News From the Future Movie Reviews:
Star Wars Episode Two: The Clone Wars
(May, 2001) After Star Wars Episode One finished with a disappointing $1.2 Billion dollar box office, the pressure was really on George Lucas. Could he save the prequel trilogy with Episode Two?
Artistically, the answer is a resounding yes. Episode Two is one of the best of the entire series. The action is intense, and the drama is gripping. It works on every level, and I wouldn't be surprised if this film makes $2 Billion dollars.
Episode Two picks up 10 years after the end of Episode One. Obi-Wan is trying to teach Anakin Skywalker, now played by Jeff Hamill, the ways of the force. But as you can see in this scene, poor Anakin is slipping further towards the dark side of The Force.
Obi-Wan turns on a battle droid, then picks up a blast helmet. Anakin turns on his light saber while Yoda watches in the background.
Obi-Wan: Anakin, I want you to block the laser beams from this battle droid, just like last time. But now I want you to wear this blast helmet.
Anakin: But I won't be able to see a thing!
Obi-Wan: Just trust your feelings Anakin. Puts the blast helmet on Anakin. Trust your feelings.
Obi-Wan gets out of the way. The droid moves closer as Anakin blindly waves his light saber. Perhaps he is fearful. The droid shoots Anakin in the foot.
Anakin: Why you!
Anakin swings at the droid as if possessed. He blocks the next shot, then proceeds to slice the droid to pieces. When the droid is completely destroyed, Anakin takes off the blast helmet.
Anakin: Yoda was right! My fear turned to anger. My anger turned to hate. My hate turned into this droid's suffering! If you don't mind, I'm going to visit old Pappy now.
Anakin runs off. Yoda turns to Obi-Wan and shakes his head.
Yoda: Poorly the training goes.
Obi-Wan: Trust me.
Of course, we know better. Hamill does an excellent job of portraying Anakin as a good kid who keeps making the wrong decisions. He wants to do good, but in this episode, he just keeps getting his friends in trouble, and he inadvertently seals the fate of the Old Republic.
I don't want to give away too much of the film, but let me say that Episode Two has some of the best fight scenes of all the Star Wars Films. You haven't lived until you've seen the underwater light saber fight against Dabba the Sub, Jabba's grandfather. You'll never want to eat squid again!
Star Wars Episode Two gets 4 out of 4 stars. Trust me, it'll be worth standing in line for 6 hours.