Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones
May 16, 2002 in theaters
November 12, 2020 on Disney+
Following an assassination attempt on Senator Padmé Amidala, Jedi Knights Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi investigate a mysterious plot into the heart of the Separatist movement and the beginning of the Clone Wars.
Cast
Director
TRAILER
QUOTE
"I don't like sand. It's coarse and rough and irritating -- and it gets everywhere."
-- Anakin Skywalker
DID YOU KNOW?
Christopher Lee was 79 years old during filming and performed most of his own choreography.
THE VERDICT
Synthesized from published reviews
Attack of the Clones is the most visually audacious and narratively uneven of the prequel films — the Geonosis arena battle and the Kamino clone-factory sequences are genuinely impressive world-building, and the connective tissue of the larger Clone Wars mythology is beginning to take shape. The Anakin and Padme romance is the film's most discussed weakness, and it is a real one: their chemistry strains credibility in ways that matter for what the saga is building toward. It functions best as a bridge chapter rather than a standalone, and the closing battle sequences justify the patience required to get there.
PLACE IN THE UNIVERSE
Where this fits in the larger story
As the middle chapter of the Prequel Trilogy, Attack of the Clones delves into the escalating tensions that lead to the Clone Wars, setting the stage for the Republic's transformation into the Empire. It expands on the complex relationship between Anakin Skywalker and Padmé Amidala while further exploring Obi-Wan Kenobi's role in uncovering a larger conspiracy. This film deepens our understanding of the galaxy's political landscape and the forces at play that shape the iconic conflict between the Jedi and the Sith.
Cinematic Lore
All LoreThe symbols, artifacts, and philosophies connected to this title.