Star Wars: Episode II—Attack Of The Clones

A Jedi shall not know anger. Nor hatred. Nor love. Set ten years following the events in "Episode I," Star Wars: Episode II—Attack Of The Clones finds Padmé Amidala (Portman), now a senator representing Naboo, the target of an assassination attempt in an effort to prevent her from casting her vote against the formation of an army to protect the Republic. Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi (McGregor) and his apprentice Anakin Skywalker (Christensen) are assigned to serve as bodyguards and protect Padmé from further assassination attempts. Anakin escorts Padmé to her home planet, and soon a romance develops, an act forbidden by the Jedi Order. Meanwhile, Obi-Wan finds himself in the midst of an intergalactic mystery in an effort to track down the bounty hunter hired to assassinate Padmé. Kenobi's travels lead him to the water planet of Kamino where he finds—unbeknownst to the Jedi Council—that a clone army has already been created for the purpose of defending the Republic. Haunted by nightmarish visions of his mother on Tatooine, Anakin disobeys his instructions and travels back to the familiar desert planet in an effort to help her. What Anakin encounters leads him down the destructive road of the Dark Side, setting up events that unfold in Episode III, including his transformation into Darth Vader, the Emperor's rise to power, the births of Luke and Leia, and the downfall of the Republic. Continuing the Star Wars Saga tradition, Attack Of The Clones delivers over two hours of sheer entertainment and fun, highlighted by dazzling visual effects and sound design, a writing and acting style patterned after 1930s and '40s era science-fiction and cliffhanger serials, and a demonstration of why Yoda is THE Jedi Master. (Michael Coate)