WARNING: There are spoilers

Star Wars Returns for Better or Worse

Star Wars Episode II — Attack of the Clones finally got its press screening yesterday afternoon. The anticipation level was high, what with Spider-Man breaking box-office records this past weekend.

Star Wars is the franchise of franchises. People are fanatic about it. There's almost no way to live up to the expectations.

So let me tell this right away: Fans love Clones; critics are not so hot for it.

Why do fans like it so much? I think part of it is just seeing George Lucas' latest chapter in the saga up there on the screen. The die-hard cultists are just so pleased that they can live with the enormous faults: hideous dialogue, bad plotting and infomercial-grade acting.

I liked a lot of Clones, especially the second half, and I predict that the big-money climax will bring audiences back for second viewings.

WARNING: There are spoilers from here on out. AND HERE IT COMES: Yoda is the star of this Star Wars.

Ironically, Yoda is no longer even a puppet. He's digitally enhanced. But when the Gandhi of the Star Wars epic engages in a light-saber duel he literally saves Episode II from quicksand. It's remarkable, and I recommend he be nominated for best supporting actor.


AP
Natalie Portman in Attack of the Clones
One of the reasons Yoda's performance comes off as so strong and human is because the humans in Episode II often seem artificial. The worst offender is Hayden Christensen, playing the teen-aged Anakin Skywalker.

I know Christensen had his fans from Life as a House, but in Clones he is more wooden than a tree. He has no screen presence and his delivery of the dialogue — granted, it's made up of forgettable, banal lines — is deadly. Looking scared to death, Christensen makes his way through Clones as if he's on a building ledge and trying to get back inside.

Natalie Portman doesn't do much better. Acceptable in Phantom Menace as Padm

There will be people who are unhappy no matter how good the movie is. The same thing happened with The Phantom Menace. I liked that movie. But, I am not a die hard. I bet this movie will be pretty good and worth the admission price. I doubt it will have the same impact as any of the original three movies.

Damnit dude I had to overt my eyes! I almost had the movie spoiled for me! Arrgh! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Mad]" src="mad-flaming.gif" />

I'm going to go see it anyway and i'm pretty sure i'm going to absolutely love it just like I did the other 4. I was lucky enough not to be born in time to see the first 3 when they were originally released so I didn't get to experience it like the baby boomers. I guess I just can't relate to people's let downs because I was born into the generation of crappy movies.

I am definetly going to see it <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="smile.gif" /> , how couldn't someone go?