Nerds That Geek Movie Review - 'Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones'

Written by John Edward Betancourt

I think we can all agree on one thing when it comes to the prequels in the Star Wars universe, they all have an awful reputation. From Jar Jar Binks to some dubious performances, we all have our reasons for despising something about the prequels. But The Rise of Skywalker is about to arrive in theaters, and it's a magical time, so for today's review of Episode II: Attack of the Clones, let's forget about the stuff we hate and celebrate the good about this film.

Now I'm sure someone reading this is raising an eyebrow, wondering exactly what could be good about this film and that's fair, since there's a lot of rough spots in Clones. But here's the thing, whether we like it or not, the second entry in the series is actually an important one when it comes to the Star Wars mythos. After all, it is filled with plot points that would impact the franchise for years to come and if you're thinking I'm out of my mind...well look no further than the Clone Wars.

This is after all where this grand war began and the gravity of this war and everything that would come from it is underplayed upon the first viewing of this film and that's not a bad thing. We aren't supposed to realize that every character in this film is a pawn, we’re supposed to firmly believe that the heroes aren’t being sucked into some awful trap and that the day will indeed be saved. Of course, the grand mystery surrounding Count Dooku helps add an air of skepticism, but the story is engrossing enough that it feels like a euphoric and heroic tale through and through and it isn’t until later on that one realizes that this film is in fact, a grand and sweeping tragedy.

I say that, simply because there's a sadness that settles in upon further viewings, especially when you realize just how far Palpatine's power extends and how intricate his plans truly are. It gives the love story that one can easily regard as fluffy a certain sense of doom as well since this is the last time we will ever see Anakin and Padmé as innocents since the war will change everything. It's those subtle undertones that I applaud when it comes to this film and quite frankly, they allow me to forgive the cheesier moments in this film because let's be honest...there are plenty of them, but they are balanced by the weight of everything set up in this film, and it did such a good job with the setup that all of us had plenty of hearty conversations with our friends about what the third film might hold when it comes to how Anakin turns to the Dark Side.

That alone is why I give the prequels their passing grade, because they brought out the kid and the movie fan in all of us and to top it all off, I do have to give George Lucas some serious credit for blending together multiple genres in this prequel. After all, it is filled to the brim with science fiction wonder, but it also pays homage to the serial adventure stories of the 1940's and 1950's and I know I'll be giving this one a re-watch here in the coming days as I brace myself to return to theaters once again to see what kind of adventure will be waiting for all of us in The Rise of Skywalker. ​

---