Send in the Clones

I am slowly making my way through the Star Wars prequels, and just watched Episode II: Attack of the Clones (2002) for the first time. I think I kind of enjoyed it.

Not for the story or the acting - oh no. The story is kind of incomprehensible, at least to me. Maybe it’s my fault for just letting it wash over me. But when I start trying to pay attention and figure out who this Count Dookie and Nute Rocklin and Princess Amygdala are, it just makes my head hurt. Also, we kind of suspect the Christian Haydensen and Ewan McGregor can’t act, but we know that Natalie Portman can, and yet they are equally horrible here. A tribute to Lucas’ direction, I guess.

But then you get an extended action scene, like the sky car chase, and all is forgiven. Because Lucas can direct, at least sometimes. Look at it like this: This is a riff on old-times adventure serials. And those serials had pretty terrible plots and acting. But cool stunts and action.

By setting expectations low (as low as Episode I), I managed to enjoy it. Ms. Spenser almost managed to enjoy it, but she woke up now and then, which spoiled it for her.