Why 'Attack of the Clones' is the worst 'Star Wars' movie - and one of the worst movies ever

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To its credit, it has varied settings and gives us the most vast look at the universe of all the "Star Wars" movies, but that is also in a way its downfall.

To its credit, it has varied settings and gives us the most vast look at the universe of all the "Star Wars" movies, but that is also in a way its downfall.

We get to see a lot of planets and creatures in the movie — too many to even keep focus.

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Besides actual human angel Ewan McGregor, the only other redeeming thing about this movie is the laughable sand scene.

 

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The words "senate" and "vote" are seemingly used more often than the words "Jedi," "star," or "wars," as if politics was what fans loved the most about "Star Wars."

The words "senate" and "vote" are seemingly used more often than the words "Jedi," "star," or "wars," as if politics was what fans loved the most about "Star Wars."

So this movie is great if you like to watch people sit around and talk about politics for nearly three hours. It’s like watching C-SPAN but they have funny costumes.

Like this battle Obi-Wan has with Jango Fett after he discovers the clone army. There are no stakes, but they added some darkness and some rain to heighten the drama. It didn't work.

Like this battle Obi-Wan has with Jango Fett after he discovers the clone army. There are no stakes, but they added some darkness and some rain to heighten the drama. It didn't work.
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Battle droids are useless, and will always be useless — so why are they presented as a threat?

Battle droids are useless, and will always be useless — so why are they presented as a threat?

At least Stormtroopers look kind of scary and a few of them can aim. 

Right before the Battle of Geonisys, Count Dooku tells Mace Windu that the Jedi are severely outnumbered, and in march a bunch of battle droids. If we learned anything from “The Phantom Menace,” battle droids are easy to kill and only exist in this context as an excuse to use special effects (which suck, even for 15 years ago).

Jedi touch butts.

Jedi touch butts.

One of the most exciting things about the prequels upon release, and “Attack of the Clones” in particular, was the fact that we would get to see Jedi in battle together. But turns out it’s pretty much just Jedi turning their backs toward each other, butt to butt, and blocking lasers with their lightsabers.

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Count Dooku is a pointless villain who comes out of nowhere with no explanation and has no impact on the larger story arc whatsoever. His fight with Yoda made through a 2002 computer feels more choreographed than the opening sequence of "La La Land."

Count Dooku is a pointless villain who comes out of nowhere with no explanation and has no impact on the larger story arc whatsoever. His fight with Yoda made through a 2002 computer feels more choreographed than the opening sequence of "La La Land."

Yoda's flips and tricks make it look like he's trying to win a spot in the Galaxy Olympics. 

Poor Ewan McGregor spends the majority of the movie exchanging banalities with computer-generated characters.

Poor Ewan McGregor spends the majority of the movie exchanging banalities with computer-generated characters.

When Obi-Wan discovers the clone army of Boba Fetts, he does a lot of sitting and standing with these aliens, whose inspiration was probably runway models. 

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The visual effects are even more botched than the story.

The visual effects are even more botched than the story.

The movie is essentially just a series of boring things happening. At the end a battle is happening, and then you wake up and realize it’s been over for 20 minutes. Oh, but wait, it’s not over, because the Battle of Geonosis is still happening, and it will never end.

The movie is essentially just a series of boring things happening. At the end a battle is happening, and then you wake up and realize it’s been over for 20 minutes. Oh, but wait, it’s not over, because the Battle of Geonosis is still happening, and it will never end.
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“I am haunted by the kiss that you should never have given me” is an actual sentence that Anakin says to Padmé. The progression of their relationship is a total copout.

“I am haunted by the kiss that you should never have given me” is an actual sentence that Anakin says to Padmé. The progression of their relationship is a total copout.

Padmé's character only exists to die, which will be the thing that turns Anakin into Darth Vader. A character who fears death, especially the death of those they love, is an interesting idea, but Lucas' script makes it incredibly ham-fisted and boring. The romance is supposed to be the thing that makes us care about Anakin, but it actually makes me (and everyone else) hate him.

If Ewan McGregor can sell a scene of exposition with a computer-generated deli owner, Portman should've been able to sell her love for Hayden Christensen.

If Ewan McGregor can sell a scene of exposition with a computer-generated deli owner, Portman should've been able to sell her love for Hayden Christensen.
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One of those plot lines? Anakin and Padmé's love story, which is just as forced as it is uninteresting. It's also terribly portrayed by future Oscar winner Natalie Portman.

One of those plot lines? Anakin and Padmé's love story, which is just as forced as it is uninteresting. It's also terribly portrayed by future Oscar winner Natalie Portman.

There is so much plot that it’s actually completely plotless. In having too many storylines and new characters, the point of the movie — to showcase Anakin's eventual turn to the dark side — gets completely lost.

There is so much plot that it’s actually completely plotless. In having too many storylines and new characters, the point of the movie — to showcase Anakin's eventual turn to the dark side — gets completely lost.
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While the script is dumbed down, ridden with cheesy one-liners and sentences that are not authentic for any living creature the has a mouth, it's still hard to follow.

While the script is dumbed down, ridden with cheesy one-liners and sentences that are not authentic for any living creature the has a mouth, it's still hard to follow.