Review 22: Star Wars Episode II - Attack of the Clones
There's a scene late into Attack of the Clones where Hayden Christensen’s Anakin gets his hand caught in machine on a conveyer belt and gets dragged along. At first, I was terrified but It's an effective scene in the same way that the assembly line scene in Chaplin's Modern Times is effective at showing the dehumanisation of the factory age and capitalism on workers. In any other film, I would have grinned, but you know what? By that point, I actually cared.
Set ten years after the events of The Phantom Menace, the galaxy is on the brink of civil war.
Under the leadership of a renegade Jedi named Count Dooku (Christopher Lee) thousands of planetary systems threaten to secede from the Galactic Republic and has organized a Separatist movement against the Republic.
Senator Padme Amidala (Natalie Portman) has an assassination attempt made on her life when she returns to Coruscant to vote on the issue of creating an army for the Republic to assist the Jedi against the Separatist threat. Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen), now a Jedi apprentice, is assigned to protect her, whilst his mentor Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) is assigned to investigate the assassination attempt.
Soon, Obi-Wan, Anakin & Padme are drawn into the heart of the Separatist territories and the beginning of a new threat to the galaxy: the Clone Wars.
Episode II opens with a bang - literally with the assassination attempt on Padme being a catylist for the events of the film and putting the Republic on the brink of Civil War, George Lucas seems to be invoking the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand which often cited as the catalyst for WWI. The one and narrative are more mature than The Phantom Menace making it a showcase for some of George Lucas' most intricate and smart writing. By Episode II, the Galaxy is on the brink of War, it's the beginning of the end of democracy and the Republic. The attempt on Padme's life puts the Republic in a very precarious position because of all the unrest in the Senate which marks the beginning and end of democracy and the Republic.
In
a lot of ways, the story structure of Attack of the Clones mirrors The
Empire Strikes Back (George Lucas often describes the saga as a long
poem that rhymes) in the way that it splits up our characters. It also
deals with interesting and rich themes: continual discovery, personal
aspirations, duty and honour. Ultimately, Attack of the Clones is not nearly as effective or impactful as The Empire Strikes Back. That film ended with one of the most shocking revelations in cinema history. Nothing on that level happens in Attack of the Clones.
Much like The Empire Strikes Back, Attack of the Clones is more character driven than plot driven.
It focuses more on the characters emotional arcs of Anakin & Padme in general and individual personalities and the constraints and obstacles surrounding their romance.
Attack of the Clones, like The Empire Strikes Back, also splits our main trio apart and puts them into new and unusual situations, situations they probably didn't expect to find themselves in.
Both Obi Wan and Anakin & Padme's narratives become separate entities and tonally distinct but at the same time are narratively and thematically linked to enhance and compliment each other.
And much like The Empire Strikes Back, the way these two storylines compliment each other is not through their similarities but through their differences: Anakin & Padme are hiding out in the Lake Country on Naboo where she will, hopefully, be safe while Obi Wan goes on mystery ride as he tries to find the culprits behind her assassination attempt.
These two storylines have completely separate tones and the film uses this to heighten the emotions of both these storylines. Obi Wan moves across the Galaxy following a bread crumb trail of clues that leads him hot on the tail of Padme's assassin whilst Anakin & Padme remain in one place initially and are forced to confront their feelings for each other.
The contrast between the two storylines is also prevalent throughout the film, it will take us from these rousing and exciting moments of chase involving Obi Wan and then plug us back on Naboo with Anakin & Padme.
Significantly Anakin & Padme's storyline focuses on the romance between them. Their love story is a very classic, Old Hollywood love story of Forbidden Love about two people who fall in love with each other when they actually can't not to dissimilar for Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet. In this case they're separated by rank and class, as Padme pointed out "you're starting to become a Jedi and I'm a senator."
Their relationship goes from her looking down on him to him proving to her and himself as a real force.
Duty: Both of them are sworn to different causes: Anakin's pledged to the Jedi Order to protect the innocent and the weak and uphold peace and justice while Padme in her role as a Senator is pledged to uphold democracy and serve the peeople. They're both required to work and uphold their duties over their own desired and happiness.
A frequently brought influence for their love story is Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet but shades of David Lean's Doctor Zhivago. Both are love stories set during a time of burgening Civil War: Attack of the Clones showcases the events leading up to what will become the Clone Wars while Doctor Zhivago depicts the events leading up to the Russian Revolution. Anakin and Padme's romance is forbidden by social expectations of class: Anakin's duties as a Jedi forbids him from love and Padme's duties as a Senator demand her to make mature decisions and
Personal Aspirations: Both Anakin and Padme aspire to great things in their professional careers as a Jedi and a Senator respectively and both are torn because they know that
Because of their sheltered lives and in the formers case, lack of emotional maturity, Anakin and Padme speak in unbelievably melodramatic fashion. Everything is so straightforward and blunt; it’s very expository. If those two are talking beside a fire, there’s no room for subtext, you’ll know exactly what the other person is saying and it won’t be complicated, but, much like the previous Star Wars films, the dialogue is not important, it feels almost reductive, the film is meant to function without it.
Anakin
has grown up a slave and has been exposed to a socialy deprived
environment, having worked long hours with little time to develop his
social skills. Having been transferd from the socialy
deprived desert environment of Tatoonie to a socially deprived life as a Jedi-in-training on Corscant. His Jedi studies commited most of his time and as a Padawan rarely interacted with others outside the order. Because the Jedi forbid attachments, this means that Anakin doesn't know how to express his feeling to Padme.
Lucas has noted that Palpatine's rise to power is very similar to that of Adolf Hitler in Nazi Germany; as Chancellor of Germany, the latter was granted "emergency powers", as is Palpatine in light of the threat posed by the Seperatists droid army, and like Hitler, he gets these powers thanks to manufacturing a conflict for his own ends.
Comparisons have been made to Octavian – who became Augustus, the first emperor of Rome – and to Napoleon Bonaparte, who rose to power in France from 1796 to 1799. Octavian was responsible for the deaths of hundreds of political opponents well before he was granted tribunician powers; Bonaparte was appointed First Consul for life (and later Emperor) by the French Consulate after a failed attempt on his life and the subsequent coup of 18 Brumaire in 1799.
Some have drawn parallels to the American Civil War, likening the Separatists to the Confederate States of America; the official name of the Separatist group is the "Confederacy of Independent Systems". The name of the government Army, the "Grand Army of the Republic", is the same in both Star Wars and the American Civil War, and both Palpatine and President Abraham Lincoln took extensive war powers and suspended many civil rights.
War journalism, combat films, and footage of World War II combat also serve as an influence for the documentary-style camera work of the climatic Battle of Geonosis, even to the point that hand-held shakes were digitally added to computer-generated sequences.
deprived desert environment of Tatoonie to a socially deprived life as a Jedi-in-training on Corscant. His Jedi studies commited most of his time and as a Padawan rarely interacted with others outside the order. Because the Jedi forbid attachments, this means that Anakin doesn't know how to express his feeling to Padme.
Lucas has noted that Palpatine's rise to power is very similar to that of Adolf Hitler in Nazi Germany; as Chancellor of Germany, the latter was granted "emergency powers", as is Palpatine in light of the threat posed by the Seperatists droid army, and like Hitler, he gets these powers thanks to manufacturing a conflict for his own ends.
Comparisons have been made to Octavian – who became Augustus, the first emperor of Rome – and to Napoleon Bonaparte, who rose to power in France from 1796 to 1799. Octavian was responsible for the deaths of hundreds of political opponents well before he was granted tribunician powers; Bonaparte was appointed First Consul for life (and later Emperor) by the French Consulate after a failed attempt on his life and the subsequent coup of 18 Brumaire in 1799.
Some have drawn parallels to the American Civil War, likening the Separatists to the Confederate States of America; the official name of the Separatist group is the "Confederacy of Independent Systems". The name of the government Army, the "Grand Army of the Republic", is the same in both Star Wars and the American Civil War, and both Palpatine and President Abraham Lincoln took extensive war powers and suspended many civil rights.
War journalism, combat films, and footage of World War II combat also serve as an influence for the documentary-style camera work of the climatic Battle of Geonosis, even to the point that hand-held shakes were digitally added to computer-generated sequences.
Another interesting subtext in Attack of the Clones is its focus on the Clone Army that Obi Wan discovers the Kaminoans are creating. Using Bounty Hunter, Jango Fett (Temuera Morrison) as a template, they have built an army that is totally obedient, taking any order whatsoever without question. Just say the word and they're there. They can also think creatively making them vastly superior to the droids of the Trade Federation/Separatists.
The fact that they are solely bread and genetically engineered to fight and die for a war in which they have no stake and no choice as to whether they want to fight and don't have any life outside of being a soldier raises some very ethicals issues because they're practically expendable.
The Jedi initially don't want to use them as the order was made without their authorisation but against the threat of the Separatists Movement, it comes to them having no choice.
One problem with Attack of the Clones did suffer from was uneven pacing. George Lucas has so many ideas for this film and only a handful of them are given the food for thought that they require making the film feel jumbled and could’ve benefited from tighter scripting or simply not trying to do so much at once. With a runtime of 142 minutes and with so much time being dedicated to Ani and Padme’s budding romance, Obi-Wan’s investigation into Jango Fett and the Clones and the film does drag in spots and become a bit tedious and could have benefited from slowing down a bit or being streamlined.
George Lucas' direction is splendid, the cinematography is gorgeous (it was one of the first motion pictures to be shot completely on a high definition digital 24-frame system) and captures the beauty of Naboo, Kamino, Tatooine, Geonosis and Coruscant. The special effects are dazzling and way improve on the first film, the creature design is fabulous, the production design is beautiful, as well as the familiar cityscapes of Naboo and Coruscant, we're treated to stormy seascaps and cloning facilities of Kamino and the red rocks of Geonosis, their towers that look like termite buildings and the droid factorys that It's fitting that the Clone Army (an organic species) should come from planet full of the stuff where life begins. With flying saucer shaped buildings complete with derricks that can withstand the forces of storms and waves.
The
costumes are elegant, the scenery is breathtaking, the locations are
staggering, the Lake Country that Anakin and Padme visit on Naboo bares
an striking and unsubtle resemblance to a Garden of Edan. The make up is
rich, the score by John Williams is catchy and the ending was superb.
The acting is great particularly from Ewan McGregor, Hayden Christensen and Natalie Portman who play their roles effortlessly and work extremely well off of each other.
Ewan McGregor continues to impress as Obi Wan Kenobi. Being Anakin's mentor for the past 10 years, he's grown from being a Padawan learner to being a Jedi Master, specifically for Anakin.
He's been training him heavily. They're like two old friends who've been together and long time and have spent too much time together.
He's clearly very proud of the progress that he's made as a Padawan but realises that his skills have made arrogant, headstong and overconfident. So he feels a lot of responsibility for him. If there is a problem, the failure is with him and he's constantly telling the Jedi Order that he's not ready to take on an assignment just yet as a result.
Natalie Portman is fabulous as Padme Amidala. In the 10 years since liberating Naboo from the Trade Federation, her term as Queen ended and now she's a senator, so she's still very much in the political scene.
Padme is the mature and rational one, she's not letting her emotions get the best of her. Padme initially just thought of Anakin as a little boy and now she has to adjust to the fact that he's now an adult. But Anakin, because of his playful nature, allows her to be less serious about herself, laugh a little, wind down and smell the roses. Padme is attracted to Anakin mainly for his looks but because of his bad boy attitude. As the film goes on and as she and Anakin grow closer together, she struggles with the classic career vs romance dilemma so it becomes a real struggle for her: Can she be selfish and fall in love when, at the same time, she has all of these aspirations and things that she wants to accomplish?
Hayden Christensen rocks as Anakin Skywalker, he's the kind of character I want to hang out with, go out and have a drink with. In a lot of ways, Christensen's Anakin seems inspired by James Dean from Rebel Without a Cause (another film about emotionally confused suburban, middle class teenagers).
In the ten years since coming under Obi-Wan's wing, he's grown into an attentive, hard-working, passionate, enthusiastic but ambitious and arrogant Padawan learner. He loves Obi-Wan and sees him as the father that he never had but at the same time there's still that resistance because Anakin doesn't want to break free of what he's doing right now.
He's also been in love with Padme ever since he met her as a little boy on Tatooine and he practically worshiped her as someone who has never seen or spoken to a girl in his life and now 10 years later they're reunited.
He's attracted not by the power she holds a Senator but the power and strength that she holds within herself. Throughout the film, love acts as a corrupting influence on Anakin, wether it's him disobeying the Jedi Council's orders to find his mother or how he believes that his and Padme's love could be kept a secret. Whilst he may have physical maturity for his age, he lacks the emotional and social maturity.
Ian McDiarmid is simply superb as Chancellor Palpatine. In the 10 years since the Trade Federation occupation of Naboo, he's settled into role as Chancellor of the Galactic Senate outwardly having to deal with all of these renegade senators who are leaving the Republic to join the Separatists.
This gives the opportunity he’s been looking for to amass more emergency powers which he then uses to send the clone army off to war with the Separatists.
It's fantastic to see Samuel L. Jackson get a considerable upgrade from the previous film as Mace Windu. Mace is quite cynical in his view of galactic affairs compared to many of the other Jedi in the order and has little tolerance for the failings of the Senate, the arguments of politicians, or the opinions of rebellious Jedi. He's a pragmatist and is determined to protect the traditions and independence of the Jedi Order.
So when an attempt is made on Padme's life, that coupled with his hubris make him sceptical and doubt as to wether Count Dooku could be behind it. and gets to show that he's one of the toughest badass motherf***ing Jedi in the galaxy.
Christopher Lee, in an obvious tribute to his iconic performance as Dracula, is brilliant as Count Dooku, the latest Sith Lord to grace the Star Wars Saga. Once a former Jedi Master who trained under Yoda, Dooku is an idealist who became disillusioned with the Jedi Order and the Galactic Senete, believing the Republic to be corrupt, and that its politicians are more interested in maintaining the bureaucracy and enriching themselves than in helping poor, oppressed systems. Even though he's clearly turnHow often is it that you meet a Sith who comes across as such a friendly person?
Calm, collected, unfazed, professional, polite and always having very good manners, Count Dooku is most certainly a formidable opponent. Ultimately, his character forshadows and parrallels that of Anakin, starting off as a Jedi, becoming disillusioned with their ways and leaving the them to join the Sith.
Temuera Morrison is a terrific addition to the Saga playing Jango Fett. Jango is one of the most dangerous men in the galaxy. He’s shown to be single-minded in pursuit of his quarry, cleverly attempting to complete his assigned mission without remorse or apology. He sees Bounty Hunting as a means to an end to survive and he doesn't pretend to be anything more than that. As he put it, he's just "a simple man trying to make his way in the universe."
His calm, effective demeanor coupled with Morrison's charisma make for intriguing opponent for Kenobi.
Frank Oz is fantastic again as Yoda,
Additionally, Anthony Daniels, Jimmy Smits, Leeanna Walsman, Silas Carson, Oliver Ford Davis, Pernilla August, Silas Carson, Amy Allen, Orli Shoshan, Jimmy Smits, Rose Byrne, Joel Edgerton and Bonnie Piesse round out the cast with effective and decorative performances.
Attack of the Clones may be the weakest film in the saga but is still entertaining and action packed nonetheless, 4/5.
The Anonymous Critic
The acting is great particularly from Ewan McGregor, Hayden Christensen and Natalie Portman who play their roles effortlessly and work extremely well off of each other.
Ewan McGregor continues to impress as Obi Wan Kenobi. Being Anakin's mentor for the past 10 years, he's grown from being a Padawan learner to being a Jedi Master, specifically for Anakin.
He's been training him heavily. They're like two old friends who've been together and long time and have spent too much time together.
He's clearly very proud of the progress that he's made as a Padawan but realises that his skills have made arrogant, headstong and overconfident. So he feels a lot of responsibility for him. If there is a problem, the failure is with him and he's constantly telling the Jedi Order that he's not ready to take on an assignment just yet as a result.
Natalie Portman is fabulous as Padme Amidala. In the 10 years since liberating Naboo from the Trade Federation, her term as Queen ended and now she's a senator, so she's still very much in the political scene.
Padme is the mature and rational one, she's not letting her emotions get the best of her. Padme initially just thought of Anakin as a little boy and now she has to adjust to the fact that he's now an adult. But Anakin, because of his playful nature, allows her to be less serious about herself, laugh a little, wind down and smell the roses. Padme is attracted to Anakin mainly for his looks but because of his bad boy attitude. As the film goes on and as she and Anakin grow closer together, she struggles with the classic career vs romance dilemma so it becomes a real struggle for her: Can she be selfish and fall in love when, at the same time, she has all of these aspirations and things that she wants to accomplish?
Hayden Christensen rocks as Anakin Skywalker, he's the kind of character I want to hang out with, go out and have a drink with. In a lot of ways, Christensen's Anakin seems inspired by James Dean from Rebel Without a Cause (another film about emotionally confused suburban, middle class teenagers).
In the ten years since coming under Obi-Wan's wing, he's grown into an attentive, hard-working, passionate, enthusiastic but ambitious and arrogant Padawan learner. He loves Obi-Wan and sees him as the father that he never had but at the same time there's still that resistance because Anakin doesn't want to break free of what he's doing right now.
He's also been in love with Padme ever since he met her as a little boy on Tatooine and he practically worshiped her as someone who has never seen or spoken to a girl in his life and now 10 years later they're reunited.
He's attracted not by the power she holds a Senator but the power and strength that she holds within herself. Throughout the film, love acts as a corrupting influence on Anakin, wether it's him disobeying the Jedi Council's orders to find his mother or how he believes that his and Padme's love could be kept a secret. Whilst he may have physical maturity for his age, he lacks the emotional and social maturity.
Ian McDiarmid is simply superb as Chancellor Palpatine. In the 10 years since the Trade Federation occupation of Naboo, he's settled into role as Chancellor of the Galactic Senate outwardly having to deal with all of these renegade senators who are leaving the Republic to join the Separatists.
This gives the opportunity he’s been looking for to amass more emergency powers which he then uses to send the clone army off to war with the Separatists.
It's fantastic to see Samuel L. Jackson get a considerable upgrade from the previous film as Mace Windu. Mace is quite cynical in his view of galactic affairs compared to many of the other Jedi in the order and has little tolerance for the failings of the Senate, the arguments of politicians, or the opinions of rebellious Jedi. He's a pragmatist and is determined to protect the traditions and independence of the Jedi Order.
So when an attempt is made on Padme's life, that coupled with his hubris make him sceptical and doubt as to wether Count Dooku could be behind it. and gets to show that he's one of the toughest badass motherf***ing Jedi in the galaxy.
Christopher Lee, in an obvious tribute to his iconic performance as Dracula, is brilliant as Count Dooku, the latest Sith Lord to grace the Star Wars Saga. Once a former Jedi Master who trained under Yoda, Dooku is an idealist who became disillusioned with the Jedi Order and the Galactic Senete, believing the Republic to be corrupt, and that its politicians are more interested in maintaining the bureaucracy and enriching themselves than in helping poor, oppressed systems. Even though he's clearly turnHow often is it that you meet a Sith who comes across as such a friendly person?
Calm, collected, unfazed, professional, polite and always having very good manners, Count Dooku is most certainly a formidable opponent. Ultimately, his character forshadows and parrallels that of Anakin, starting off as a Jedi, becoming disillusioned with their ways and leaving the them to join the Sith.
Temuera Morrison is a terrific addition to the Saga playing Jango Fett. Jango is one of the most dangerous men in the galaxy. He’s shown to be single-minded in pursuit of his quarry, cleverly attempting to complete his assigned mission without remorse or apology. He sees Bounty Hunting as a means to an end to survive and he doesn't pretend to be anything more than that. As he put it, he's just "a simple man trying to make his way in the universe."
His calm, effective demeanor coupled with Morrison's charisma make for intriguing opponent for Kenobi.
Frank Oz is fantastic again as Yoda,
Additionally, Anthony Daniels, Jimmy Smits, Leeanna Walsman, Silas Carson, Oliver Ford Davis, Pernilla August, Silas Carson, Amy Allen, Orli Shoshan, Jimmy Smits, Rose Byrne, Joel Edgerton and Bonnie Piesse round out the cast with effective and decorative performances.
Attack of the Clones may be the weakest film in the saga but is still entertaining and action packed nonetheless, 4/5.
The Anonymous Critic
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