Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002)

Director:

George Lucas

Writers:

George Lucas (story)
George Lucas (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

16 May 2002 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Fantasy | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

A Jedi Shall Not Know Anger. Nor Hatred. Nor Love.

Plot:

Anakin Skywalker shares a forbidden romance with Padmé Amidala while his teacher, Obi-Wan Kenobi, makes an investigation of a separatist assassination attempt on Padmé which leads to the discovery of a secret Republican clone army.

Plot Keywords:

Alien Race | Explosion | Female Pilot | Cave | Fictional War

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 10 wins & 35 nominations

Cast

Ewan McGregor	...	Obi-Wan Kenobi
Natalie Portman	...	Senator Padmé Amidala
Hayden Christensen	...	Anakin Skywalker
Christopher Lee	...	Count Dooku / Darth Tyranus
Samuel L. Jackson	...	Mace Windu
Frank Oz	...	Yoda (voice)
Ian McDiarmid	...	Supreme Chancellor Palpatine
Pernilla August	...	Shmi Skywalker-Lars
Rose Byrne	...	Dormé
Temuera Morrison	...	Jango Fett
Daniel Logan	...	Boba Fett
Jimmy Smits	...	Senator Bail Organa
Jack Thompson	...	Cliegg Lars
Leeanna Walsman	...	Zam Wesell
Ahmed Best	...	Jar Jar Binks (voice)

Also Known As:

Attack of the Clones (USA) (short title)
Attack of the Clones: The IMAX Experience (USA) (IMAX version (promotional title))
Star Wars II (USA) (promotional abbreviation)
Star Wars II: Attack of the Clones (USA) (video box title)

MPAA:

Rated PG for sustained sequences of sci-fi action/violence.

Runtime:

142 min | USA:120 min (IMAX Version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.81 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS-ES | Dolby Digital EX | SDDS

Certification:

Brazil:Livre | South Korea:All | Hong Kong:I | Malaysia:U | Argentina:Atp | Australia:M (DVD rating) | Australia:PG | Austria:10 | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Finland:K-11/9 | France:U | Germany:12 | Iceland:10 (original rating) | Iceland:LH (video rating) | Netherlands:12 | Netherlands:MG6 (video rating) | New Zealand:PG | Norway:11 | Peru:PT | Philippines:G | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | Spain:T | Sweden:11 | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:12 (canton of the Grisons) | UK:PG (cut) | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Chott el Djerid, Nefta, Tunisia

Company:

Lucasfilm

Trivia:

According to visual-effects supervisor John Knoll, a big cow-like creature that Anakin and Padmé frolic around in the fields with, can be seen in the asteroid belt that Obi-Wan flies through. One asteroid has legs.

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: After Obi Wan sends the message for help to Anakin and Amidala, Amidala says she is going to Geonosis to "help Obi Wan", though her lip movement indicates she is going to "save Obi Wan."

Quotes:

[first lines]
Naboo lieutenant: Senator, we're making our final approach into Coruscant.
CordÈ: Very good, Lieutenant.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Empire of Dreams: The Story of the 'Star Wars' Trilogy (2004) (TV)

Much Like Jingling Keys In Front Of An Infant

Excellent special effects! AOTC was certainly a site to behold with its sweeping landscapes, zooming vehicles and diverse alien races. It's truly a spectacle! With that being said, what happens when we look beyond the veneer of pretty pictures and bright shiny objects? To be blunt, not much!

As much as I loved the special effects, they were obviously there to hide the fact that there's nothing more to the film. It's like distracting an infant by jingling keys in front of them. The AOTC plot showed great promise, but it fell victim to a hackneyed script which didn't know where it was going or what it was doing when it finally got there. Most of this happens during the "build up" of Amidala's and Anakin's "love affair" in which there is no build up or real love affair involved. Jingle! Jingle! Look at the ocean swept world of Kamino! Doesn't it look awesome?! Slow pacing is also another of this film's greatest flaws. When a film is 2 hours and 20 minutes plus, pacing should be a real concern. Jingle! Jangle! Look at this! Isn't the "car" chase on Coruscant zippy?! Wow! Though a sophomoric script is mostly to blame, the acting came across as wooden and would have been better played by marionettes. It was imperative that Anakin "tell" us on a regular basis how bad he felt and how mad he was when actions would have been much better at driving the point home. The scene at the Tusken Raider camp would have been perfect for that, but it was cut far too short which leads me to believe that the Star Wars franchise has fallen out of the realm of General Audiences and is now the sole providence of children. Jingle! Jangle! Jingle! But check out the monsters in the arena! Don't they look scary?! Look at how the tiger-thingy rips Amidala's shirt just perfectly so we can see her bare tum-tum! Ooo-aaah!

If you love special effects, I suggest you catch a matinee of this movie. Much like Centropolis' "Godzilla", it's a wonder to behold. Also, much like Centropolis' "Godzilla", if you listen to your favorite tunes on your walkman while viewing AOTC, you won't miss a thing.