Episode 2 isn’t bad, it’s just not in the same galaxy as the original trilogy.

Movie Review: [[Star Wars Episode 2: Attack of the Clones]]

Better than the first, but is still in a galaxy far, far away from the original trilogy.

##Overall

Overall, I enjoyed [[Star Wars Episode 2: Attack of the Clones]] quite a bit. It was definitely better than [[Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace]], but still left me with a little bit of a bad taste in my mouth. Perhaps I got spoiled by [[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring]], but I expected a whole lot more than what I got.

##What’s up?

It’s really hard for me to put my finger on why the second episode doesn’t feel quite right. Part of it has to do with the script, part with the direction, and part with the special effects.

Let’s start with the last thing first.

##Special Effects Not So Special

Is it just me, or does everything in the new (old?) Star Wars universe have a distinctly computer generated feel to it? I know all about how they’ve been produced almost entirely in a computer and that nearly all the effects are done that way, but it shouldn’t feel like that. There used to be a certain physicality to the way a Star Wars movie felt. For instance, there’s a definite **presence** to the Millenium Falcon on the screen. You feel as if you could walk up and touch it. But with these new movies and the new generation of special effects, the sense of physical presence is gone.

Also, everything seems just a bit too clean. One of the lasting impressions from “Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope” was the grime that was ever present on the screen. It helped to make the world(s) that the story took place in have a sense of reality that was almost always missing from Science Fiction before then.

##A Typical Man

I think that George is just afraid to ask for help with directions, or more specifically, to ask for some help with *his* direction. According to the [[IMDB]], “George Lucas” didn’t direct anything between the first Star Wars movie and [[Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace]]. That’s right, he didn’t direct either “Star Wars Episode 5: The Empire Strikes Back” or “Star Wars Episode 6: The Return of the Jedi”. And if we’re honest with ourselves, the original Star Wars is the weakest of the original trilogy in terms of directions (with **Empire** the clear winner). And before that, there’s only “American Graffiti” and “THX-1138”, neither of which are examples of directing genius.

##Scream-play

Some of the dialogue in *Attack of the Clones* is so bad it made me cringe.

##The Power of Myth

George’s gift is in story telling. He is at his best when he’s worrying about the big picture, not the small details. Consider this: he was the story consultant on all the Indiana Jones movies,and Episodes 5 and 6 of Star Wars, but did not write the script and did not direct.

What’s this say? He’s a man of vision.
##Final Thoughts

The biggest problems with both [[Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace]] and [[Star Wars Episode 2: Attack of the Clones]] are the screen play and direction, not the story.

I think we might want to rethink our policies.

To ensure we Americans never offend anyone – particularly fanatics intent on killing us – airport screeners will not be allowed to profile people. They will continue random searches of all passengers.

This is from an unknown source on the internet. I think you’ll get the point.

To ensure we Americans never offend anyone – particularly

fanatics intent on killing us – airport screeners will

not be allowed to profile people. They will continue

random searches of all passengers.

##Let’s pause a moment and take the following test.

###In 1972 at the Munich Olympics, athletes were kidnapped and massacred by:

###In 1979,the U.S. embassy in Iran was taken over by:

###During the 1980’s a number of Americans were

kidnapped in Lebanon by:

###In 1983, the U.S. Marine barracks in Beirut was blown up by:

###In 1985 the cruise ship Achille Lauro was hijacked, and a 70 year old American passenger was murdered and thrown overboard by:

###In 1985 TWA flight 847 was hijacked at Athens, and a U.S. Navy diver was murdered by:

###In 1988, Pan Am Flight 103 was bombed by:

###In 1993 the World Trade Center was bombed the first time by:

###In 1998, the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania were bombed by:

###On 9/11/01, four airliners were hijacked and destroyed and thousands of people were killed by:

###In 2002 the United States fought a war in Afghanistan against:

###In 2002 reporter Daniel Pearl was kidnapped and murdered by:

##Hmmm . . . nope, no patterns anywhere to justify profiling.

Who couldn’ve predicted this?

Surely not even FIFA’s World Cup computer game could have produced the semifinal lineup that has emerged at the real thing as the last four defied expert opinion, betting odds and, in South Korea’s case, belief, to get through.