 (Click to Enlarge) | Star Wars - Episode II, Attack of the ClonesStarring: Ewan McGregor, Natalie PortmanDirectors: George Lucas Features: Color, Closed-captioned, Special Edition, NTSC Average Customer Rating: 3.53/5.00 Amazon Sales Rank: 79 Theatrical Release Date: 20020516 VHS Tape Release Date: 28 March, 2003 Manufacturer: Twentieth Century Fox Home Video MPAA Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested) View on Amazon (ASIN: B00006HBUG) Number of VHS Tapes: 1 Availability: Usually ships within 24 hours List Price: $12.98, Amazon Price: $11.03 |
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Amazon Customer Reviews of this item: (Average Rating is 3.53/5.00)
Rating: 3 [ Better...but still room for improvement ]Attack of the Clones is a significantly superior film to The Phantom Menace, yet still falls short of any of the films from the first trilogy. Lucas still has this hang up with CGI and still seems to overuse it. Even in the few years between Ep 1 and Ep 2 the CGI improvements are quite startling, but he still can't do water properly, re Kimono. However...it is not the CGI, nor even its quality that makes a good movie; you still need a good story, tell it well, and have good acting and dialogue to carry and move the story along.This is where Lucas falls down. With the help of Jonathan Hales the screenplay is superior to TPM, but dialogue still sounds contrived, especially when compared to some of the sharp, witty and clever dialogue that takes place between Han Solo and Princess Leia from the first trilogy. Anakin is rarely called by name, rather he is a Padawan learner, young apprentice, young jedi and so on. Between Obi Wan and Anakin use of first names would have endeared their relationship moreso.
Probably the greatest selling point for a three star rating is the fact the film advances the story and begins to hark back to the original trilogy. The viewer can begin to have fun with this film. So that is where the storm troopers come from! That's where the deathstar comes from! And so on.
Many critics are scathing of the clumsy romance between Anakin and Padme, but this is a young, teenage love and what young love is not like this anyway? I think these critics probably forgot just how timid and shy their very first teenage romance was like.
Critics have also been critical of Hayden Christensen's performance. I agree that he does seem awkward in the early stages of the movie, but 30-40 minutes into the film he does relax and begins to warm up to the part. Acting against green and blue screens would not be easy at the best of times, least of all when you are a young actor.
Although I have criticised some of the banter between Obi Wan and Anakin, this relationship has charm about it that gives the film a warmth that TPM lacked. It's good to see Ewan McGregor easing and relaxing into his role as Obi Wan, and hopefully by the next movie he will be completely at ease and learn to do more than just recite lines.
Not bad, but could still be better.
Rating: 5 [ ANOTHER fanboy target?? ]
Will you people KINDLY realize what work goes into making a good movie? No plot? Balderdash!! The Federation attempts to assassinate Padme. This leads Annakin and Obi Wan to Genosia and back to Tatooine. Turns out a former Jedi is conspiring with the Federation to secede from the empire, which eventually involves a showdown with the Jedi and a battle royal by the end of the film. This is a weak plot?? Can you name me a movie with intrigue as a major aspect that DIDN'T have a complex, twisting plot? I can't!Okay, I will give you wooden acting in some parts, especially the fellow playing Jango Fett. But Hayden Christiansen? The kid exudes a very good Holden Caulfield-y vibe, but with enough respect for his elders to keep you from calling him a whiny brat. Every male teen goes through this stage, some worse than others, and I think Christiansen handled this better than most young actors would.
The visuals actually OUTCLASS "The Empire Strikes Back" and "Phantom Menace": the "Blade Runner"-like details of planet Corusant; the adventure in the droid factory; the battle on Tatooine...there are entirely too many great visual moments in the movie to mention. Is there something wrong with that? Need I remind you that it takes TONS of man-hours to program CGI software to do things just right to produce visual and idiosyncratic realism, and that the actors often have to react to things that aren't even there? People like you and AMPAS ought to realize just what acting chops go into making a good sci-fi movie a good sci-fi movie. And make no mistake, this is one of the best science fiction movies ever made!
Until you bozos can produce something on this level yourself, I'll thank you not to discourage people who may have not seen it, but would probabnly enjoy it if it weren't for a pretentious bunch of geeks trying to sound like Ebert and Roeper in picking apart a clearly superior piece of filmmaking.
It's not COMPLETELY perfect, however, as even (( I )) have some problems with some plot points, for instance:
The death of Sme Skywalker. Why was this just tossed off like somebody walking to the corner. Why was she kidnapped? Was the Federation behind it? Dooku? Or were the Sand People working alone? Her husband seemed to be pretty offhand about it, didn't he?
Why wasn't Annakin allowed to go back for Padme after she fell out of the transport unit? She was an important part of the team and I'm sure if Obi Wan or Annakin had been in the same spot, they would have expected to be saved by the others....The other personnel tranports could have pursued and CAPTURED Dooku without them! Strange!
How in the BLOODY hell are we supposed to accept Jar Jar Binks as a senator from Naboo?? Why didn' they send Boss Nass if they wanted to recruit from the Gungans??
And somebody tell Lucas to get rid of C3PO! He adds NOTHING to the movies....NOTHING!
Anyway....buy this movie, people, and you TOO can wonder why those home scenes with Padme and Annakin weren't left in the movie!
Highly recommended!
Rating: 5 [ A very satisfying film on a very satisfying DVD ]
Attack Of The Clones is a great contribution to the Star Wars series.It is by no means a perfect film, but I do think that it was one of the most thrilling and enjoyable films of 2002. The sheer amount of imagination in the film is what makes it stand out. This imaginative richness of the film is what sets it apart from many other 2002 films that were lacking in any imagination: Spider-man is, in my opinion, the most mediocre film of all time, the ultimate safe-player. Men In Black II did not live up to its predecessor at all, and The Two Towers, while magnificent, was lacking in a certain impact, something I'm sure will be cured by the release of the third installment at the end of the year. But Attack Of The Clones really was the bright star of 2002. It ironed out quite beautifully any nagging feelings of disappointment left by its predecessor, The Phantom Menace, and it established itself immediately as a very individual and unique film.
To me, its greatest strength is that it has captured the flavors and scale of the Star Wars universe with seemingly effortless ease: its best moments are where the visuals are telling the story, which is really what George Lucas has been trying to achieve. Those that don't like or don't understand that, well, they are victims closed-mindedness, in my opinion.
I do concede that the script and the acting are not too great, but then, they're not terribly important parts of the film, either. I like the visuals most myself, and so far, the design and the execution of those designs as visual effects, are the best they've ever been in Star Wars, or indeed, any sci-fi. That is what makes AOTC great. Those fans and critics that got something out of this film are very lucky individuals. For the amount of energy expended by those that don't like the film to tear it down is energy very much wasted.
As for the DVD, it is quite simply a very good package. The video quality of both the feature, and of the supplimentary material, is of the very highest standard, and one can sense, and see, the great amount of care that went into the entire production, from the first design sketch to the production of the DVD itself. Nothing but loving care is in evidence, and I feel that too many of the reviwers that have posted reviews here on Amazon.com have completely forgotten about the very good intentions that went into the film.
I give the film itself four stars, but the fact that the DVD is so superior gets it a full 5-star ranking.