Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
Directed by: George Lucas
Rated PG
142 Minutes
Review by Giraldo Barraza
Episode II starts with a bang and ends with the Attack of the Clones hinted at in the title. For an adventure film with the Star Wars brand, this hints simultaneously at another rousing adventure and a return to glory after the relative inactivity of Episode I. Unfortunately, this is not the case. While the setup is interesting and the final payoff is a visual feast for the eyes, Clones is not very satisfying on any level. What is sandwiched in the middle is a true mess, lacking any grace or subtlety. Apparently in an effort to quell the Episode I detractors, George Lucas has overstuffed this film with unwarranted action sequences that get in the way of the story, presenting instead a mindless Star Wars movie. This film feels like a workprint based on a rough draft of a screenplay. Lucas has lost his mojo, and the entire film is diminished by its hurried pace and lack of execution.
It’s a real shame that the construction gets in the way of the film itself. The storyline features an interesting premise with an attempted assassination that splits our heroes into separate missions while the republic stands at the precipice of civil war. Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) plays detective and follows the trail into a uncharted underworld and stumbles upon a plot that could accelerate the path to war. His apprentice, Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) is trusted to protect the target of the attacks, Padme Amidala (Natalie Portman), now a Senator hoping to avert an interplanetary conflict. Adventure ensues for all parties involved, leading to a flashpoint triggering the fabled Clone Wars mentioned in the original trilogy. Lucas had a good outline, but obviously had no clue how to get from A to Z. This film should finally silence those would adamantly claim he has had the prequel trilogy scripted for over 30 years. He’s clearly winging it as he goes along, and is allowing the traditional three-year window to dictate the quality of his opus. By sticking to a firm release date, he has rushed the process, and yielded lackluster results. I only wish he had taken more time to polish this film and give the saga a proper treatment instead of releasing this undercooked product for consumption.
The problems here are largely on the technical end. The pacing is all wrong because this is one of the sloppiest editing jobs I’ve ever witnessed. Granted, the film has a lot of ground to cover, and this film moves at a breakneck speed. However, the action is all presented so choppily and clumsily it can’t be digested and enjoyed by the viewer. This film is just so rushed and poorly edited that the film lacks a sense of wonder. Simple establishing shots of different environments are either hurried or mashed together by the rough hands of editor and sound designer Ben Burtt. New environments such as the water planet Kamino or the Mars-like Geonosis are not introduced with a sense of awe felt in previous episodes like the planets of Yavin, Hoth, Bespin or even Endor. The entire movie feels like a tedious exercise, and lacks any of the astonishment felt in other Star Wars films.
Burtt’s failure isn’t just limited to his lack of rhythm. A movie that is driven by a mystery should not tip its hand, but Episode II lacks a sufficient poker face. Burtt’s kills suspense with his clumsy and foolish decisions to reveal a character before necessary. Case in point, the introduction of Jango Fett is casually spoiled by his early exchange with another bounty hunter (that feels suspiciously like a reshoot), a half hour before his proper introduction to the audience. Worse yet, at the film’s climax, a surprise rescue is effectively ruined by showing the back of a character’s head just seconds before the snap-hiss of his lightsaber. The camera moves from his lightsaber to his face, presumably to unveil his presence to the audience and cause a rousing cheer from the viewer. But it’s hard to spring a surprise party when the guest of honor has already arrived and started eating cake. The editing is amateurish and frustrating, preventing the audience from getting into any comfort zone.
Where Burtt inexcusably fails is in his role as sound editor. He single-handedly ruins the music of Episode II. Previously the most distinctive element of the Star Wars films, John Williams score is simply butchered in this film. A speeder chase sequence through the bowels of Coruscant is a prime example of sound editing gone wrong. The music has abrupt cuts and fails to establish any tempo. In fact, the majority of the score feels like a temporary track. I get the distinct impression that Williams created a score after a version of Episode II was locked into place, but then scenes were trimmed and music juggled around, inhibiting the score from having any sense of coherence.
While these faults are technical issues, there remains one misstep that is all Lucas. The romance of Anakin and Padme is not believable for an instant. Yes, the dialogue is lame and stiff, and yes, Christensen and Portman lack any physical chemistry, but the main problem is that the two don’t spend enough time together alone to form a loving bond. They are too often on the run, and experience a great deal of tragedy in their short amount of time together. If the choice had been made to untie these two as a reaction to life in peril that would have been easier to accept. But since they had previously professed their affection with dialogue like “your skin is smooth,” “we could keep it a secret,” and “we’d be living a lie,” their feelings were supposing blooming from puppy love with a decade-long intermission, not out of a fervent defiance to danger. The romance is present only because it’s scripted to be there, and lacks any vitality or passion. Besides, Christensen’s Anakin is a boorish, spoiled brat with abandonment issues and a murderously hot temper. Why in the world would nobility like Amidala fall for that?
Attack of the Clones is still highly entertaining when the cylinders fire correctly. The problem lies with Lucas’s ambition. He tries to do way too much, and evidently tried different approaches to make it work. For every stroke of brilliance (like the use of Anakin’s silhouette to literally foreshadow his transformation into Darth Vader), there are dozens of pratfalls (including horrendous comic relief with C-3PO). At least the annoying Jar Jar Binks has been scaled back, although his actions have a lasting impact on the fate of the galaxy. There are many things worthy of merit, but it’s hard to see with so much chaos thrown on the screen. Lucas’s indecisions cause Episode II to suffer from its poor construction. He should have just read the “wet paint” sign and let it be, instead of re-tinkering it and leaving messy fingerprints all over it. He has one last chance to get things right with Episode III, but as one character in a Star Wars film always states, “I have a bad feeling about this.”
