Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002)

There is an assassination attempt on Padmé, and Anakin is assigned to protect her. Meanwhile, Obi-Wan tries to get to its authors.

In terms of the tone employed, the first film in this trilogy was a comedy, whereas this second one approaches tragedy. Both films are mediocre, but even so seem to have been misunderstood by many, perhaps by most. I will try to explain things, but cannot do much about it, for reasons that are too complex to mention here. The Star Wars films are labeled by some as 'mere entertainment' or 'escapism', chiefly because of their postmodern aesthetics. And yet they deal with some of the gravest issues of our times, concerning geopolitics and things like that. It is not within my powers to discern what goes on inside the minds of film creators (or of anybody else, for that matter), but, consciously or unconsciously, Lucas has employed escapism aesthetics around the deep ideas he conveys in his films in such a way that nobody (or nobody that is said to matter, anyway) has managed to make sense of them. The fact is, many concepts with which the films toy are fast becoming taboo in civilized discussion. There is a tension in the writing that is only too revealing. For example, a character which, in the first film, was defined as a queen is, in this one, referred to as 'the youngest queen to be elected', and becomes a senator after her majestic term is over. How can anyone not find this ridiculous? There is ludicrousness of a more elementary order too, as when a decrepit leader reveals himself as an expert swordsman and, after the battle is over, all too casually  fetches back his walking cane. Some guardians of the hegemonic order seem to have detected something wrong -- one David Walsh at a 'socialist' site, although too obtuse to fully penetrate the films' logic, or lack thereof, in his review of The Phantom Menace rabidly shoots in all directions just in case (among other things, he is alarmed about Anglo-Saxons in the leading roles). Anyway, I will not delve any deeper into these matters. For a superficial understanding of the two first episodes I recommend the reading of the IMDB FAQs, and a thread in that site's discussion board in which users earnestly explain why the plot does not make sense. Well, it probably doesn't -- unless hidden variables are considered, that is. I expect to be back soon with my review of the third one, and an assessment of the trilogy.

Rating: 50