Star Wars Episode II: Attack Of The Clones DVD Review
Posted by Ian Challis on 11.14.2002
Is the force with this all new Episode II DVD? Check out our full review...
Star Wars Episode II: Attack of The Clones DVD
Release Date: November 12th, 2002.
After the debacle that was The Phantom Menace, it was never going to be critic proof; and yet, opening to lukewarm reviews and somewhat diminished hype, Episode II managed to reap massive box-office rewards and kudos from the fans that mattered. Now, with all the bluster of it’s theatrical release gone and the passage of time necessary for retrospect, we have this jam-packed DVD to remind us of why...
The Film
Opening some ten years after Episode I concluded, AOTC finds the former Naboo Queen, Padme Amidala (Natalie Portman), now working as a senator of the Grand Republic. As is the norm with Lucas’ universe, all is not well: A sizeable group of separatists is causing waves in the once-peaceful galaxy, and as the voice of peace Padme finds herself targeted by assassins. Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) and his now-adult apprentice Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) are sent by the Jedi Counsel to protect her, but the seemingly straightforward bodyguard assignment soon becomes amazingly complex, as Anakin’s headstrong approach and feelings for Padme exasperate his mentor. In the midst of this, another attempt is made on the senator’s life, and the two Jedis are divided; Anakin returns with Padme to her home planet as her head of security, whilst the more experienced Obi-Wan sets off on the trail of the murder attempts. As Padme and Anakin grow closer and fall in love, Obi-Wan uncovers a terrifying plot that threatens to tear apart the Republic and ignite all-out war...
If you’re expecting a critical masterpiece, then you obviously aren’t a follower of the Star Wars saga. All of Lucas’ downfalls are here, from the grating dialogue to the clumsy handling of character development. To that list you can add another unwelcome quirk: His obsession with digital effects ("It’s everywhere," Christensen ominously remarks on one of the extra featurettes). Ol’ Georgie doesn’t seem to realise that advanced technology can be your enemy, supplanting the grubby charm of the original trilogy with totally synthetic, non-existent sets. Thankfully he is a perfectionist; the CGI is totally seamless and, at times, amazing to view. The computer-generated Yoda is a welcome addition as well, and with the aid of Frank Oz’s superb voice skills the Jedi Master ends up shaming the REAL performers. Indeed, the only flesh-and-blood actors worth mentioning here are McGregor-who perfectly channels a young Alec Guinness-and old hand Christopher Lee, portraying sinister separatist Count Dooku without even breaking a sweat.
The plot, such as it is, is a major improvement over Menace, ditching the talk-heavy politicking for mystical discussions about the Dark Side and some fantastic set-pieces. That said, the flabby mid-section is a major downside, and the sappy Anakin/Padme relationship is broadly-painted nonsense that leaves you longing for the simplicity of the Han/Leia courtship. And be prepared to hate the word "Padewan" by the film’s conclusion; practically every character works it in there at some point. God bless Lucas, then, for totally cutting loose in the final act, stringing together show-stopper after show-stopper. The droid factory sequence is a fine piece of energetic cinema that, in a lesser film, would be the high point, but Lucas seems determined to outdo himself, coming over all Harryhausen for the awesome Geonosis Arena battle. And the cherry on the cake? This year’s Great Moment Of Cinema: The leap-up-and-cheer sight of a 842 year-old Yoda kicking ass and taking names, showing Count Dooku just why he is the finest lightsaber-wielding Jedi in the galaxy. And if that doesn’t bring a smile to your face, then you have no business watching a Star Wars movie.
Video Quality
Well whaddaya know, this digital business may be worth something after all. The print here is absolutely perfect, crystal clear and even better than celluloid. Go on, try and find a flaw. I DARE you.
Audio Quality
The usual package of Dolby 5.1 and 2.0 Surround, meaning you totally get your money’s worth. With a film of this nature, it’s the only way to watch.
Special Features
Where to begin? Mirroring the Episode I release, Lucasfilm has pulled out all the stops to give the fans a great selection. The commentary track overflows with participants; Lucas, producer Rick McCallum, editor Ben Burtt, animation director Rob Coleman and visuals supervisors Pablo Helman, Jon Knoll and Ben Snow all jockey for airtime. The end is result is muddled but enjoyable, with plenty of creative and technical anecdotes, "blink-and-you’ll-miss-‘em" moments, and Lucas’ somewhat surprising revelation that he "hates exposition". Another two full-length docs shed even more light on production: "From Puppets To Pixels" is an engaging warts-and-all look at the digital effects process, whilst "State Of The Art" tackles the issue of previsualising the complex sets and sequences. The latter does, rather unfortunately, descend into Lucas ass-kissing, but not before supplying massive quantities of info. What’s that? Don’t fancy digesting major chunks of tech-speak at a time? Easily remedied: the twelve-part web documentaries cover everything from starfighter design to the origins of Jango Fett, and all in bite-size five-minute chunks. The eight deleted scenes are all good value, including an extended Anakin/Padme discussion that actually tops anything they show in the film, and there are some good yuks to be had as Coppola, Spielberg and Dreyfuss deadpan through the spoof R2D2 docu-trailer. Even the fluff is worthwhile: The obligatory trailers and stills-galleries are the most comprehensive I have ever seen, and a visual effects montage is a fascinating look at the layered approach to ILM’s digital techniques. Of course, with such a vast array of extra material, there is bound to be some sense of repetition: three promos expounding on the plot, love story and action sequences of the film feel superfluous, and pale in comparison to the earlier features. But when the only thing you have to complain about is an overabundance of detailed material, you really should count yourself lucky. Simply put, one of the best batch of extras ever committed to DVD.
Film: 7.0
Video Quality: 10.0
Audio Quality: 8.0
Special Features: 10.0
The 411: A decent movie is given the deluxe treatment, coming off all the better for it. Attack Of The Clones may not be a patch on any of the original trilogy, but with a set-up this promising, Episode III may just be the greatest out of the bunch. Buy this DVD NOW.
