AOTC film prints were of notoriously poor quality. As it was also originally digitally projected, using a 35mm print as the definitive reference to how it should look is misguided. It was meant to be digitally projected.
Actually in 2002 the majorities of the cinemas / movie theatres on the planet have projected the movie from 35mm prints. So…
So… what? It was simultaneously digitally projected, and that was marketed as the preferred version. A 35mm film print would not give a definitive answer as to how that film was meant to be seen.
However, the 35mm film prints had a different cut of the film, so if one ever becomes available, it would be great to see that alternate cut.
This “alternate” cut is the “original theatrical cut” for most of the world
Fair enough, as I said, the different cut is the primary reason a 35mm print should be preserved here.