Star Wars - Attack of the Clones - Revenge of the Sith

August 2004: Five years on, and less than a year until the final part of the prequel trilogy completes the Saga, and it is generally agreed that The Phantom Menace is the least loved of the series. Wooden acting, stale directing, an overwhelming yet underwhelming CG fetish, suspect scripting, Amidala's ridiculous costumes and hairdos, Jar-Jar - especially Jar-Jar - and a host of other complaints combine to provide the biggest let-down in cinema history, thanks to the fan's highest expectations in cinema history.

But how fair is it? Pretty fair, in retrospect. Nothing, however, will take away the feeling I had leading up to the movie, the speculation and hype, the excitement that finally the rest of my favourite story would be told. I really enjoyed that Summer, leading up to the release of TPM. I enjoyed the run-up to Attack of the Clones (and I really liked that title). I am enjoying the pre-hype hype of Revenge of the Sith. I cannot get enough Star Wars. But am I enjoying the hype more than the movies?

AOTC was great. I really whooped when I first saw it, the same as everyone who gave Yoda a round of applause when he whipped out his green lightsabre. But I knew much of what was likely to happen. For me, reading the spoilers and scouring the net for spy images is part of the cinematic process. I feel as if I am involved in the creation, and the film is the culmination of all those ideas and images. That's what I will miss when RotS hits screens next May. And despite Jar-Jar's foolish antics and those stupid, unscary moments with the big fish, that is what I remember when I watch TPM. Darth Maul's lightsabre battle, Qui-Gon Jinn trying to slice the door open, little Anakin chatting shit with Sebulba in huttese, and Watto - the good moments are there. The Force isn't strong with this one, but it is not a Turkey yet.

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