Fall of the Jedi: Episode II – Attack of the Clones

First of all, I’d like to say that I completely adored your menace edit. I loved what you did with the pacing as well as the R2/3po problem and was hugely surprised to see the subtle ways you improved the characters. But I’ll elaborate on that in a review on the other picture, for now we’re talking clones.

You did your best with this one man, you really did. Yet again a few neat edits here and there have massively improved the pacing of the film, you cut all the shitty contrived dialogue(Accept of course for “as you can see my Jedi powers are far greater than yours so…back down). But in all honesty this film is beyond saving. That creepy/vommity look of early digital cinema is never going to leave this film. The lack of any real locations still makes the film feel claustrophobic and unreal. All criticisms of course directed at George, not you.

A few things I would say to you is that there must have been a way around the whole Jango thing, I can’t think how but there must be a way to change the dialogue so he just IS Boba Fett. Because…well…a plot where all the storm troopers turn out to be clones of Boba Fett’s dad is way too fan fiction. Even if someone was to view these films in order from phantom to jedi, they would be way confused as to why Boba wasn’t more uncomfortable around all the storm troopers in empire.

Also, you gave up on the cutting 3po and r2 thing I guess, because at one point they have a scene together where they talk to Annikan and stuff and it’s real dumb.

The ending of this film is non-salvageable. I never realised it would be this way but in cutting the yoda scene (which obviously had to go) the film has no climax, Dooku just maims our two main characters and leaves. For this to work the atmosphere surrounding this scene would need to be far darker. Or something…I dunno..as it stands this ending is way to abrupt. Also, Mace Windu is the stupidest fucking character ever. And that’s never gunna change.

Ps loved the way you got rid of all those goofy BSG style zooms in the battle scene.

I must precede my review with the admission that I hate Attack of the Clones. It is my least favorite Star Wars movie, drags on and on and on, and on, and Anakin is waaaaaaaay tooo creepy. The movie is almost unsalvageable. It has some GREAT scenes and effects and is clouded by dark judgments. Moving on.

Is it fair to assume most people read the reviews to find their definitive version? Some of us nuts watch all the cuts, but for the casual viewers they want to know which edit to check out. As such, I think it most fair to compare this edit to the only other released HD Attack of the Clones edit, L8wrtr’s The Republic Divided. Well let me tell you… they are near identical. I watched Q2′s Ep II last week. Today I watched The Republic Divided and Fall of the Jedi II, LITERALLY side by side. In sync. Proof: http://imgur.com/FnkKR.jpg

I kid you not; the biggest difference between these edits is the order in which Anakin/Padme love story and Obi’s visit to Kamino are cut. L8wrtr keeps an extra 1.5 love scenes, while Q2 kept the search for Jango and the missing planet hunt. Obi Wan is my favorite prequel character, and all his scenes are needed to keep the viewer awake. I found Q2′s pacing to be a little better and more balanced between film noir mystery and romcom. The inter-cutting feels slightly more starwarish than L8wrtr’s edit, which came off as slightly romance heavy comparatively.

The next biggest change is Q2 cutting ALL of the Yoda/Dooku fight while L8wrtr cuts only the lightsaber parts. I am indifferent about this. I dislike the hippity hoppoty frog Yoda but the movie works with and without Yoda saving Anakin/Obi from a giant silo and gravity. If Yoda catching a ball of lightning is important to you, you might not like this edit. (If you love for that scene, check out the bonus features.) Regardless, Q2 crafts a stronger ending by cutting the Dooku/Sidious meeting at the end. Episode 3 starts off with more of a bang if you did not explicitly know they were in cahoots. This edit also removes Yoda/Mace sensing Anakin’s murder spree. I always wondered why they sensed some events and not others. You would think they could sense Anakin impregnating Padme. I am sure that was rough and full of emotion, just like his mother dying. Also cut is Palpatine telling Anakin he will become the most powerful Jedi ever. This edit does a GREAT job of actually somewhat hiding the fact that Palpatine is a Sith. He makes it so obvious and as a consequence the Jedi look completely incompetent. George went way too far in beaming the audience over the head with the message that Palpatine should not be trusted. Q2 fixed everything.

Oh, and Q2 cut the entire Droid Factory sequence. Thank the Gods. Even Loki. This is a phenomenal choice all edits should make. By replacing the steaming pile of robot parts with Padme trying to negotiate with Dooku, Q2 makes her character much stronger and ballsy It is startling thinking she would walk right up to the face of evil and start making demands. When she says she is not afraid of death, you believe her. She pranced right into death on her own accord, with no regard for her own safety. All she cares about is her people. What a princess.

As usual, I don’t like to end reviews without constructive criticism. The problem is, this edit really doesn’t need any. But for the sake of completeness, here goes nothing…

Q2 cut Anakin’s “I have a bad feeling about this.” HOW COULD YOU? Seriously? This line belongs in every Star Wars movie. Period. I am not sure why, but it is tradition, and thus this cut is blasphemy of the highest degree.
Q2 cut the seismic charges and the Jango/Obi planet ring chase. I love this scene because of the sound effects, music and camera work. I know, I know, it is little more than a tech demo to show off your surround system. It adds little to the movie except making Jango slightly more menacing. Even that interpretation is a stretch. But it does contain the hilarious “This is why I hate flying.” One of the best lines in the movie. Q2′s edit unfortunately does a great job of proving this scene can go. It is still one of the only two scenes I really like in this movie (the other being the execution), so he is losing points. Big time.

There is one edit towards the beginning of the movie which I did not find seamless, and after watching the original, also unnecessary. I talked to Q2 about it and he said it took him hours to accomplish the cut. So out of respect, I am not going to say exactly where it happens, because if you don’t notice it, it won’t bother you. I wouldn’t want my comments to ruin your enjoyment of the cut. Still there isn’t much reason for it. And that is about it.

Soo points and stuff.

Audio 10 +
Video 9.99 (One cut early on seems fast. Too fast.) +
Presentation 10 (Love the covers and menus. Gorgeous is an understatement. Simple yet satisfying. Not slimy in the slightest. Bonus features are lovely and I appreciate their brevity.)

= Technical: 10/10

Editing Choices.

Cut the asteroid battle -.5
Cut “I have a bad feeling about this” and “This is why I hate flying.” Frowny face and a stern look, but no points lost.

Total: 9.5/10

This rounds up to a 10/10. The asteroid deduction is a joke. Q2 proves this scene doesn’t belong, except many on a THX test disc. Fall of the Jedi II: Attack of the Clones is the best Star Wars Attack of the Clones edit I have seen. Bonus points for being crystal clear HD. It is my definitive copy, belongs on your movie shelf, and deserves a place in your heart.

*This rating was given before reviews were required*

A vast improvement over the theatrical cut. Anakin was actually somewhat likable. Obi-Wan wasn't a prick to him. The romance angle was much more plausible. Still a few bits of silliness here and there, but that's a given. I liked the way you handled the toxic dart investigation. It flowed really well. I don't like Anakin going on a killing spree, mostly because of the awful scene in the shed, but this edit did good at making you think Padme is going to stick by Anakin even in his dark places. The kiss at the arena was superb.

This, for me is the perfect edit for Attack of the Clones.

In my opinion, Attack of the Clones is the worst out of the 3 prequel movies. The romantic bullshit, the love cliché environment just made this movie silly, ridiculous.

Now the movie is compact, the romance is BELIEVABLE, adding the deleted scene was a wise decision, and it sets the relationship more as a normal one... even if it is special.

The scene after the Tusken Raider killing is now in a good level of tension, and removes the silly sentences by Anakin.

Removing R2 and C3PO works perfectly too, you don't even realise many of the cuts. This also happens with all the unnecessary bullshit in this movie... now it is a good movie!! A whole new experience for me...

Also, Yoda is not a flying rat with a lightsaber anymore. Thumbs up!!!

This is my new Attack of the clones version. Thank you!!!!


Just a couple of suggestions:
- I know it is not a big issue but I would have chosen a different moment to cut after Anakin is defeated by Dooku... it seems a bit weird, even if I get the idea.
- I would try to cut out the "Yep" of Boba Fett. He should be, for me, the quiet little guy...