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| Starring: Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, Hayden Christensen, Christopher Lee, Samuel L. Jackson Director: George Lucas Writers: George Lucas, Jonathan Hales Studios: 20th Century Fox, LucasFilm Rated: PG (for sustained sequences of sci-fi/action violence) Runtime: 2 hours 23 minutes Year: 2002 I've never been a huge Star Wars fan. I don't know, there's something about a bunch of weird looking characters talking about things I've never heard of or even understand that doesn't interest me. The only reasons I see the movies are because they are always huge hits. Well, this one was better than the last installment, but it is in no ways classic filmmaking. The story takes place ten years after the first episode, with nineteen year old Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) still under the guidance of Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor). Anakin has become a skilled Jedi in training, but his powers have made him somewhat arrogant. When the two are assigned to protect the now-Sentator Padme Amidala (Natalie Portman) from the evil Count Dooku (Christopher Lee), the three are reunited and Anakin falls in love with Padme. When Obi-Wan is assigned to investigate the attempts of assasination, Anakin takes Padme back to her home planet of Naboo, where they endure in a secret love affair. But when Anakin has reccuring nightmares of his mother suffering, they return to Tatooine to search for her. When he finds his mother killed, he is enraged and attacks an entire army, killing them all. Obi-Wan seeks the help of respected Jedi Masters Yoda (voice of Frank Oz) and Mace Windu (Samuel L. Jackson), who inform him to search on the planet Kamino. When he gets there, he finds that the aliens on that planet have, at the request of Qui Jon Gin, have made a clone army to fight with the Jedi against the army Dooku and Jango Fett have built. But when he falls into a trap, it is up to Anakin, Padme and the Jedi army to save him. For thse who have dreamed about Yoda fighting, they get their wish in this installment, as the little critter shows what he's really made of. It is the single best scene in the movie and had the audience cheering. As for the annoying Jar Jar Binks, he's still in, but only for about fifteen minutes. The movie had spectacular special effects and good performances by Ewan McGregor and Samuel L. Jackson to back it up, but it also had its bad points. Hayden Christensen is a terrible actor in this, and he has no chemistry with Natalie Portman. The movie is overlong, and is occasionally boring. And the story really didn't make much sense. But don't get me wrong. If taken for what it is, a simple popcorn flick, it can be an enjoyable time. But if you want real action packed fun, take a ride on Spider Man's web. ***1/2 stars --Cory Thompson |