Star Wars – Episode II, Attack of the Clones
by admin on Jun.15, 2010, under Star Wars
- ISBN13: 0024543055396
- Condition: NEW
- Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
Description
The STAR WARS saga continues on DVD with Episode II Attack of the Clones. Anakin Skywalker has grown into an accomplished Jedi apprentice, and he faces his most difficult challenge yet as he must choose between his Jedi duty and forbidden love. Relive the adventure the way it was meant to be seen in spectacular digital clarity, including the climactic Clone War battle and Jedi Master Yoda in the ultimate lightsaber duel. Experience this 2-disc set that features over six hours of bonus materials, and see how Episode II unlocks the secrets of the entire STAR WARS saga.Amazon.com
If The Phantom Menace was the setup, then Attack of the Clones is the plot-progressing payoff, and devoted Star Wars fans are sure to be enthralled. Ten years after Episode I, Padmé Amidala (Natalie Portman), now a senator, resists the creation of a Republic Army to combat an evil separatist movement. The brooding Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) is resentful of his stern Jedi mentor, Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor), tormented by personal loss, and showing his emerging “dark side” while protecting his new love, Amidala, from would-be assassins. Youthful romance and solemn portent foreshadow the events of the original Star Wars as Count Dooku (a.k.a. Darth Tyranus, played by Christopher Lee) forges an alliance with the Dark Lord of the Sith, while lavish set pieces showcase George Lucas’s supreme command of all-digital filmmaking. All of this makes Episode II a technological milestone, savaged by some critics as a bloated, storyless spectacle, but still qualifying as a fan-approved precursor to the pivotal events of Episode III. –Jeff Shannon
June 15th, 2010 on 1:03 pm
Despite all the Star Wars fanatics bashing George Lucas for Episodes I and II, I for one am grateful he has shared his vision with us. One just cannot compare the original Star Wars Trilogy with anything. They were the pioneer films, they set the standard for what we see now and will always stand above the rest. Any film compared to those are doomed to failure. I went to see the latest installment of Star Wars with an open mind and no preconceived notions and THOROUGHLY ENJOYED it. It had everything for everyone. A little romance, a little adventure, a little mystery and a lot of action. Admittedly, the love scenes were a little weak but when Jedis start whipping out their lightsabres, who cares. The story gets very interesting and we begin to see the threads from all the previous Star Wars woven together. Ewan McGregor is spectacular as Obiwan. I didn’t think he could live up to Sir Alec Guiness’ but I was pleasantly surprised. I was glad to see Christopher Lee cast as Count Dooku, he plays the part so elegantly.
I highly recommend this movie to everyone, except for the die-hard fanatics who are bent on criticizing everything because it doesn’t fit their vision of what the movie should be. This is George Lucas’ vision and I’m glad he has shared it with us. Go see it without preconceived ideas and expections. It should not be compared with the original. It should be seen and judged on its own merits. Enjoy it for it is and not what it should be.
Rating: 5 / 5
June 15th, 2010 on 1:41 pm
To everyone who is criticizing this movie, I have a few things to say. First of all, I have not been able to find a single person in person who didn’t think this movie was excellent. People who were not Star Wars fans and who were unimpressed by the originals, like my wife, thought this movie was the best.
I, for one, who have always been a moderate fan, consider this the 2nd best of the series. And if this movie was so bad, why is it ranked 2nd among Amazon’s DVD’s? You can argue that the $300 million the film grossed was simply from hype and fans wanting the movie to be good, but after so many months where the initial excitement and hype wears off, people still want to own this movie so that they can watch it over and over. The sad truth isn’t that this movie is bad and only geeky Star Wars fans disagree. It’s the hardcore Star Wars fans that hate this movie because it doesn’t live up to their 10+ years of expectations, which no movie possibly could have. Regular people like myself, who don’t own every single Star Wars toy from the original series, thought this was great. Just admit it, if Attack of the Clones came out when you were 12, you wouldn’t be whining about dialogue and acting. I seriously don’t remember EVER discussing dialogue or acting when I was a kid. We talked about all the cool monsters and space ships and action scenes . . . and Episode II had plenty of those!!! Star Wars isn’t dead. Just your inner child.
Rating: 5 / 5
June 15th, 2010 on 2:47 pm
Ok, first of all, I would like to say that all of the people out there who went to this movie expecting it to be exactly on the same level as the older trilogy, and left feeling disappointed by the story, or the characters, or anything else. You can’t expect it to be the same at all. The first trilogy was set during a civil war, during a dark time. The characters were varied. You had a rogue, a princess, a wookiee co-pilot, an old war hero jedi, and a young antagonist with hidden potential, who all came together to defeat a common enemy. Now, flash back a few decades. It is a peaceful time, but with a stirring in the air, of a coming change. The government is becoming stale and corrupt, and the Jedi are losing their mystique and grandeur, because they are attached to the stale government. So, you can expect a few things. Dense political plotlines, corrupt individuals, Jedi who aren’t in touch with their powers anymore, and a more old school soceity. You must understand this. Han Solo would never blend in an environment such as this, he wouldn’t match. The characters in this movie were superb in my opinion, because they fit the times that they were set in. Obi-Wan (Ewan) was much more fleshed out, and you could tell that he was scared for Anakin, and his fear would lead to failure in his training of Anakin. Anakin ( Hayden) also came to full veiw. No longer the child who screamed “wizard!”, He had come into the light as a troubled young man who would become The Darth Vader we all know. And Yoda, I know there are a few people out there who said that yoda’s fight was sacrilige, I disagree. Yoda has trained for hundreds of years, His skills would reflect that. And add the fact that he wasn’t at the end of his life like he is later. Padme was the same, but for good reason. Mace had more screen time, and Dooku was a good addition to the story, it’s good to hear some smack talking in a fight. I miss that. The movie exceeded my expectations in many ways. I now have to wait a couple more years to see the empire rise to power and the climactic lightsaber battle that is inevitable, but I can make it now, thanks to the second chapter not sucking. Now I can watch a newer Star Wars DVD without wincing, the years will pass more easily that way.
Rating: 5 / 5
June 15th, 2010 on 4:23 pm
If you’re 10 or under, I can cautiously recommend this film, but if you’re over 14, forget it. This is the most juvenile attempt at action/science-fiction I’ve ever seen. Simply put, it is a pathetic excuse for a movie. It is clear that their special effects consumed the entire budget for the film, and they had no money left over to pay for actors or a script.
The acting is so bad that it is frankly embarrassing. I felt like I was watching a junior high drama club. “My heart is breaking for you… Yes, but this is a love that cannot be”. (barf). They are so stiff and the lines so trite that I think I could find two random teens at the mall who could give a better reading. The script sounds like it was written by a 15-year-old girl who spent the last 5 years overdosing on romance novels.
Unlike the original episode, Attack of the Clones has no fun or humor. It plods along with the bad guys plotting a rebellion while the good guys try to figure out what’s going on. There was not one single laugh in the entire movie – not counting my chuckles at the pathetic acting and script.
I thought the visual effects were poor given the budget for this movie. There were a number of scenes which appeared to have the actors standing in front of poorly painted landscape scenes. Even the indoor shots seemed to have a haze about them.
On a 1 to 10 scale, Attack of the Clones barely rates 1.
Rating: 1 / 5
June 15th, 2010 on 5:26 pm
After the horror that was The Phantom Menace, which I own for those insomina plagued nights, I knew that I was going to hate this movie. I read the bad reviews and I knew that I’d agree with them. But, I was dragged to see it and I knew that it would be a grim few hours.
This is one case where I’m glad that I was totally wrong. I liked the movie so much that I’ve been back to see it again. The acting, that many have cited as dry, was appropriate to the setting and the circumstances of the film. I really didn’t expect to see cheerful and lively characters in a story about an impending civil war. The romance, although muted, was appropriate for two very young characters who probably have never had much experience with romance to begin with. The middle was mostly talk and no action. I like a film that takes it’s time and lets itself develop, instead of assaulting the viewer with non stop action and little plot or character development. I really felt that it was essential to the film to have the characters talk, as this is the installment of the series that starts to explain why Anakin becomes Darth Vader and why the Republic falls. I wish they’d actually developed them a little more, personally.
Hayden Christiansen delivered a solid performance as a moody, confused kid. The fact that he wasn’t overly eloquent helped me to believe that the cute kid in PM could actually turn into the nasty guy that I believed was hiding in my closet when I was growing up. Natalie Portman again reminded me why she’s one of my favorite actresses. She was able to blend the strong assertive side of her character with an almost maternal caring for Anakin. Ewan McGregor and his dialogue tied in the shame that Obi-Wan displayed in the later episodes toward Darth Vader and the driving desire to rectify his mistakes.
The special effects were dazzling. The seismic charges blew me away (by far the best sound effect that I’ve heard in a while), the speeder chase was amazing and the set design was just beautiful. And seeing lightsabres glowing throughout an arena was a childhood dream of mine.
There were a few flaws, but overall, it was fantastic.
Rating: 5 / 5