing that they've been dying to see this since 1980. My only complaint is that the fight is over much too quickly. I could have watched this whirling dervish act till the end credits rolled (full disclosure: after sneering at the geek behind me who clapped at the opening Lucasfilm logo, I found myself, not two hours later, applauding this scene unselfconsciously). 3. DOES IT IMPROVE ON 'THE PHANTOM MENACE'? Yes. And how! I'd even go so far to say that AOTC justifies the existence of Jar Jar Binks! A feat once thought impossible. (Jar Jar has a much smaller role, but one that is actually significant to the plot.) So, despite some sloppy storytelling, AOTC is most definitely a worthwhile Star Wars movie. It not only makes me long for the day when Episode 3 is released, it is such an effectively executed puzzle piece that I can't wait for the time when a complete six-movie, thirteen-hour Star Wars marathon is possible.
Rating: 
Summary: Boring mess that only gets exciting at the end.
Review: When the original Star Wars came out in the 1970's it was new and refreshing. The sets were awesome and the characters three dimensional although either good or bad. Regardless, the movie stands the test of time and brings the viewer in to the action. Alas, Attack of the Clones does none of these things. Since George Lucas has LucasFilms at his disposal as well as his special effects company, he can do anything he wants to do - apparently - anything, that is, except write a script that is worth watching. Even the most special effect laden film must have characters that the viewer cares about and a story that involves the viewer. This doesn't. There are tons of special effects and they're really quite great. Hayden Christensen is model-beautiful, but lost - I would assume because most of what he is playing to is green and blue screens. Samuel Jackson seems out of place and McGregor does his best against hackneyed scripting. Frankly, the whole script is lacking. When C3PO does a riff on the Medic Alert bracelet commercial by saying, "I've fallen and I can't get up" you know Lucas is trying to hard to make the film cute and current (two things it should not be). Another example of bad scripting is when Amidala talks about something or someone being, "dreamy"... That word is already dated. The spaceships look like throwbacks to what in 1935 Popular Science envisioned cars to look like in the 21st century. I know that this film's satisfaction level doesn't matter in the grand scheme of world events, but Lucas started something back in the 1970's that he promised to complete. Now he says the final 3 episodes won't be made - okay that's fine - but does he have to make the "prequel" episodes so syrupy and silly? It seems to me that episodes 4,5,and 6 are "real" films, while thus far, episodes 1 and 2 are sci-fi lite.
Rating:
Summary: Refreshing.
Review: What is the problem with this movie? Hayden Christionson? Well is because he's an annoying brat? Well Anakin is but Hayden? I don't know. Maybe, but the writer is Lucas. And what a good job he did. This may be different then the classics, but its refrshing to the series. The stry is about mostly the the beginning of the Empire. Hayden did a good job as abrat though. He's excellent. He actually is a good actor LOL. But seriously, the special effects are great. Highly reccomended.
Rating:
Summary: '"Much to learn, you still have..."'
Review: Episode II was everything I had hoped it would be. Full of humor, action, intrigue and suspense, I could not be happier with the second film of the prequel trilogy. John Williams masterfully combines elements from the previous films with new and compelling musical pieces. He truly makes the film connect with the rest of the story. The acting was wonderful. I have read reviews from people saying the actors were "wooden". I have to disagree. In any Star Wars film, the acting/dialogue take a back seat to the action and special effects. However, Episode II features believable acting from the entire cast. On par with A New Hope and Empire Strikes Back, this film will not disappoint Star Wars fans.
Rating:
Summary: Much better then Episode 1
Review: Much better then Star Wars Episode 1, with a much better storyline, better scenery, better costumes, and a better part for Jar Jar Binks (a small part). This was probably better then the original Star Wars (episode IV), but nothing is better then Empire Strikes Back. Amadalia, has a much better part in this one then she did in Ep. 1, she is more like a Princess Leia type woman in this one. Her costumes are much more reavealing then those that she wore in Ep. 1, I don't know if that made the movie better or not? It has a much more important roll then Ep. 1 because it is basically showing how, why, and what provocted Anakin to become Darth Vader. The computer graphics in this one, look a lot more real then those that were in Ep. 1, many of the computer images looked too fake in Ep.1. Episode 2 will keep you on the edge of your seat, from the Couresant speeder chase to the epic first battle of teh Clone Wars, Episode 2 is one of the better Star Wars films in it's class. TIME magazine was right, you will cheer when you see Yoda fight.
Rating:
Summary: About What You Would Expect.
Review: All you really need to know is that this one is aimed at young teens. The last one was for little boys. The latest is about as good or bad as the last one. We went to see it in a non digital theater. I don't even think they have stereo. At any rate under those conditions it looked like the last Star Wars which was itself a new standard of special effects anyway. It looked like Lucas used all the stuff he developed for the last one over again. I'm sure it will be used for the next one too. In the last film the enemy soldiers were machines. In this film the bad guys are developing an army of clones. The implicit message equates the killing of clones with the killing of machines. Apparently George has done some heavy thinking on this and clones have no souls. This film will be an interesting historical artifact if the world is someday populated by a finite variety of clones. The main conflict in the movie is that a number of star systems want to secede from the empire. I thought, Hmmm, a Yankee message here. But then it turns out that it's the Unionists who have been infiltrated by the Dark Side of The Force. So once again we are happily sympathetic to the Rebs in accordance with Hollywood tradition (see every Western ever made). So the force has a dark side but it's not clear that the non dark side is benevolent. It's seems neutral, sort of like a cosmic battery you can hook your favorite appliance up to. Actually it's not clear to me that the dark side is evil. It's followers are distinguished by dark clothing and sinister voices. For all I know they're just blues fans. It was incongruous to see Samuel L. Jackson as a Jedi Knight. Being aware of him primarily from 2 Quentin Tarantino films each line of his dialogue seemed incomplete. They lacked his trademark punctuation: "May the force be with you... ...!
The whole Jedi schtick is a kind of dime store bastardized Zen in which the Jedi connect with the force by turning off conscious thought. The oft repeated advice to the student knights is, Remember, don't think, learn to trust your "feelings," then your actions will be guided by the force. That's very contemporary, "don't think." Don't think.
See the movie.
Don't think.
Buy the merchandise.
Don't think.
Buy the ... merchandise! Uh oh, I think I forgot to remember to forget to think.
| 
