from the Light Side of the Dept

OK, so on Saturday, I finally went and saw Star Wars Episode II - Attack of the Clones.

You can check the story out, using the link above.

I went with a friend, who at the end of it, said he didn't think much of the acting. I suggested that this was not the fault of the actors, but perhaps they could only do so much with the script they were given.

To be honest, I was annoyed at his expecting the movie to be the next Waiting For Godot. It's science-fiction for God's sake! It's not there to be studied like fucking Shakespear, it's just there to be enjoyed, as a visual spectacle with a story. Perhaps I should have gone with one of my more geeky friends.

As for the film, I enjoyed it. It was much much much better than Episode I. It looks like George Lucas has got over showing off what ILM can do, and got on with using their facilities to add to the story.

It's set 10 years after Episode I, and young Anakin has grown up to look like white trash in a robe. I think it's the single long thin hair braid, combined with the short spiky hair on top, that does it. He's still in the shadow of Obi Wan Kenobe (played by the excellent Ewan McGregor, doing a very good 'young Alec Guinness').

Amidala (Natalie Portman) is now just a Senator, having served her 'two terms as Queen' (which is odd, but what the heck, this is another galaxy, far, far, away). She now no longer wears the almost geisha girl like make-up, and looks lovelier and lovelier throughout the movie. That said, she doesn't really get to act much. Carrie Fisher had far more to do, and far more chance to put in a performance of actual acting, than they let Natalie do - which is a shame, as the girl can act, if only they'd let her.

The CG (computer graphics) in the movie is refined over that in Episode I, and used to much better effect. Best of all, the much hated (and frankly racist stereotype) Jar-Jar Binks is a very minor player. His 'personality' - which was regarded as mocking Jamaicans - together with those of the scheming trade federation characters - which was regarded as mocking Japanese businessmen - was much toned down. I guess they paid attention to the criticisms, but couldn't remove the characters completely.

At the end of the day, it's another jolly romp in a galaxy far far away. There's a bunch of shiny spacecraft, and hover-bikes and so on, for those of us who like that sort of thing, and a good measure of weird creatures, one of whom runs a 1950's American-style diner (go figure).

Anakin shows more and more signs of being someone who'd turn to the dark side, if the money was right. Samuel L Jackson plays the first black Jedi we've seen (unless you count Darth Vader as "the blackest brother in the universe"). I think we'll see a lot more of his character in the next installment. Perhaps he was added in an attempt to counter the allegations of racism for Episode I? Perhaps that's why Episode II also has Jimmy Smits as the first latino Jedi?

Or is that just my cynicism shining through from the dark side?