Review - Star Wars Episode II: Attack Of The Clones

"Star Wars Episode II: Attack Of The Clones" is the second part of a six-part movie saga, as well as the middle of the second trilogy. In the beginning, we are reunited with Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi and his padawan (apprentice) Anakin Skywalker. They have been assigned to Senator Padme Amidala, who has just had an attempt on her life. Anakin is given the task of guarding her, while Obi-Wan tries to find out who was behind the attempt. While Padme and Anakin must try to keep their feelings for one another from emerging...Obi-Wan discovers a far more sinister plot than he originally feared. It appears that a former (now deceased) Jedi Knight ordered the creation of a clone army...but for what purpose? And in the meantime, Sith Lord Darth Sidious continues his attempt to corrupt Anakin to the Dark Side of the Force.
What makes this movie truly stand out are a couple of things. First, we begin to witness Anakin's descent to the Dark Side...and the factors that drove him to it. We also learn several things that have significant meaning in the second trilogy (where the "stormtroopers" came from, the original construction of the Death Star, etc.). But quite possibly the highest point of this movie came during the battle on Geonosis...especially the lightsaber battle between Count Dooku and Yoda.
This movie is not without its weak points. There are times in this course of the movie where you wonder how Backstreet Boy wanna-be Anakin is supposed to become the most powerful Jedi of all. And if the Jedi are supposed to be all-knowing...how did they miss the relationship between Padme and Anakin? Especially since the Jedi Order has had him under a microscope since he first appeared!
As was the case with the first trilogy, the second movie is once again the strongest of the three. It is probably just a coincedence that there is much less of the most annoying character ever in the Star Wars series (Jar-Jar Binks) in this movie. Ironically, we come to learn that basically Jar-Jar is responsible for the Empire coming to be!
In the overall standings of the six Star Wars movies, this would probably come in third (behind "Empire Strikes Back" and "Star Wars"). For a great science-fiction/fantasy epic, "Attack Of The Clones" is an excellent movie.
Starring - Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, Ian McDiarmid, Christopher Lee, Samuel L. Jackson, and Hayden Christiansen. Directed by George Lucas.
Time - 2 hours, 22 minutes. Rated - PG (Science-fiction violence)