EPISODE II - Dejio's's Review -Spoiler Alert!

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Dejio
I have watched the movie here in Manila during one of Episode II's Premier showing (early screenings) last May 12, 2002.
I'm a Star Wars and a George Lucas fan. I've said this so that you'll know where I'm coming from (standpoint) with this review.

I'll start out with the general reviews of Episode II-AOTC. None of the following lines are real spoilers yet. I'll warn you later during the last part of my review. IN BOLD LETTERS!


Here goes..
-The Computer Generated Imagery (CGI) was really the best I've seen to date. Sometimes I'm guessing which ones are CGI's and which ones aren't. Though some CGI's were just overkill.

-The sounds were awesome (I watched it on a THX theater). But my brother commented that they rehashed some of the sounds from Episode I and used it on a completely different source
(i.e. A three horned creature sounded like one of the pod racers in Episode I.)

-I loved the look of the clone army.

-There was this scene with Yoda which i liked. But, the same scene have mixed reactions with the audience.

-Ewan McGregor was great. His acting has really matured in this film. There was this scene were he used the FORCE to make a drug dealer rethink his life. Very much like how Alec Guiness portrayed Obi-Wan Kenobi.

-The planet, where the clone army was being made, was great. It expands the Star Wars Universe. Though it's more of how Steven
Spielberg envisions his aliens than George Lucas. But then again how am I supposed to know that?!

-My brother liked Jango Fett. Though I didn't like the whole story behind Fett. I miss seeing Darth Maul in action.

THE FOLLOWING NEXT LINES ARE REAL SPOILERS TO END ALL SPOILERS. SO IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE MOVIE AND WANT TO WATCH IT WITH AN OPEN MIND, STOP READING!! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!












Episode II-Attack Of The Clones movie was, to put it simply, was a major dissapointment.
It was boring. It's like this...

Start of movie title....Blah, blah, blah for 30mins or so..

then action scene reminiscent of Fifth Element..

then Blah, blah, blah,...then unconvincing puppy love scenes interchanging with Obi-Wans investigations and confrontation with Jango Fett..

then more Blah, blah,

Blah, blah, blah... then the last 40 mins dedicated for the final showdown....
...Movie Credits


The acting and the script was bad.

Ewan McGregor was the only salvation of this film. Christopher Lee was great, but I'd rather watch him in Lord of the Rings than in this movie since he portrays similar characters.

Natalie Portman still acts a little stiff here.

Hayden Christensen was a major dissappointment as Anakin. His acting, together with his dialogue is as bad as it gets.

During the first part of the movie, Anakin and Obi-Wan have an argument. Much too early and much too long than was really needed. During the rest of the movie Anakin contradicts/fights with Obi-Wan for reasons I can't really understand. I can't sympatize with the guy. He's just acting like a spoiled brat.
There was this scene were he tries to rescue his mother only to have her die in his arms seconds after he finds her. Huh?!! What timing. She survived as a prisoner for weeks then just suddenly
dies the same time she sees her son! Unbelievable. Better if she was shot or something.

Then, just when you think you'll see a scene where Anakin uses all his skills to take his revenge on his mothers captors.. he kills two guards and later on just tells Amidala that he killed everyone. Sheesh! Anti-climactic.

He keeps on saying that he wasn't strong enough to save his mother. HUH!? It's not much of a question of how strong he is, it's more of a timing issue. To top it all off, he blames Obi-Wan for it. What has Obi-Wan got to do with his mothers failed rescue? Again, it's more of a timing issue. Not strength, skill or whatever.

I also didn't like the story behind Jango Fett. The father of Boba Fett. What the @#$% happened here? Wasn't Boba Fett's supposed to get his armour from an elite group which he was a member of?
Bounty Hunters are not an elite group of any kind. That's Mandelorian armour isn't it? (If i got that right) Then why wasn't this mentioned in the film for his fathers armour (Which looks exactly the same)? It wasn't mentioned if his father came from a group of some sort. It would be better if Boba Fett's roots came from an elite group of soldiers which have fallen. That would explain his armour and his cunning skills as a bounty hunter (like originally concieved) Instead of giving us another take on the Father Syndrome.
Oh well, if George Lucas is thinking right, which i don't think he is after seeing these last two movies, he'll incorporate the story on Episode III.

What ever happened to Qui-Gon Jinn? There's not even a whisper of him in this movie. I think George Lucas made a bubu in Episode I when he decided to burn the body of Qui-Gon Jinn instead of having it dissappear like all Jedi's. Or maybe he simply forgot about it?!!!

Going back to Anakin Skywalker.. He was portrayed as a brat. He was also like a pervert here in the scene where he touches Amidala's bare back and when she looked at him in surprise, he gave a smile like he wanted to take advantage of her or something. It just doesn't work. There's just no chemistry between these two.

The friction between Anakin and Obi-Wan was too much. There's even greater friction between Anakin and everyone else. Which is bad. I know what George Lucas was trying to deliver but it was
too much. Too much that he made Anakin a very unlikeable character. It's better if they showed the real good in Anakin and his strong friendship with his mentor Obi-wan so that the audience would like him and sympatize with him when he starts to turn to the Dark Side. This would have really made a more moving turn of events. But after seeing Anakin in AOTC, I just can't wait to get his @$$ kicked by Obi-Wan in Episode III.
That's my opinion anyway.

I could go on and on with the bad reviews. But I'll stop here. The movie was a real dissappointment. Not worthy of the original Star Wars Trilogy (IV, V, VI). No one even clapped or cheered at the end of the movie unlike in Episode I-TPM. They all just wanted to go home.

It failed on a lot of aspects. But mainly, it failed to capture our hearts and imagination as the originals did.

I really hate to say this but, the old man (George Lucas) has lost it (Magic).

For those of you who have still read this last part even after all my warnings. Sorry, curiosity just got the better of you. Anyway, watch the movie just the same. I hope you prove me wrong.
..though I doubt it.

queeq
May huh.... strange. We heard reports that QGJ's voice IS in AOTC... now I'm confused.... confused

Anyway, it seems there's much mixed feelings about AOTC. I guess some of your points are pretty valid, they sound like stuff GL would do. However, I'd have to see it myself before I can judge exactly HOW bad it all is.

Dexx
God...i can't wait to c it. All day i see screenshotz...advertising, trailers.....news. And then i think....how long will it be till i see it.
I guess i must wait a little longer

finti
my friends who watched the pirate copy said it was real boring film too, they liked TPM better.

queeq
Better???????????????????????????? OMG!!!! We're in big poodoo! eek!

Emperor Helmet
How can you say Ewan's acting is right on and then say the acting was bad. This is the most ridiculous review I've ever read.

And Qui-Gon's voice is in the film, even though it isn't something you notice unless you are paying attention.


TPM is not better than AOTC.

queeq
PHEW!!!!!

Oh and that thing about Boba's armour, that's all EU so not relevant for the story.

Emperor Helmet
Absolutely.

Dim
queeq, I think you might be working yourself into a tissy laughing out loud

queeq
A tissy? Please explain to the dumb foreigner.

Dim
a fit.

Anyway...I've stuck it out this long..I can wait a few more days to form my own oppinion.

Captain REX
Must see it!!! Must see it now!!! I'll pay all of my Republic credits!!! (I don't have any use for them anyway) big grin

It would be cool if we saw Qui-Gon's ghost leap out at Anakin after he starts hacking up the Tuskens.

queeq
But you won't.

Two more nights...

finti
according to them it was

Emperor Helmet
I don't believe these people really exist. If they do they are on some sort of Halucinigen.

LanceWindu
TPM won't even come close to AOTC.

What the hell were your friends smoking finti?

Emperor Helmet
TPM was great and in my opinion is second only to AOTC and ESB who are now tied for the #1 spot.

When ESB is fixed and has all the final additions to it, it may take number 1 over again.

LanceWindu
What do you think needs to be fixed in ESB?

Emperor Helmet
The ships mostly. I don't want the scenes to be changed, but I want the same exact scenes but with the cg ships. When you see the asteroid field in AOTC it makes the asteroid field in ESB look like it was made with legos.

Also I want more added to the Hoth battle. More walkers, more troops, more speeders flying around, etc. Also I want to see Vader's landing and entrance into the hangar. All stuff that is easily added without ruining the film.

yerssot
if they're going to fix something in the OT, PLEASE fix the Rancor scene! that's the most horrible scene in the SW movies!

Emperor Helmet
I agree with that! And the speeder bikes through the woods.

yerssot
yeah, not the brightest of them!
ok, I changed my mind... if their is a movie that has impoved those two scenes, I'll buy itbig grin

Emperor Helmet
Sometimes....change is good. wink

General Kaliero
About Boba Fett getting his armor from an elite group and not his father... Jango has strange scars on his face and tattoos on his arms... evidence of membership to some group???

Emperor Helmet
I have scars and tattoo's, but I don't belong to any group.

yerssot
if it's not in the movie, novel or radio drama, it's not cannon

LanceWindu
But if GL uses it then it's cannon.

Emperor Helmet
And he hasn't and won't

LanceWindu
Coruscant was used in EU before TPM. And Aurra Sing was in EU before she appeared in TPM.

yerssot
And Aayla Secura ... so?

Emperor Helmet
First off, Coruscant is a real word, second it was one of a list of names that Zahn was given by Lucas. Zahn did not come up with it. Lucas liked that the most and kept the idea. Aurra was not made up in the EU, it was a drawing design for a SW film that wasn't used. That whole 1 second was Lucas's dedication to the EU.

Make sure you know the facts before you blurt out lies.

LanceWindu
But he still used the ones that Zahn picked and if GL used Aurra Sing as a dedication to EU then it still works.

Emperor Helmet
You just don't get it do you? EU are things that are made up by writers. These are all Lucas ideas.

LanceWindu
But they were never used.

The writers resureccted them.

yerssot
Helmet, don't use words as "lies"!

Emperor Helmet
That doesn't make them EU.

LanceWindu
Well whatever. I don't want to argue.

BTW Helmet, you're actually a nice guy and everything when your not butting heads with people.

Emperor Helmet
Thanks. eek!

Ushgarak
That means you have to be censored in the UK, of course...

Emperor Helmet
That was actually funny. laughing out loud

He-Man
Really. Is it really that bad. He can always go and buy those...the condoms I mean.

Hmmm...what am I talking about again? confused

And George isn't really an OLD man. He just turned 59.

Emperor Helmet
Don't worry, Lucas has definitely improved on something that was already awesome.

master harmax
Man it can't be that bad ! I mean ... somehow i feel although i havent seen it, and i'm not going to for two months unless i watch the net bootleg, which in any case will be pretty sad because thats hardly the way to see this movie ... i feel it must be good man ! I saw the Leno interview of Hayden where they showed a clip of the coruscant chase and it looked stunning.

I sure hope this dude is wrong.

Dejio
I said the acting was bad because most of the actors have bad acting performances (stiff). Ewan McGregor's acting on the other hand, won't win him any awards but is better than most of them.

Qui-Gon Jinn's voice is not on this film. I saw this movie with my brother and he didn't hear Qui-Gon Jinn's voice either. Have you even seen the movie Helmet? Because if you haven't, I suggest you watch it first. I want to hear all of your comments on the movie.

About the Mandelorian armour, It's true Jango Fett has scars on his face. He could be very well a member of the Mandelorian Warriors that were defeated by the Jedi's during the Clone Wars. GL could very well include them on Episode III. I hope.

Again, this are all just me and my brother's opinion on the film as Star Wars fans for a long time. People may have a different opinion on the film.
Though we were dissappointed with the film, I just hope you enjoy watching Episode II - AOTC, just the same.

Ushgarak
Helmet HAS seen the movie, and many people are reporting Qui-Gon's voice in it.

Dejio
So, he has seen it.
And many said that Qui-Gon Jinn's voice is in the movie huh? Hmm.. I'm trying to recall. I'll ask some of my friends if they've heard it. Can't believe I've missed it, if it is there at all.

I was waiting for it the whole time because I'd like to see how George Lucas explains the events in TPM where they have to burn Qui-Gon Jinn's body. QGJ should have dissappeared and appeared as a spirit-like entity here in AOTC. To give guidance to Anakin and Obi-Wan.

Ushgarak
No he most certainly should not. If he had done that then Anakin would have known it was possible. Which he doesn't.

"Strike me down and I will become more powerful than you can possibly imagine"

It's a surprise. Vader had no idea that Obi-Wan could return as a ghost.

So the question is, why DID Yoda and Obi-Wan (and even Anakin!) disappear, when in the normal run of things you do not.

Dejio
Hey! Good point. Anakin could have not known it, cause then Vader would have not "striked down" Obi-Wan in Episode IV .

As for Yoda and Vader's change into "spirit" form. I think I read an idea about this somewhere. And it sounds pretty logical.

They say that a Jedi becomes an entity only when he is prepared to die. When he accepts his fate.

Obi-Wan in Star Wars accepted it, knowing it'll be better in guiding Luke to become a Jedi.
Yoda knows his too old and too tired to go on. He has accepted his fate.
Darth Vader knew his fate once he renounced his obedience with the Emperor. He chose death just to save his only son.
As for Qui-Gon, you know he didn't see it coming when Darth Maul thrusts his saber on his stomach. You could see it on his face, he was shocked.

Hey, this topic could be a new post.

Jedi Mercenary
The Mandalore warriors were mentioned in the ESB novel, which is cannon. It says that the mandalorians were defeated by the Jedi Knights in the Clone Wars.

I already knew that GL had lost it. I think he's spending so much time contradicting the EU, he probably couldn't write a script.
Just blue and green lightsabers? Padawan hairstyle? Pah!! I laugh at his plainness.

queeq
Okay, I'll just wait until I see AOTC. I don't mind a few flaws, almost every SW film has its moments of cheesiness and awkwardness (well, ESB had none I think wink), so that's part of it. I can buy some not so great stuff, as long as it works on a whole. I was happy about the story, I just wonder if GL can pull it off in credible storytelling. I still have a lot of faith in it.

I must say the soundtrack was a bit disappointing though. But not in the sense that it will affect the movie.

DJ Velocity
I heard it is JANGO who is a member of the Mandalorian shocktroops, not Boba, he was too young. He would be about Obi Wan's age in the OT if that were so.

I believe Anakin/Vader will try to purge the Jedi in Ep3 with the Mandalorians. But somehow, it fails confused

queeq
Whatvere. The Mandalorians or shock troopers are not mentioned in canon sources, so they're still EU.

He-Man
We may? Wow...thanks.

queeq
Anything to please you guys. wink

yerssot
queeq... the Mandalores ARE mentioned in the official novel of ESB, so their existance IS cannon, but this all get now thrown away for Ep II , I take

Emperor Helmet
"Qui-Gon Jinn's voice is not on this film. I saw this movie with my brother and he didn't hear Qui-Gon Jinn's voice either. Have you even seen the movie Helmet? Because if you haven't, I suggest you watch it first. I want to hear all of your comments on the movie. "



Yes it is, you dope. It is heard when Mace is walking in to talk to Yoda when he says that there is something wrong with skywalker, he is in pain.


I guess you really haven't seen it.

Dim
Helm don't call people names..

queeq
Hear hear!

Ushgarak
Dejio, that accepting death thing has never held water. If it was normally possible fore Jedi at ALL, then Anakin would have been taught about it!

The whole ghost trrick thing is a plot-specific occurence for these films, presumably due to the Chosen One and/or the Prophecy and/or midichlorians.

But enough of that for this thread; there is a thread about the ghost trick somewhere nearby.

davinci73
I did see the pirate copy and the movie is definatly lacking what I really wanted to see. It is quite boring and the fight scenes are way to short. I wanted to see more of Mace vs. Jango, and the final scences with anikin and obi one and count dooku really wasn't as good as ESB or ROTJ. Yodi was cool to see and I laugh at the end after he is fighting Count Dooku and then uses the force to get back his cane. C3PO also has the only real funny parts in the movie but he is not around untilthe last 1/3 of the movie. I was disappointed but I am still going to go see it in the theater but don't get your hopes up to much and I am a hugh Star Wars fan.

yerssot
my waffle!
GET THIS:
if you see a miserable bootleg, don't think you can form a decent opinion!
Bad quality, bad sounds,... how can you expact a movie to be great???

davinci73
Qui-Gon Jinn's voice is it AOTC but it does go by really quick and I really had to sit there and think "did I just hear Qui-gon Jinn".

yerssot
Anakin! Anakin!
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

I know

Dejio
"Yes it is, you dope. It is heard when Mace is walking in to talk to Yoda when he says that there is something wrong with skywalker, he is in pain. "-Helmet


"Dope"??! What a great way to start your sentence when you want to convince somebody. What's wrong with you anyway?!
Ahh... Denial could be an ugly thing.

I have seen the movie, OK! What more proof do you want? I gave the review right? Anyway, it doesn't matter. Everybody's gonna see the movie today. I'll just wait for their comments.

I'm glad in some way that you liked the movie. At least GL touched someones imagination. As for the rest of us, we could only dream what could've been...

Helmet, be prepared to defend the movie after it's been shown.
There's gonna be a lot of dissappointed people out there.

Jedi Mercenary
And what pray tell, "Could" it have been??

Queeq, the Mandalorians are cannon.

Dejio
It could have been cooler.
It could have been more entertaining
It could have been better.

queeq
How canon are they then... even the novels contain mistakes. Like Owen Lars being OB1's brother and all. we don't know what exactly Mandalorians are or were or when they were important. Could be anything. All we know now is that Jango Fett is a BOUNTY HUNTER and identified only as a rocket man in AOTC (both the novel and the movie). So what does it mean for future reference to Mandalorians in either EpIII or its novel? I'll tell you: NUTTIN' !

Dim
True...though I will say that since they wrote so much about the Mandalorian connection for Boba Fett in the Ep 2 Visual Dictionary it's looking increasingly like it might end up finally making it to the screen..

queeq
It's in the Visual Dictionary???? Hmmm, interesting.

Dim
Yep

queeq
Still EU though. wink

jedi212guy
I saw the movie from my computer, and I don't know what to think of it. It didn't really excite me. Maybe it's because I knew everything coming into the movie. I'll see it tonight with my cousin on the big screen. Maybe then it will be more uplifting. I don't know, though. I think spoiling myself was a REALLY bad idea.

AntiMagicMan
The film was great, there was no wooden acting by Hayden, that was a result of the inner conflict, between his oath to the jedi order and his feelings and emotions. Dejio has missed the point with the acting, it was intended to be that way.

Anyway it is just a film, so don't expect it to be perfect, there are irregularities in almost all films, give GL a break, could you do better? big grin

Jedi Mercenary
Haha, I have no idea what's gonna happen in this movie, so I'm really REALLY excited, no matter what Deijon says. stick out tongue

Lord Skye
A-ha! so this is where you've been lurking, Dejio!

Well this thread has been quiet since opening night.... maybe you successfully shut everyone up?

You realize because of your private spoiler I almost refused to watch the movie on opening night... I was too depressed to even reserve a ticket for the Digital Screen. I ended up watching in a regular moviehouse with digital everything except these new expensive screens.

I am happy to say I am not as disappointed as I should be. I know the movie reeks in many areas, but overall, I will accept it because it is Star Wars. I am too much of a fan to criticize the terrible acting, overwhelming inconsistencies, and excessive facial expression of Yoda.

I have seen and heard all the criticisms, and they are mostly true. But Star Wars is still Star Wars. It's not Lord of the Rings, and not Spiderman. I have to admit, when hard pressed to pick the better movie, I'd reluctantly say LotR, because both were supposed to be the king of their respective genres but GL made too many inconsistencies in AOTC, that I have to acknowledge LotR's superiority.

But let's look at it this way: in some ways episode IV-VI had some cheese in it. My suggestin to GL, get a good director, don't direct it yourself. He was smart to get another director in ESB and RotJ.

However I have something to add to the growing list of inconsistencies: in AOTC we see C3PO living in Tatooine, a droid of the mom and stepfather of Anakin. We also meet Anakin's stepbrother and his girlfriend (soon to be the guardians of Luke Skywalker). So why did C3PO and R2D2 not recognize Tatooine when the were there in Episode IV? And why didn't they recognize the house of Luke, which is the exact same house we saw in AOTC? (notice the control panels inside, it's exactly the same!)

And, if Obi-Wan was trying to hide Luke from Vader, why put him in Tatooine, in the very home where Anakin's mom lived in? Was Vader daft to not go looking for Luke from his stepbrother?

Another thing people didn't point out yet: the fact that R2D2 can FLY in AOTC. I was so shocked. Why can he fly in AotC and not have those same jetpacks in IV-VI? Remember, R2D2 had to go on tiptoe just to peer inside Yoda's Hut (in the Dagobah System).

But hey, I still love the movie. Otherwise, what else is there to look forward to? I believe in GL when he says Episode III will be the darkest, and greatest of them all.

Well Dejio, as usual it's always great to hear your insights on things. Always fresh and sharp. I miss those endless debates on topics like these. I'll see you in December when I visit you from 7300 miles away! (or next time, YOU visit here in LA...)

Ushgarak
Everyone stopped posting here because they opened up review threads of their own.

Except for D2 flying, which IS odd, all those other inconsistencies are very old news that might well be explained.

King Jedi
Only one of my friends didn't like AOTC but he hates anything Star Wars anyway. His favourite movie is American Pie. roll eyes (sarcastic)

Everyone I know who's seen it, loved it. Including me. If you watch it on a computer screen then it's never going to be as good.

master harmax
My best friend ( whosea really cool guitar player ) is in Hong Kong this week cause he's got a gig there. I was on my way to work today evening, and he called me on my cell and asked me " Guess which movie I'm about to watch !! " heheh !!

It rocked guys !! AOTC delivered with a vengeance ...
smile

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