Episode II: a new hope

Forget what the critics say, Episode II: Attack of the Clones is a fun, thoroughly entertaining movie that, unlike the disappointing Episode I, is worth seeing as long as you're a fan who knows at least the basics of Star Wars' story line.

One of the reasons why Episode I: The Phantom Menace was so abused by die-hard Star Wars fans was its lack of ties to the original series. The familiar storm troopers, Wookies, and the like were sadly missing from Episode I, replaced with penguin-headed robots and brainless Gungans, not to mention a computer-generated world lacking the vitality of Lucas' original string and wire approach.

Episode II makes up for Episode I's failings with its constant references to the original movies. These references are sometimes obvious, such as when the characters' visit to the house of the future Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru (a.k.a. Luke Skywalker's house on his home planet of Tatooine) where Anakin (Hayden Christensen) has an emotional moment in the same room where his son will hear the message from Princess Leia some decades later. For Star Wars fans, moments such as these are perhaps even more exciting than the massive battle scenes.

The romance between Anakin Skywalker and Senator Padme Amidala (Natalie Portman) is the movie's only major weak point. Star Wars fans that nostalgically remember the chemistry between Leia (Carrie Fisher) and Han Solo (Harrison Ford) in the original trilogy will be sadly disappointed in Lucas' newest couple. It just isn't believable. She's gorgeous. He's creepy. His melodramatic brooding stares are enough to make your skin crawl. The question is not what her reaction will be to his slip toward the dark side, but whether she will dump the immature, arrogant, and rather ugly Anakin for Obi-Wan ("Moulin Rouge" heartthrob Ewan McGregor, only partially disguised by a beard) who she somehow ignores. For a character that has been written as intelligent and independent, she shows a lack of perception and trend toward cleavage that becomes increasingly annoying throughout the movie.

According to the Washington Post article, At the Box Office, Signs of a Strong Hot Summer, Episode II made $86 million during its first three days and $116 million since its opening on Thursday, making it the third largest opening in history. The first is Spider Man, opening with $115 million in its first weekend, followed by Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, which opened with $90 million.