# Attack of the Clones is the best Star Wars movie **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 30, 2005, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attack-of-the-clones-is-the-best-star-wars-movie/306125 "2005-05-30T19:34:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2005, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attack-of-the-clones-is-the-best-star-wars-movie/306125/21 "2005-05-30T22:13:00Z")
> [@Priceguy](#): > > I know the pod race wasn’t needed, it was just done because they wanted an action sequence at that point, and it was all CGI and this and that… but damnit, it was a nice sequence. Agreed, though my favorite scenes from the movie were on Coruscant. > [@](#): > > You must think rather lowly of the other five films, if you rank a film you need to fast-forward chunks of higher than them. I like them all, but you gotta have SOME basis for liking some above others. The lovey dovey scenes in AOTC were the ONLY scenes I didn’t care that much for, and they had their points, visually. > [@](#): > > You put _Revenge of the Sith_ at the bottom, because it’s too dark, but you put _Empire Strikes Back_ as number two? Yeah, ESB didn’t seem nearly as dark as AOTC, dark though it was. Mrs. Evil Captor says she thinks Lucas runs the opposite of most folks who do trilogies: most of the time, the middle ep in a trilogy is the weakest, but with Lucas, the middle ep is the strongest. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2005, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attack-of-the-clones-is-the-best-star-wars-movie/306125/22 "2005-05-30T22:15:33Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > Hey, wait - this isn’t _just_ because of the tied-to-a-pole scene, is it? Nope. If that were the determining factor, ESB with Slavegirl Leia in the collar and chain and the metal bikini would outrank everything else by a huge margin. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2005, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attack-of-the-clones-is-the-best-star-wars-movie/306125/23 "2005-05-30T22:17:25Z")
> [@Evil Captor](#): > > Nope. If that were the determining factor, ESB with Slavegirl Leia in the collar and chain and the metal bikini would outrank everything else by a huge margin. Whoops, that should read “ROTJ with Slavegirl Leia”. ---
**Author:** ![flamingbananas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f4b2a3/32.png) [@flamingbananas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flamingbananas)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2005, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attack-of-the-clones-is-the-best-star-wars-movie/306125/24 "2005-05-31T00:16:49Z")
I personaly like Empire and Revenge of the Sith the most. RotS was a darker film, but I really like those. That and Anakin looked really, really good in RotS. Really. Up until the end, however. ---
**Author:** ![HPL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2005, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attack-of-the-clones-is-the-best-star-wars-movie/306125/25 "2005-05-31T01:04:52Z")
I haven’t seen ROTS yet, but so far my list would go:(Orginal, not “Lucasized” versions) 1. Empire Pro: Nice and Dark. Good Character Development. Yoda. Con: Things slow down on Bespin for awhile. 2. Hope Pro: Classic Star Wars Goodness Con: Luke is Whiney. 1. Clones Pro: Elaborates significaly on Palpatines change of Republic to Empire. Everything after the Jedis arrive, Jar-Jar gives Palpatine his Army. Battle with Jango Fett. Con: Gladiator Rip-off, Video game sequences in factory and during speeder chase, Jar-Jar still talks, Anakin is Whiney, Romantic sequnces. 4.Jedi Pro: Battle of Endor(Space), Battle with Vader. Con: Ewoks, Jabba sequnce goes on too long. 1. Menace Pro: Liam Neelson, Double-lightsaber Con: Far too much. Too kiddyish, Who-know-who, Pod Race, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Silentgoldfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@Silentgoldfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silentgoldfish)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2005, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attack-of-the-clones-is-the-best-star-wars-movie/306125/26 "2005-05-31T01:09:33Z")
Am I the only one who thought all the lightsabers in the prequel trilogy bar Darth Mauls were cheesy? It’s like the only direction the various people acting Jedi/Sith got was to twirl them randomly as much as possible. They looked more like 7 year olds with cardboard tubes than skilled fighters. Darth Maul looked like he’d actually be dangerous with a lightsaber, but that’s probably got more to do with Ray Park being a martial artist first and an actor 10th. The sole exeption to this is when a droid shoots at Mace Windo from behind and he deflects it without turning around and without (gasp!) spinning his saber. ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2005, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attack-of-the-clones-is-the-best-star-wars-movie/306125/27 "2005-05-31T01:25:00Z")
Attack of the Clones is the better of the prequels. It helps if you realize that both Anakin and Padme are socially retarded. He being a monk and her being a politican since she was a child means they have no clue how to interact romantically with someone. Their scenes are painful and awkward because your first love is painful and awkward. Remember the stupid s\*\*\* you used to say to your first girl/boyfriend? Phantom Menace has some fun parts. ROTS is almost all 3rd act but is still paced oddly. Now Empire is just a good movie… Not a good star wars movie… A solid good movie without any qualifiers. Personally I put them in this order: 1. TESB 2. ROTJ (mostly for the Jabba’s palace first act and the space battles those are flawless. It’s infinitely rewatchable) 3. AOTC 4. ANH 5. ROTS 6. TPM ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2005, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attack-of-the-clones-is-the-best-star-wars-movie/306125/28 "2005-05-31T01:38:48Z")
Not so long ago, I said to my wife, “You know, we really should see AOTC.” She replied. “We did. Don’t you remember.” Now I rarely forget a movie, but AOTC was so bland and stupid that I had completely forgot I saw it six months later. I haven’t seen Sith yet, but so far, the quality of all the SW films drops off in a geometric fashion in the order in which they were released. **Star Wars** was by far the best, **Empire was a close second** and each film dropped in quality as a function of the square of the time involved. ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2005, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attack-of-the-clones-is-the-best-star-wars-movie/306125/29 "2005-05-31T01:56:11Z")
> [@Orbifold](#): > > I was hoping that Yoda would be at a level beyond light-saber battles, somehow…not just a big green superball. This makes me think that SEGA needs to come out with a new game: _Yoda the Hedgehog_ And, I just don’t see how the charisma of Harrison Ford’s Han Solo could be beaten out by any of the films without him, though the RotS at least had some story to it. ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/57b2e6/32.png) [@Quasimodal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodal)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2005, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attack-of-the-clones-is-the-best-star-wars-movie/306125/30 "2005-05-31T07:03:56Z")
> [@Push You Down](#): > > Remember the stupid s\*\*\* you used to say to your first girl/boyfriend? But dammit, he’s still saying all the same garbage some three years later. Padme needs to find someone with charisma, intelligence and wit. I’ll be waiting by the phone ---
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2005, 8:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attack-of-the-clones-is-the-best-star-wars-movie/306125/31 "2005-05-31T08:13:30Z")
> [@CandidGamera](#): > > To me, the pod race was part of the problem with Episode One. > [@Evil Captor](#): > > I thought the pod race was a flaw in PM. It was just so obviously a video game bit, and was so irrelevant to the story’s progress. It felt very grafted on. > [@Priceguy](#): > > I know the pod race wasn’t needed, it was just done because they wanted an action sequence at that point I think the pod race was definitely too long, but I would _never_ have accepted Anakin’s piloting during the space battle above Naboo if it weren’t set up by the Pod Race.\* So I think that is one very functional element of including the Pod Race. Also, to show an activity that is outlawed on most planets was an interesting way to develop the idea that Tatooine is so remote as to be outside the Republic and that it is a world controlled by gangsters. Qui-Gon’s threat to Watto that he could have the Hutts settle Watto’s dispute of the bet was great and really communicated so much about life on Tatooine. Also, the idea that Tuscan Raiders could with impunity use the race participants for target practice (and that this was _funny_ to both the announcers and the crowd) gave even more depth to the development of Tatooine as a setting. Tatooine’s remoteness and autonomy are important throughout the series, especially in EpIV and EpVI, and this is what makes it a suitable hiding place for the infant Luke. The Race also served as a good introduction for Anakin because he was only able to operate the Pod because he was so Force sensitive. There was lots that I didn’t like about TPM, this sequence was indeed way too long, but I don’t think it was tacked on and pointless. \*On Anakin’s piloting during the space battle above Naboo: Even though I was prepared to accept it, because of proper foreshadowing (The Pod Race and the bits of instruction Anakin received from Amidala’s pilot in the Nubian). But . . . I HATED this part of the movie. Anakin’s abilities were set up well enough that his participation in this battle would have been fine except for the decision to play it as “Wacky” and “Zany”! They have Anakin falling into wacky accident after wacky accident until he completely inadvertently finds himself in a position to blow up the command ship. WTF? He should have been shown as competent and deliberate. It would have been so much more believable, the character would have been so much more interesting, if it weren’t for all that Bugs Bunny “Did _I_ do that???” bullshit! _This_ is what I hated most about TPM. Anakin as Bugs Bunny was _far_ worse than Jar Jar. ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2005, 8:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attack-of-the-clones-is-the-best-star-wars-movie/306125/32 "2005-05-31T08:58:34Z")
> [@bienville](#): > > Also, to show an activity that is outlawed on most planets was an interesting way to develop the idea that Tatooine is so remote as to be outside the Republic and that it is a world controlled by gangsters. True, although there’s one big plot element there which SERIOUSLY strains my suspension of disbelief, namely, the idea that Qui-Gon’s republic credits are no good. I mean, Tattoine may not be IN the republic, but certainly they’ve HEARD of the republic. How many places are there on earth where US dollars aren’t good? Maybe there’s a steep markup, or maybe they have to go to a particular place to make an exchange, but they idea that the currency of the (presumably) largest political entity in the galaxy, on a planet which is close enough to that entity that you happen upon it by accident while travelling from one part of that entity (Naboo) to another (Coruscant), is worthless, is worthless. That’s one where the writing was just bad. We need an excuse for a pod race to win an engine, so… (1) republic credits are worthless and (2) The Force, an all powerful field that surrounds all living beings, doesn’t work on WATTO? ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2005, 9:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attack-of-the-clones-is-the-best-star-wars-movie/306125/33 "2005-05-31T09:06:27Z")
> [@bienville](#): > > \*On Anakin’s piloting during the space battle above Naboo: Even though I was prepared to accept it, because of proper foreshadowing (The Pod Race and the bits of instruction Anakin received from Amidala’s pilot in the Nubian). > But . . . I HATED this part of the movie. Anakin’s abilities were set up well enough that his participation in this battle would have been fine except for the decision to play it as “Wacky” and “Zany”! They have Anakin falling into wacky accident after wacky accident until he completely inadvertently finds himself in a position to blow up the command ship. WTF? He should have been shown as competent and deliberate. It would have been so much more believable, the character would have been so much more interesting, if it weren’t for all that Bugs Bunny “Did _I_ do that???” bullshit! _This_ is what I hated most about TPM. > > Anakin as Bugs Bunny was _far_ worse than Jar Jar. Good one bienville! You mention here a scene where I think Lucas chickened out: I do think that originally, thanks to the force, Anakin was going to feel that Qui-Gon was killed by Darth Maul and in his rage, then use the force to know where to shoot. It would had been a setup for the things to come, but alas, the character was softened a lot. ---
**Author:** ![Scissorjack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c67d28/32.png) [@Scissorjack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scissorjack)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2005, 10:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attack-of-the-clones-is-the-best-star-wars-movie/306125/34 "2005-05-31T10:18:40Z")
> [@MaxTheVool](#): > > (2) The Force, an all powerful field that surrounds all living beings, doesn’t work on WATTO? It doesn’t seem to work on Jabba, either: the Force seems to be rather like the electricity in a teen horror movie, inexplicably going out whenever the plot requires it. I can’t see Han Solo taking any crap from a junkyard dealer, Force or no Force: he would have just punched him out {or shot him. First.} and taken it. No muss, no fuss. But no, George has ILM to play with, so we get a video game. Meanwhile, Obi-Wan {who has constantly been referred to in the first movies as a hothead in his younger days} is superfluous to requirements, so gets to stay in a broken spaceship for a quarter of the movie and remind everyone with dog-like obedience not to do anything until his master gets back. ---
**Author:** ![Scoundrel\_Swanswater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dfb087/32.png) [@Scoundrel\_Swanswater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scoundrel_Swanswater)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2005, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attack-of-the-clones-is-the-best-star-wars-movie/306125/35 "2005-05-31T11:32:14Z")
I think the worst Star Wars movie is the Phantom Menace, because it is just too juvenile and kiddy-oriented. It is however closely followed by Attack of the Clones, just because of the incredible lack-lustre performances and cheesy dialogues. So my preference would be : 1. Empire Strikes Back 2. A New Hope / Revenge of the Sith 3. Return of the Jedi 4. Attack of the Clones 5. The Phantom Menace ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2005, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attack-of-the-clones-is-the-best-star-wars-movie/306125/36 "2005-05-31T13:56:01Z")
> [@GIGObuster](#): > > Good one bienville! > > You mention here a scene where I think Lucas chickened out: I do think that originally, thanks to the force, Anakin was going to feel that Qui-Gon was killed by Darth Maul and in his rage, then use the force to know where to shoot. It would had been a setup for the things to come, but alas, the character was softened a lot. Lucas lost a huge opportunity in The Phantom Menace to cast the correct child to play Anakin and have him portray a dark side even as a child. It’s not that hard to do. Think of all the sci-fi/horror movies where there is a child actor who is all pleasant on the outside but behind closed doors can stare into the camera and give you the creeps. Almost a possesed look. It would have been very effective if Anakin was kiddish around the other but when alone i.e. pod race / space battle he went into dark child mode. You wouldn’t have to find a kid that can speak creepy lines. Just look into the camera and glare ala village of the damned / the bad seed / wish you into the corn field. But Lucas passed on this and made him the Yippe! Uh-oh! kid ---
**Author:** ![Sweetums](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Sweetums](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sweetums)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2005, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attack-of-the-clones-is-the-best-star-wars-movie/306125/37 "2005-05-31T14:34:51Z")
> [@BMax](#): > > Liam was probably the best thing going in PM. He definitely gave the best performance of any actor in the film. I think the Darth Maul fight might have been the best lightsabre battle of the series too. Part of that was that simple fact that Darth Maul was IRL, Ray Park, an actual martial artist who choreographed the fight. In general most of the lightsaber fights really aren’t that good from a sword (or other weapons play) standpoint. For example there is one sequence in the Revenge fight between Anikin and Obi-Wan, that Obi is simply holding his saber in front of him and letting Anikin whack at it. Even if he killed off Darth Maul in Menace, Lucas really needed to keep Ray Park behind the scenes. Nick Gillard, who was the sword master for all three prequels is NOT a swordsman, and it really shows. Add to that the fact that some of the fights (Yoda, General Grievous) involved a participant who wasn’t even real, and well… ``` As for attack of the clones, it had it's moments, but those we drawn down by the complete and utter lack of chemistry between Hayden Christensen and Natalie Portman. That and the simple fact that if we are supposed to care about Anikin falling to the dark side shouldn't we at least like the guy a little, so that his fall seems like a tragedy? ``` I would put my personal order of the films: 1. A New Hope (mostly emotional reasons for putting this one above Empire, I admit) 2. Empire 3. Revenge 4. Return 5. Clones 6. Menace ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2005, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attack-of-the-clones-is-the-best-star-wars-movie/306125/38 "2005-05-31T19:29:01Z")
> [@bienville](#): > > I think the pod race was definitely too long, but I would _never_ have accepted Anakin’s piloting during the space battle above Naboo if it weren’t set up by the Pod Race.\* Huh. I found Anakin-as-super-starpilot hard to accept even _with_ the pod racing sequence. > [@bienville](#): > > Anakin’s abilities were set up well enough that his participation in this battle would have been fine except for the decision to play it as “Wacky” and “Zany”! They have Anakin falling into wacky accident after wacky accident until he completely inadvertently finds himself in a position to blow up the command ship. WTF? He should have been shown as competent and deliberate. Heck, just bump the character up a few years (say, 11 or 12), then write it as the cocky arrogance of a young teenager. The rest of the story could have stayed the same, but giving him the overblown confidence of youth would have made it more plausible. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2005, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attack-of-the-clones-is-the-best-star-wars-movie/306125/39 "2005-06-01T00:04:34Z")
I’m surprised at the love for “Revenge of the Sith” I thought it was genuinely atrocious, probably the worst movie I’ve seen in a year. For my money, “The Empire Strikes Back” was the best, “Star Wars” was second best (Give me a break on the “ANH” nonsense) and The rest of the films are all pretty poor, and you can rank them in any order you like. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attack-of-the-clones-is-the-best-star-wars-movie/306125.md?page=1)