You know I don't mind the prequels--i like ROTS for the most part and I think TPM, while dumb as a Star Wars episode, is a delightfully unique and sincere children's fantasy film. But AOTC just sucks on every level. It has some of the worst dialog, characters and acting in any summer blockbuster I have ever seen, even worse than Wing Commander. The script to the film really is embarrassing, and I am always just completely floored that Lucas deemed it acceptable for filming. The special effects and photography are really poor as well, as you noticed--the HD prototype camera simply wasn't ready for prime time and ILM was pushed way past their limits, the combined effect of which is an artificial look and feel to the whole movie which is already imbellished by the phoned-in performances of Portman and Christenson. The last 30 minutes are pretty fun however--though they are just mindless action and FX--and thankfully the whole Tatooine subplot is interesting. Personally I find the entire first half unwatchable--once the romance plot is left behind and we get to Tatooine there is at least some form of drama and interest but its average at best and still too frequently awkward. The plot also goes nowhere--its a mystery film without a conclusion. Everything about this film is just a train wreck--it looks like it was edited by a twelve year old who pirated a copy of Final Cut Pro, John Williams score recycles older music for haf the film, and the characters look like they are enjoying the film as much as audiences. Ugh. Every aspect of the film just has something fundamentally flawed with it; I'm not that picky a guy, but this film couldn't even match the standards of Godzilla or Terminator 3, both of which i enjoy as superficial summer flicks but unfortunately the prequels are supposed to be (and try to be) something more. Where the film does succeed is its intricate spiderweb of plots and themes that college fanboys uphold as proof of the underrated mastery of the film--but unfortnately any success is had at the expense of the foundation of the storytelling, namely character, plot and drama. Everything just seems dull and boring, and even the behind the scenes stuff makes me think that Lucas himself was bored by the material, and didn't know what to do with the second episode.

But Christopher Lee is pretty cool in the film. I wish i could say more but the more time goes on, and the more the superficial thrill of having a new Star Wars movie with cool special effects wears off, the more it becomes obvious that the film is a failure of magnificent proportions. Like I said, I don't mind the prequels, and TPM and ROTS don't share the fundamental weakness of AOTC (or I should say that they don't to such a severe degree) but Attack of the Clones really is a piece of shit. In my opinion.

The DVD is pretty good, not nearly as good as the TPM one but a tad better than the ROTS one.