Summary
WhileStar Wars: Attack of the Clonesis over two decades old, one fan of the iconic franchise has recently reached a conclusion concerning what exactly ruins the second entry of the infamously controversial prequel trilogy.
TheStar Warsprequel trilogy explored the events that lead up to the state of affairs seen at the start ofEpisode IV. Unlike theStar Wars: The Clone Warsanimated series set within the same period,theStar Warsprequelshave endured mixed to negative fan opinion since release, with theStar Warsfaithful often discussing where it went wrong and which of the three films deserves the most blame.
While many fans believe thatPhantom MenaceorRevenge of the Sithis the worstStar Warsprequel film,at least one person has a case to make againstAttack of the Clonesinstead. Reddit userdenim_flowtook to the site’s r/StarWars board to air their grievances concerning the film’s fatal flaw as they saw it. In a post titled “Rewatching the Prequels: The Love Story Ruins Attack of the Clones,” denim_flow posits that the love story between Anakin Skywalker and Senator Padme Amidala, which takes up a relatively significant part of the film’s runtime, is fraught with ridiculous dialogue, unnatural acting, and childish motivation. Summing up their frustrations, the user puts forth that when watching theAttack of the Clones, “-it seems that you are watching stubborn and naive children, and not a representative of the political elite and one of the best students of the Jedi Order.”
The main point here is not controversial, as many fans agree thatPadme could’ve done better than Anakin Skywalker inStar Warscanon. However, most fans would be hesitant to so boldly call out the love affair that leads to Anakin’s final fall to the Dark Side of the Force asAttack of the Clones' primary flaw. Furthering their point, denim_flow noted, “And this ruin[s] everything. Take away the love story and you get a strong action movie in a space fantasy setting with great actors, and spectacular fights (I mean, Ewan McGregor, Yoda, Sam Jackson, and Christopher Lee all fighting with lightsabers in the same movie - what more could you ask for?), and an interesting plot. But for some reason, for 30% of the film, we are looking at two not-very-smart people doing not-very-smart things just because.” The user then closes out by reaffirming a love for the prequels despite their complaints.
Attack of the Clones' romance between Anakin and Padme, notably with the splendid advantage of more development inThe Clone Wars,is one ofStar Wars' best romances across shows and TVand might even be forgiven for the less-than-stellar implementation in the prequels. However, the franchise is not well-known for its portrayal of romance, and compelling romantic relationships are not a strong suit forStar Warsmedia. This aligns with denim_flow’s ideas about romance being a weak point in the trilogy. However, it is pertinent to note that this romance and its eventual tragic end are pivotal to the prequel trilogy and an iconic part ofStar Warscanon and play an important part in how fans understand the fan-favorite villain Darth Vader.
Considering the romance’s positive impact on the franchise, it’s hard to concede the point made here despite the fair assessment. All in all,theStar Warsprequels need to be left aloneby both fans and the newer franchise entries at this point. With the original hate train long over, fans should settle into newer content and revisit the prequels with an appreciation for the past.
TheStar Warsfilms and related shows are available for streaming on Disney Plus.
Star Wars
Star Wars is a multimedia franchise created by George Lucas and Lucasfilm Ltd with the 1977 motion picture. The science fiction franchise follows the adventures of characters (both humanoid and alien) in outer space, including those who can wield a mystical power known as the Force. Since the release of the original trilogy movies, the franchise has expanded to include multiple films and branched out to other mediums like comics, video games, TV shows, theme park attractions, and more. The IP and Lucasfilm were sold to Disney in 2012.
