To say that some of the films within theStar Warsfranchise have been contentious would be putting it mildly. While most fans can agree thatThe Empire Strikes Backis one of the greatest films of all-time and thatThe Rise of Skywalkeris an absolute disaster, films likeReturn of the Jedi, Revenge of the Sith,Rogue One,andThe Last Jedisplit audiences down the middle: some claim they are masterpieces, while others decry them as embarrassments to the franchise.
However, few films in the saga have received as much significant blowback as 2002’sAttack of the Clones. The film was mocked upon its debut for the lack of chemistry between the two leads, the unmemorable dialogue, the lack of action, and the overuse of computer-generated imagery. It even received Razzie Award nominations for Worst Picture and Worst Director, and later won the awards for Worst Screenplay and Worst Supporting Actor for Hayden Christensen.
WhileThe Phantom Menacealsoreceived a lot of backlash, it was nonetheless a massive financial hit, and created some of the most popular sequences in the entire saga, including the Podrace and the ending lightsaber duel on Naboo that featured the memorable “Duel of the Fates” musical moment.Revenge of the Sithreceived the strongest reviews of the trilogy, with fans noting their approval of the darker tone. While theStar Warsprequels have been praised more in retrospect,Attack of the Clonescontinues to rank low on lists of the saga. It’s disappointing that there is still so much controversy surrounding the film, as its inventive qualities make it a worthy installment in the franchise.
The Romance Is Intended to Be Melodramatic
Much of the discourse surroundingAttack of the Clonesrevolves around the romance between Anakin Skywalker and Padme Amidala. The chemistry between Christensen and Natalie Portman was mocked, and lines of dialogue like the infamous “I hate sand” speech have inspired parodies. However, it’s clear from the conception of their relationship that George Lucas is intending to be melodramatic. Both characters have a good reason to be so awkward: Anakin was raised as a slave and trained in isolation by a Jedi Order that prevents him from interacting with normal people, and Padme has been subjected to the duties of a royal leader since her youth. They’re both so adjusted to formality that they haven’t learned to naturally express their feelings.
Related:Star Wars Movies, Ranked From Worst to Best
Anakin’s overblown romanticism signifies theflaws in the Jedi Order. He has no outlet to express himself, and so he’s only emulating what he’s imagined a relationship to be. It’s a teenager’s fantasy of love, but Anakin doesn’t have anyone to seek advice from. His frustration at the Jedi Order’s principals only foreshadows his descent into darkness as he increasingly turns to Chancellor Palpatine for advice. Framing this innocent love story against the rise of fascism in the Senate and the preparations for war is actually very eerie. Nonetheless, John Williams’ romantic theme “Across the Stars'' is simply one of the most gorgeous musical moments in the entire franchise.
Incredible Visuals and Technical Achievements
Each entry in theStar Warsfranchise has pushed the world of technical filmmaker forward in bold and exciting new directions. While obviously the originalA New Hopereshaped what was previously thought to be impossible on screen before,The Empire Strikes BackandReturn of the Jediincreased the scale and scope of the saga. Lucas knew that he wouldn’t start work on his prequel trilogy until he was comfortable working with CGI; following the inventive work done by his friends James Cameron onTerminator 2: Judgment Dayand Steven Spielberg onJurassic Park, Lucas made a bold decision withThe Phantom Menaceto include the first computer-generated supporting character in a live-action film with Ahmed Best’s Jar Jar Binks.
However,Attack of the Clonespushed the boundaries of the saga even further; from a stark Coruscant nightclub that felt taken out of a classic noir mystery to the grand amphitheater on Geonosis plucked from a sword and sandals epic, Lucas pulled from his interests in many different genres to create incredible action sequences. He also included the first completely CGI version of Yoda, allowing the elder Jedi Master to finally draw his lightsaber blade and face off against his former Padawan Dooku.
Related:Star Wars: Best Lightsaber Fight Scenes in the Movie Franchise, Ranked
Attack of the Cloneswas the first film in history to be shot entirely usinga process called “digital filmmaking”; digital cameras allowed the cast and crew to review their work on set, and gave the visual effects department more room to leave an impact on the sequences as they were put together. While these changes seemed like maverick moves at the time, they ended up changing the way that movies were shot forever (viaSlash Film).
Compelling Political Commentary
It’s very odd that, in recent years, theStar Warsfilms released by Disney have been accused of harboring a political agenda, as theStar Warsfranchise has never been subtle in its political influences. Lucas has often mentioned howwitnessing the Vietnam Warinspired his ideas about the original trilogy, and the prequels certainly delve even deeper into how a democratic society can fall under the control of a charismatic leader who subtly takes advantage of desperate situations to gain more power. While the seeds of Palpatine’s rise to prominence were hinted at inThe Phantom Menace,Attack of the Clonesshowed how the future Emperor was able to manipulate the public sense of fear.
By staging assassination attempts on Padme, Palpatine effectively prevents his chief critic in the Senate from having any influence on an impending vote that will determine whether the Galactic Republic will introduce a Grand Army. Padme desperately wants a peaceful solution, but Palpatine’s circle of allies feel that the only way to deal with Dooku’s Separatist Council is to create an army powerful enough to wipe them out.
Palpatine and Dooku have conceived one of the most evil plans in the history ofStar Wars; they provided two sides with armies to annihilate each other with, creating a war that will distract the attention of the Jedi Order. These distractions in turn allow Palpatine to gain political leverage and create the Galactic Empire that he has always envisioned. Considering that Lucas wrote the prequel trilogy amidst a fraught period in American history, it’s easy to see the three films as insightful analogies to the administration of President George W. Bush and America’s involvement in overseas conflicts.
