The story is set ten years afterThe Phantom Menace, as thousands ofplanetary systems slowlysecede from theGalactic Republic and join the newly formed Confederacy of Independent Systems, led by formerJedi MasterCount Dooku. With the galaxy on the brink ofcivil war,Obi-Wan Kenobi investigates a mysterious assassination attempt on SenatorPadmé Amidala, which leads him to uncover aclone army in service of the Republic and the truth behind the Separatist movement. Meanwhile, his apprenticeAnakin Skywalker is assigned to protect Amidala and develops a secret romance with her. Soon, the trio witness the onset of a new threat to the galaxy: theClone Wars.
Development ofAttack of the Clones began in March 2000, some months after the release ofThe Phantom Menace. By June 2000, Lucas and Hales completed a draft of the script, and principal photography took place from June to September 2000. The film crew primarily shot atFox Studios Australia in Sydney, with additional footage filmed in Tunisia, Italy and Spain. It was one of the first motion pictures shot completely on ahigh-definition digital 24-frame system.
Attack of the Clones was released in the United States on May 16, 2002. It received mixed reviews from critics; the film's increased focus on action was praised, while the characters and dialogue were regarded more critically. It performed well at the box office, making $653.8 million worldwide. Yet, it became the firstStar Wars film to get outgrossed in its year of release, becoming thefourth-highest-grossing film of 2002 worldwide.Revenge of the Sith (2005) followedAttack of the Clones, concluding theStar Wars prequel trilogy.
Ten years after the Battle ofNaboo,[a] theGalactic Republic is threatened by aSeparatist movement organized by formerJedi MasterCount Dooku. Former Queen turned SenatorPadmé Amidala travels toCoruscant to vote against a motion to create an army to assist the Jedi against the growing menace. After narrowly avoiding an assassination attempt frombounty hunterZam Wessell upon arrival, she is placed under the protection of Jedi MasterObi-Wan Kenobi and his Padawan apprenticeAnakin Skywalker. Zam attempts to assassinate Padmé again, but is thwarted and subdued by the Jedi pair. Zam's employer, a jetpack-wearing bounty hunter, kills her before she reveals his identity. The Jedi Council instructs Obi-Wan to find the bounty hunter, while Anakin is tasked to protect Padmé and escort her to Naboo. Despite the Jedi Code forbidding attachments, the two fall in love.
Obi-Wan's search leads toKamino, an ocean planet. There, he discovers aclone army is being produced for the Republic allegedly in the name of Sifo-Dyas, a deceased Jedi Master. The bounty hunterJango Fett serves as theirgenetic template. Obi-Wan deduces Jango is the bounty hunter he is seeking and places a homing beacon onJango's ship. He then follows Jango and his clone sonBoba to the planetGeonosis. Meanwhile, Anakin is troubled by visions of his motherShmi in pain, and returns to his homeworld ofTatooine with Padmé to save her. His former ownerWatto reveals that he sold Shmi to a moisture farmer namedCliegg Lars, who then freed and married her. Cliegg saysTusken Raiders abducted Shmi one month earlier, and she is likely dead. Anakin finds her at the Tusken campsite, barely alive. After she dies in his arms, an enraged Anakin massacres the entire tribe. He later confesses his actions to Padmé and vows to prevent the deaths of those he loves.
On Geonosis, Obi-Wan discovers a Separatist gathering led by Count Dooku. He is developing adroid army with Trade Federation ViceroyNute Gunray, who ordered the assassination attempts on Padmé. Obi-Wan reports to the Jedi Council but is captured by Separatist droids. Dooku meets Obi-Wan in his cell and reveals that the Republic is under the control of theSith LordDarth Sidious. He invites Obi-Wan to help him stop Sidious, but Obi-Wan refuses. Senate RepresentativeJar Jar Binks proposes a successful vote to grantemergency powers toChancellor Palpatine, allowing the clone army to be officially mobilized as the military of the Republic.
Anakin and Padmé head to Geonosis to rescue Obi-Wan, but Jango captures them. Dooku sentences the trio to be killed by alien beasts in theirarena. A battalion of clone troopers led byYoda,Mace Windu, and other Jedi suddenly arrive. Windu confronts Dooku and beheads Jango during the ensuing battle. For their part, Obi-Wan and Anakin intercept a fleeing Dooku and engage in alightsaber duel. Dooku injures Obi-Wan and severs Anakin's right hand; Yoda intervenes and defends them. Dooku attempts to collapse a structure on Anakin and Obi-wan during the duel, forcing Yoda to save them and allowing Dooku to escape via his Solar Sailer to Coruscant and deliver the schematics fora superweapon to Sidious.
As the Jedi acknowledge the beginning of theClone Wars,[b] Anakin is fitted with a cybernetic arm and secretly marries Padmé on Naboo withR2-D2 andC-3PO as their only witnesses.
Hayden Christensen asAnakin Skywalker, a 19-year-old former slave fromTatooine and Obi-Wan's giftedPadawan apprentice who is assigned to protect Padmé with whom he falls in love. He is believed to be the "chosen one" of Jedi prophecy destined "to bring balance to The Force." In the 10 years sinceThe Phantom Menace, he has grown powerful but arrogant, and believes that Obi-Wan is holding him back. A large search for an actor to portray Anakin Skywalker was performed. Lucas auditioned various actors, mostly unknown, before casting Christensen. Among the many established actors who auditioned or considered wereJonathan Brandis,Chris Klein,Devon Sawa,[3]Charlie Hunnam,[4]Topher Grace,[5]Nick Swardson,[6]Rob McElhenney,[7]Eric Christian Olsen,Joshua Jackson,[8]Erik von Detten,James Van Der Beek,Ryan Phillippe,[9]Colin Hanks,[10] andPaul Walker.[11][12]Leonardo DiCaprio also met with Lucas for the role, but he declined as he felt he "wasn't ready to take that dive".[13][14] Christensen initially thought the role was to go to another actor as he had heard numerous other actors being considered.[15] Co-star Natalie Portman later toldTime magazine that Christensen "gave a great reading. He could simultaneously be scary and really young."[16]
Ewan McGregor asObi-Wan Kenobi, a Jedi Knight and mentor to his Padawan learner, Anakin Skywalker, who investigates the assassination attempt upon Padmé, leading him to discover the production of aClone trooper for theGalactic Republic. In the 10 years sinceThe Phantom Menace, he has grown wiser and more powerful in the use ofthe Force.
Natalie Portman asPadmé Amidala, the former Queen ofNaboo, who has recently been elected the planet's Senator, and Anakin's love interest.
Ian McDiarmid asPalpatine / Darth Sidious, a former senator from Naboo, as well as a secret Sith Lord, who amasses vast emergency powers as the Supreme Chancellor of the Galactic Republic upon the outbreak of the Clone Wars.
Samuel L. Jackson asMace Windu, a Jedi Master sitting on the Jedi Council who warily watches the Galactic Senate's politics.
Kenny Baker asR2-D2, Anakin's astromech droid who often accompanies him and Obi-Wan on missions.
Frank Oz asYoda, the centuries-old Jedi Grandmaster of an unknown alien species. In addition to leading the Jedi Council, Yoda is the instructor for the young Jedi Padawans/"Younglings".
Temuera Morrison asJango Fett, a bounty hunter who gave hisDNA for use by the cloning facilities on Kamino for the creation of the clone army.
Christopher Lee asCount Dooku / Darth Tyranus, a former Jedi Master and the old mentor of Obi-Wan's late masterQui-Gon Jinn, who is now the puppet leader of the Separatist movement as well as Darth Sidious' new Sith apprentice and a suspect in Obi-Wan's investigation.
Jack Thompson,Joel Edgerton andBonnie Piesse appear as members of the Lars family and homestead; respectively asCliegg Lars, Shmi's husband, Owen's father and Anakin's stepfather;Owen Lars, Cliegg's son, Shmi's stepson, and Anakin's stepbrother; andBeru Whitesun, Owen's girlfriend.Leeanna Walsman appears asZam Wesell, a shapeshiftingClawdite bounty hunter and partner of Jango Fett, who was given the task of assassinating Padmé.Jay Laga'aia appears asGregar Typho, Padmé's newly appointed captain of security.Rose Byrne andAlethea McGrath briefly appear asDormé, Padmé's handmaiden and asJocasta Nu, the librarian at the Jedi Temple, respectively.Ronald Falk provides the voice ofDexter Jettster, Obi-Wan'sBesalisk friend who runs a diner on Coruscant and informs him about Kamino.Daniels and Best also makecameo appearances as Dannl Faytonni and Achk Med-Beq, respectively, attendees of the Coruscant Outlander Club who witness Anakin and Obi-Wan capturing Zam Wesell.[17][18]E! reported that Lucas had askedNSYNC to film a small backgroundcameo appearance, in order to satisfy his daughters. They were subsequently cut out of the film in post-production, although briefly visible during a crowd shot from above.[19][20]David Duchovny turned down an undisclosed role inAttack of the Clones so that he could star inEvolution (2001).[21] The end credits erroneously listAlan Ruscoe as playingNeimoidian senator Lott Dod. The character was actually another Neimoidian, played by an uncredited David Healy and voiced byChristopher Truswell. Archival recordings ofLiam Neeson asQui-Gon Jinn fromThe Phantom Menace, appear as a disembodied ghostly voice heard by Anakin through the Force as he was slaughtering the Tusken Raiders; Qui-Gon also appears earlier in the film in the form of a statue in his likeness during a background scene when Obi-Wan visits the Jedi Archives. Fiona Johnson reprised herThe Matrix (1999) role as the Woman in the Red Dress in anEaster egg cameo appearance, with her character named "Hayde Gofai" in laterStar Wars media, briefly offering a seductive look to Anakin Skywalker at the Outlander Club.[22]
After the mixed critical response toThe Phantom Menace, George Lucas was hesitant to return to the writing desk. In March 2000, just three months before the start of principal photography, Lucas finally completed his rough draft forEpisode II. Lucas continued to iterate on his rough draft, producing a proper first and second draft. For help with the third draft, which would later become the shooting script, Lucas brought onJonathan Hales, who had written several episodes ofThe Young Indiana Jones Chronicles for him, but had limited experience writing theatrical films. The final script was completed just three days before the start of principal photography.[23]
As an in-joke, the film'sworking title wasJar Jar's Great Adventure, a sarcastic reference to the negative fan response to theEpisode I character.[24]
In writingThe Empire Strikes Back, Lucas initially decided thatLando Calrissian was a clone and came from a planet of clones which caused the "Clone Wars" mentioned by Obi-Wan Kenobi inA New Hope;[25][26] he later came up with an alternate concept of an army of clone shocktroopers from a remote planet which were used by the Republic as an army in the war that followed.[27]
Plaza de España was the filming location for the exterior of Naboo palace.
Principal photography occurred between June 26, 2000, and September 20, 2000, atFox Studios Australia inSydney. Location shooting took place in the Tunisian desert, at thePlaza de España inSeville,London, China,Vancouver,San Diego, and Italy (Villa del Balbianello onLake Como, and in the former royalPalace of Caserta).[citation needed] Reshoots were performed in March 2001. During this time, a new action sequence was developed featuring the droid factory after Lucas had decided that the film lacked a quick enough pace in the corresponding time-frame. The sequence's previsualization was rushed, and the live-action footage was shot within four and a half hours.[28]
Because of Lucas' method of creating shots through various departments and sources that are sometimes miles and years apart from each other,Attack of the Clones became the first film ever to be produced through what Rick McCallum called "virtual filmmaking".[28] Back at Fox Studios, the stages from McGregor's other filmMoulin Rouge! were reused during filming.[29] While filming his scenes, Christensen would sometimes make lightsaber noises from his mouth, which caused Lucas to stop filming and tell Christensen "Hayden, that looks really great, but I can see your mouth moving. You don't have to do that, we add the sound effects in afterward."[30] At his own personal request,Samuel L. Jackson's characterMace Windu received alightsaber that emits a purple glow, as opposed to traditional blue or green for "good guys" and red for "bad guys".[31]
LikeThe Phantom Menace,Attack of the Clones furthered technological development, effectively movingHollywood into the "digital age" with the use of theHDW-F900, developed bySony andPanavision, adigital camera using anHD digital 24-frame system. This spawned controversy over the benefits and disadvantages ofdigital cinematography that continues as more filmmakers "convert" to digital filmmaking while many filmmakers oppose it. In contrast to previous installments, for which scenes were shot in the Tunisian desert in temperatures up to 125 °F (51 °C), the camera would still run without complications. Lucas had stated that he wished to filmThe Phantom Menace on this format but Sony was unable to build the cameras quickly enough.[32][33] Sony's cameras arrived one week before principal photography onAttack of the Clones was about to start.[34] In 2002,Attack of the Clones became the third film to be released that was shot entirely on a 24p digital camera (preceded by 2001'sJackpot andVidocq).[35] The cameras record in the16:9HDCAM format (1080p), although the image was cropped to a 2.40:1widescreen ratio. The area above and below the 2.40 extraction area was available for Lucas to reframe the picture as necessary in post-production.Despite Lucas' efforts to persuade movie theaters to switch to digital projectors for viewing ofEpisode II, few theaters did.[36]
There were over 2,000 visual effects shots in the film.[37] The film relied almost solely on digital animatics as opposed to storyboards in order to previsualize sequences for editing early on in the film's production. While Lucas had used other ways of producing motion-based storyboards in the past, afterThe Phantom Menace the decision was made to take advantage of the growing digital technology.[28] The process began withBen Burtt's creation of what the department dubbed as "videomatics", so called because they were shot on a household videocamera. In these videomatics, production assistants and relatives of the department workers acted out scenes in front ofgreenscreen. Usingcomputer-generated imagery (CGI), the previsualization department later filled in the green screen with rough background footage. Burtt then cut together this footage and sent it off to Lucas for changes and approval. The result was a rough example of what the final product was intended to be. The previsualization department then created a finer version of the videomatic by creating ananimatic, in which the videomatic actors, props, and sets were replaced by digital counterparts to give a more precise, but still rough, look at what would eventually be seen. The animatic was later brought on set and shown to the actors so that they could understand the concept of the scene they were filming in the midst of the large amount of bluescreen used. Unlike most of the action sequences, the Battle of Geonosis was not story-boarded or created through videomatics but was sent straight to animatics after the department received a small vague page on the sequence. The intent was to create a number of small events that would be edited together for pacing inside the finished film. The animatics department was given a free hand regarding events to be created within the animatic; Lucas only asked for good action shots that he could choose from and approve later.[28] Jackson would fight invisible creatures while filming his scenes.[38]
In addition to introducing the digital camera,Attack of the Clones emphasized "digital doubles" as computer-generated models that doubled for actors, in the same way that traditional stunt doubles did. It also furthered the authenticity of computer-generated characters by introducing a new, completely CGI-created version of the characterYoda. Rob Coleman andJohn Knoll prepared two tests featuring a CGI-animated Yoda using audio fromThe Empire Strikes Back. Yoda's appearance inEpisode V also served as the reference point for the creation of the CGI Yoda; Lucas repeatedly stated to the animation department that "the trick" to the animation of the CGI Yoda was to make him like the puppet from which he was based, in order to maintain a flow of continuity.Frank Oz (voice and puppeteer for Yoda in theoriginal trilogy andThe Phantom Menace) was consulted; his main piece of advice was that Yoda should look extremely old, sore, and frigid.[39] Although, Lucas admitted that he was "scared to death" about how they would pull off the scene.[40] Coleman later explained the process of making the digital Yoda like the puppet version, by saying "When Frank [Oz] would move the head, the ears would jiggle. If we hadn't put that in, it wouldn't look like Yoda."[41] Because of the acrobatics of the lightsaber fight between Count Dooku and Yoda, the then 78-year-oldChristopher Lee relied on a stunt double to perform the most demanding scenes instead. Lee's face was superimposed onto the double's body in all shots other than close-ups, which he performed himself. Lucas often called the duel crucial to the animation department, as it had the potential to be humorous rather than dramatic.[39]
Lucas did not useVistaVision for the miniature effects as he wanted the film to be "consistently digital".[33] Carl Miller shot test footage of models using digital cameras, but the models did not look realistic enough. More detailed models had to be made as the digital cameras lacked the film grain that would have added detail and realism.[42] The amphitheater on Geonosis was initially a miniature made out of foam blocks, but the cameras were able to show flaws in it.[37]
The soundtrack to the film was released on April 23, 2002, bySony Classical Records.[43] The music was composed and conducted byJohn Williams, and performed by the London Voices andLondon Symphony Orchestra.[44] The soundtrack recreates "The Imperial March" from the filmThe Empire Strikes Back for its first chronological appearance inAttack of the Clones, even though a hint of it appeared in the previous movie in one of the final scenes. A music video for the main theme "Across the Stars" was produced specifically for the DVD.[45]
On March 15, 2016, a limited edition vinyl version of the soundtrack was released. Only 1,000 copies were pressed initially.[46]
Lucas has noted that Palpatine's rise to power is very similar to that ofAdolf Hitler inNazi Germany; asChancellor of Germany, the latter was grantedemergency powers, as is Palpatine.[47] Comparisons have been made toOctavian—who became Augustus, the first emperor ofRome—and toNapoleon Bonaparte, who rose to power in France from 1796 to 1799. Octavian was responsible for the deaths of hundreds of political opponents well before he was granted tribunician powers; Bonaparte was appointedFirst Consul for life (and later Emperor) by theFrench Consulate after a failed attempt on his life and the subsequentcoup of 18 Brumaire in 1799.[48] References to theAmerican Civil War can also be discerned.[48]War journalism, combat films, and footage ofWorld War II combat influenced the documentary-style camera work of the Battle of Geonosis, even to the point that hand-held shakes were digitally added to computer-generated sequences.[48]
English scholar Anne Lancashire describesAttack of the Clones as "thoroughly political in its narrative", to the point that interpersonal relations are made subordinate to the political drama that unfolds, and "a critique of the increasing role played by economic and political appetite in contemporaryFirst World international politics in general". In this political drama, the Trade Federation, the former idealist Dooku, and Palpatine "[represent] the economic and political greed and ambition ... of the political and business classes", while the intuition of the Jedi has been clouded by the dark side of the Force. The cityscape of Coruscant, the location of theJedi Temple, is adystopian environment that refers to 1982'sBlade Runner.[48] Nevertheless, the Jedi endure as the heroes; Obi-Wan's role has been noted as similar to that ofJames Bond,[49] and Zam Wesell's attempt on Padmé's life is similar to a scene in the first 007 film,Dr. No.[50] Furthermore, the Geonosis arena fight scene is a reference to the 2000Ridley Scott film,Gladiator.[51]
Theprequel trilogy films often refer to theoriginal trilogy in order to help connect the films together. Lucas has often referred to the films as a long poem that rhymes.[52] Such examples include the line "I have a bad feeling about this", a phrase used in each film, and lightsaber duels which almost always occur over a pit. As withAttack of the Clones,The Empire Strikes Back was the middle film in a trilogy, and of the original trilogy films,The Empire Strikes Back is the object of the most references inAttack of the Clones. In both films, anasteroid field is the backdrop of a major star battle in the middle of the film. Obi-Wan escapes Jango Fett by attaching his spacecraft to an asteroid in order to disappear from the enemy sensors;Han Solo uses a similar tactic by attaching theMillennium Falcon to aStar Destroyer inThe Empire Strikes Back.John Knoll confirms on the film's DVD commentary that Boba Fett, who would later catch Solo in the act inThe Empire Strikes Back, "learned his lesson" from the events ofAttack of the Clones.[47] The Galactic Republic's clone troopers also establish the origin of thestormtroopers that play an important role in the original trilogy.[citation needed] The titles of both films refer to the response of the primary galactic government to a threat of rebellion.[citation needed]
In November 2001, threeteaser trailers forAttack of the Clones were released, which were shown on the Internet, as well as the DVD-ROM selection ofThe Phantom Menace DVD release. The first one was released on November 2 with theDisney/Pixar filmMonsters, Inc. in theaters.[53] A second teaser debuted online three days later on November 5. This was followed by a third teaser trailer, which was released globally on November 16 with the wide release ofHarry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Just like its predecessor, fans paid full admission at theaters to see the trailers.[54] The next full trailer premiered onFox Network on March 10, 2002, between airings ofMalcolm in the Middle andThe X-Files.[55] It made its theatrical debut five days later on March 15 with the opening ofIce Age.[56] The trailer was made available on the officialStar Wars website the same day.[57] The outplacement firmChallenger, Gray & Christmas fromChicago predicted before the film's release that U.S. companies could lose more than $319 million in productivity due to employees calling in sick and then heading to theaters to see the film.[58]
Attack of the Clones had fewer promotional partners compared to its predecessor, which includedGeneral Mills andFrito-Lay.[59]
The film premiered as part of the inauguralTribeca Film Festival at theBMCC Performing Arts Center, 199 Chambers St. in New York City[60] at a Sunday, May 12 set of screenings benefitting theChildren's Aid Society, a charity supported by George Lucas.[61] This charity would go on to help raise money for kids of the victims of theSeptember 11 attacks.[62]Attack of the Clones was then screened out of competition at the2002 Cannes Film Festival,[63] before getting a worldwide theatrical release on May 16, 2002. The film was also later released inIMAX theaters; the film had not been filmed for IMAX but was "up converted" with thedigital remastering process. Because of the technical limitations of the IMAX projector at the time, an edited, 120-minute version of the film was presented.[64]
Before the film's release, there was a string of controversies regardingcopyright infringement. In 2000, an underground organization calling itself the Atlas Group, based inPerth, Western Australia offered a copy of the screenplay, with an asking price of US$100,000, to various fan sites and media organizations, includingTheForce.Net. The scheme was subsequently reported toLucasfilm Ltd. by the fan site.[citation needed]
An unauthorized copy was allegedly made at a private showing, using a digital recorder that was pointed at the screen. This copy spread over the internet, and analysts predicted up to a million fans would have seen the film before the day of its release.[65] In addition, authorities seized thousands of bootlegs throughoutKuala Lumpur before the film opened.[66]
Attack of the Clones was released onDVD andVHS on November 12, 2002 by20th Century Fox Home Entertainment.[67] On the first day of release, over 4 million DVD copies were sold, becoming the third-highest single-day DVD sales of any film, behindMonsters, Inc. andSpider-Man.[68] ThisTHX certified two-disc DVD release consists of widescreen andpan and scan fullscreen versions.[67] The set contains one disc with the film and the other one with bonus features. The first disc features three randomized selected menus, which areCoruscant,Kamino andGeonosis. There is anEaster egg located in the options menu. When the THX Optimizer is highlighted, the viewer can press 1-1-3-8. By doing this, some bloopers and DVD credits will be shown.[69] The DVD also features an audio commentary from director George Lucas, producer Rick McCallum, editor and sound designer Ben Burtt,ILM animation director Rob Coleman, and ILM visual effects supervisors Pablo Helman, John Knoll, and Ben Snow. Eight deleted scenes are included along with multiple documentaries, which include a full-length documentary about the creation of digital characters and two others that focus on sound design and the animatics team. Three featurettes examine the storyline, action scenes, and love story, and a set of 12 short web documentaries cover the overall production of the film.[70]
TheAttack of the Clones DVD also features a trailer for amockumentary-style short film known asR2-D2: Beneath the Dome. Some stores offered the full mockumentary as an exclusive bonus disc for a small extra charge. The film gives an alternate look at the "life" of the droidR2-D2. The story, which Lucas approved, was meant to be humorous.[71]
The film was re-released in a prequel trilogy DVD box set on November 4, 2008.[72]
The six-filmStar Wars saga was released onBlu-ray Disc on September 16, 2011, in three different editions.[73]
Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment reissuedAttack of the Clones on Blu-ray, DVD, and digital download on September 22, 2019.[75] Additionally, all six films were available for4KHDR andDolby Atmos streaming onDisney+ upon the service's launch on November 12, 2019.[76] This version of the film was released by Disney on4K Ultra HD Blu-ray on March 31, 2020, whilst being re-released on Blu-ray and DVD.[77]
On September 28, 2010 (2010-09-28), it was announced that all six films in the series were to be stereo-converted to3D, and re-released in chronological order beginning atThe Phantom Menace which was released on February 10, 2012 (2012-02-10).Attack of the Clones was originally scheduled to be re-released in 3D on September 20, 2013 (2013-09-20),[78] but was cancelled due to Lucasfilm's desire to focus onStar Wars: The Force Awakens.[79][80][81] However, the 3D presentation of the film was first shown atCelebration Europe II from July 26 to 28, 2013.[82][83][84]
Onreview aggregatorRotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 61% based on 283 reviews, with an average rating of 6.5/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones benefits from an increased emphasis on thrilling action, although they're once again undercut by ponderous plot points and underdeveloped characters."[85] OnMetacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 54 out of 100, based on 39 critics, which indicates "mixed or average reviews".[86] Audiences polled byCinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A−" on an A+ to F scale, the same score as the previous film.[87]
Numerous critics characterized the dialogue as "stiff" and "flat".[88] The acting was also disparaged by some critics.[89] Conversely, other critics felt fans would be pleased to see thatJar Jar Binks has only a minor role.[90] Additionally, Jar Jar's attempts at comic relief seen inThe Phantom Menace were toned down; instead,C-3PO reprised some of his bumbling traditions in that role. McGregor referred to the swordplay in the film as "unsatisfactory" when comparing it to the climactic duel inRevenge of the Sith as it neared release.[91] ReelViews.net'sJames Berardinelli gave a positive review, saying "in a time when, more often than not, sequels disappoint, it's refreshing to uncover something this high-profile that fulfills the promise of its name and adds another title to a storied legacy."[92] Jeffrey Westhoff ofNorthwest Herald gave the film a two out of four scoring, explaining that "the battling Yoda looks ludicrous, likeKermit the Frog in aMatrix fight scene."[93]Steven Rea ofThe Philadelphia Inquirer gave it a two-and-a-half out of four rating, stating that "this thing will have your mind glazed over faster than a glob of dough in aKrispy Kreme plant."[94]
Roger Ebert, who had praised the previousStar Wars films, gaveEpisode II only two out of four stars, noting "[As] someone who admired the freshness and energy of the earlier films, I was amazed, at the end ofEpisode II, to realize that I had not heard one line of quotable, memorable dialogue." About Anakin and Padmé's relationship, Ebert stated, "There is not a romantic word they exchange that has not long since been reduced to cliché."[89] In a mixed review,Kenneth Turan of theLos Angeles Times said, "Only a teenage boy could find this kind of stuff continually diverting, and only a teenage boy would not notice flimsy emotions and underdeveloped acting. It seems George Lucas, likePeter Pan, has never really grown up."[95]Leonard Maltin, who also liked all of the previous installments, awarded two stars out of four to this endeavor as well, as seen in hisMovie and Video Guide from the 2002 edition onward. Maltin cited an "overlong story" as reason for his dissatisfaction and added "Wooden characterizations and dialogue don't help."[96]
During its opening day,Attack of the Clones made $30.1 million, combined with $6 million from midnight screenings.[97][98] At that point, it had the highest Thursday gross of any film, taking the former record held byIndependence Day.[99] It would go on to make $116.3 million within its first four days of release, making it the second-fastest film to approach the $100 million mark, behindSpider-Man.[100] Plus, it had already grossed $80 million over the weekend,[101] becoming the third-highest three-day opening weekend of all time, afterHarry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone andSpider-Man.[102]Attack of the Clones had the highest opening weekend for a20th Century Fox film until 2003 when it was taken byX2.[103] That year,The Matrix Reloaded beatAttack of the Clones for having the biggest Thursday opening of any film.[104] The film would stay at the top of the box office for two weeks until it was dethroned byThe Sum of All Fears.[105]
Attack of the Clones grossed $310,676,740 inNorth America and $338,721,588 overseas for a worldwide total of $649,398,328. Though a box office success, it was nevertheless overshadowed by the even greater box office success ofThe Phantom Menace three years earlier.[2] It was not the top-grossing film of the year, either in North America (where it finished in third place) or worldwide (where it was fourth), the first time that aStar Wars film did not have this distinction. In North America, it was outgrossed bySpider-Man andThe Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, both of which were more favorably received by critics. Worldwide, it was also outgrossed byHarry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Adjusted for inflation,Attack of the Clones is the lowest-performing live-actionStar Wars film at the North American box office, though is still among the100 highest-grossing films of all time when adjusted for inflation. The film sold an estimated 52,012,300 tickets in the US in its initial theatrical run.[106]
Internationally,Attack of the Clones made $69.1 million during its opening weekend from 71 countries, breakingHarry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone's record for having the largest international opening weekend.[107] The combined total gross increased to $173.9 million, making it the highest worldwide opening weekend at that time.[107] It made a total opening weekend gross of $54 million in Europe, with $17 million from the UK, $11 million from Germany, $7.6 million from France and $4.5 million from Spain.[108] The film also recorded the highest opening weekend in Hungary, surpassingThe Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.[109] In the UK, the film beat outAbout a Boy to reach the number one spot, ranking behindHarry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone as the country's second-highest opening weekend.[110] Until the release ofFinding Nemo in 2003, it was one of the highest-grossing digital films at theManchesterUCI Cinemas.[111] With a total gross of $954,000,Attack of the Clones had the second-highest opening of any film in Singapore, behindThe Lost World: Jurassic Park.[112] Meanwhile, in Japan, it earned a total of $13.8 million in its first two days of release, joiningThe Phantom Menace,Mission: Impossible 2 andA.I. Artificial Intelligence to rank themselves in the list of the country's top five highest opening weekends of all time.[113] Outside the United States and Canada, the film grossed over $10 million in Australia ($18.9 million), France and Algeria ($30.6 million), Germany ($35 million), Italy ($12.9 million), Japan ($78.1 million), Spain ($16.1 million), and the United Kingdom and Ireland ($58.7 million).[2]
In a 2023 interview, cartoonist and animation producerND Stevenson said that he was compelled by the shapeshifting character, Zam Wesell, causing him to think more about shapeshifting, and said the film was where his "love of shapeshifters specifically started.[120] In other interviews, Stevenson expressed his affinity for Wesell,[121][122] even stating thatDouble Trouble inShe-Ra and the Princesses of Power is meant as an homage to Wesell.[123] Stevenson also said that at an early age, Wesell created a huge impression on him, noting he latched onto Zam because she was ashapeshifter, causing him to come up with a version of the story when Zam lived, "became the main character" in a "whole parallel world" that Stevenson constructed.[124]
In thearchivist field, the film has been critically approached for its depiction of alibrarian stereotype in the characterJocasta Nu, the Jedi archivist/librarian of the Jedi Temple library. Some have noted that the archives depicted in the film resembles a library, while Nu wears clothing which represents her "devotion to knowledge and learning" and provides reference assistance toObi-Wan Kenobi.[125][126] For instance, scholar Eric Ketelaar argued that Nu is an example of an archivist that "mediates, shares, or obstructs" power of the archives, as dictated by the film's plot.[127][128] In contrast, formerSociety of American Archivists president Randall C. Jimerson stated that the film provides a "more confident view of archives" than other media, showing the powerful and confident role of an archivist despite "archival sabotage".[129] Otherwise, Richard Pearce-Moses, stated the Nu's notion, that information not within the archives doesn't exist, is a "naïve" and is believed by some in regard to information not on the internet.[130]
Other scholars have critically approached the film with different perspectives. Anna Lancashire stated that the film has the impact of turning the other films into an "epic commentary on American and international politics and economics", and on political empires based on aggressiveness, "human greed...hatred, and fear".[131] Timothy P. Chartier argued how the film can be used in classrooms for topics such as linear algebra, calculus, and numerical analysis.[132] Scholar Bradley Schauer said that the film is a unified, classical text, and argued that it has different meanings for "both general and specialized audiences".[133]
A sequel titledRevenge of the Sith was released May 19, 2005, and was written and directed byGeorge Lucas. It concludes the Prequel Trilogy with the story of Anakin's transformation into Darth Vader as well as the death of Padmé Amidala and the destruction of all of the Jedi except for Obi-Wan and Yoda.
^abStar Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones DVD commentary featuring George Lucas, Rick McCallum, Rob Coleman, Ben Burtt, Pablo Helman, John Knoll and Ben Snow, [2002]
^"The 75th Academy Awards".Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. March 23, 2003.Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. RetrievedAugust 7, 2018.
Steve Baker,Ricky Blitt, Will Carlough, Tobias Carlson, Jacob Fleisher, Patrik Forsberg, Will Graham,James Gunn, Claes Kjellstrom, Jack Kukoda,Bob Odenkirk, Bill O'Malley, Matthew Alec Portenoy,Greg Pritikin, Rocky Russo,Olle Sarri, Elizabeth Wright Shapiro,Jeremy Sosenko, Jonathan van Tulleken, and Jonas Wittenmark –Movie 43 (2013)
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