Review Detail
9.7 8 10
FanFix
September 16, 2022
2799
(Updated: March 23, 2024)
Overall rating
9.8
Audio/Video Quality
10.0
Audio Editing
9.0
Visual Editing
10.0
Narrative
10.0
Enjoyment
10.0
I am so very torn on this. First off, a huge round of applause for DDS (Editor) for this cut. I love it. I don't think I'll ever go back to the theatrical (sorry, bluray). This is pretty much everything I want from Episode II. Those deleted scenes give new life to the film by giving new life to the Ani/Padme romance. And he manages NOT to butcher the original intent of Lucas. One could argue that comes with the territory of fan editing, but, I don't know... there's just something about messing too much with Star Wars. For some reason (personal thing) I just find them better off NOT fussed with too much. But I really do believe that DDS has found that perfect balance of improving by adding AND taking away... without taking away TOO much. Anakin is still the same character... just more identifiable. The romance is still classic Romeo and Juliet with all of its young adult craziness and cringe... just endearing now instead of tiresome.
This brings me to why I'm torn about the edit. I took one point off of a perfect score... even though I REALLY wanted to give it a 10/10. My hope is that DDS might go back and make two tiny tweaks that are stopping this behemoth of a fan edit from being absolutely stellar. So, before I get to my criticisms, I just want to say in plain english: I LOVE this edit and it is my FAVORITE presentation of Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones.
Also, a HUGE hats off to his efforts on restoring and upscaling the deleted scenes. I have seen others try and incorporate these same scenes to much less success in terms of them feeling seamless. Absolutely amazing wizardry.
Okay, on to the small things that broke my heart lol.
1. Musical transitions - (Timeline marks 32:31 & 50:44) Across the Stars is such a beautiful, iconic, and recognizable theme. And in these two transitions the musical fade out occurs BEFORE the chord finishes, interrupting the musical flow of the film. The audience is WAITING painfully for that theme to terminate its melodic and romantic voice... but we cut ABRUPTLY away from it. It is jarring and feels a bit like cinematic blue balls (pardon the crude analogy). The abruptness of it SCREAMS that something unnatural has occurred and pulls the viewer RIGHT out of this amazing experience that has been crafted. DDS has rescued the romance of this film... and then... with these TOO abrupt transitions... proceeds to shake it roughly as it is trying to be delicate. The ONLY reason I am so hard on this... is because of how much I love the edit. I want this to be my official go to, the one I show my kids when they are old enough, but these musical ouchies are just very painful.
2. - (Timeline mark - 52:45) I personally prefer Anakin having the nightmare about Shmi and not implying any kind of sexual foray between the two yet, but that's just down to my taste. The editor made a creative decision and I respect that entirely. That being said, there is a choice here I cannot figure out. We cut to Anakin standing in meditation looking out at the sunrise... and we hear a disconnected Anakin voice say: "We could keep it a secret." This is immediately followed by Shmi's pained voice that Anakin is perceiving, and then we go to Padme talking about Anakin's dream the night before. I have no idea what I am supposed to be getting from this. Is Anakin talking to Padme from the balcony while she's in the room saying, "We could keep it a secret"? Is he remembering Shmi's pained voice from his nightmare? Is he, RIGHT then, hearing her again? My brain just cannot put these pieces together within the time I'm given to do so and with the information I am being presented. I know this wasn't the intent, but it almost feels like Anakin's disembodied line and his mom's screams are somehow supposed to be connected... and it feels very weird. This one moment feels like a tiny little mustache on a massive and beautiful Mona Lisa. At the very least, I am hoping that DDS can help me understand the intention here. But honestly, I would love him the go back and just take a look at this moment from the audience's perspective and consider making a change that streamlines this scene. Even something as simple as taking the "We could keep it a secret" line out would immensely help the whole thing.
I hope none of this comes across as disrespectful. It is in no way intended to be. I love this edit and I really respect the vision of DDS. These are two little places where I strongly feel this work could be improved significantly.
Cheers to the editor. I cannot wait to see what you tackle next.
This brings me to why I'm torn about the edit. I took one point off of a perfect score... even though I REALLY wanted to give it a 10/10. My hope is that DDS might go back and make two tiny tweaks that are stopping this behemoth of a fan edit from being absolutely stellar. So, before I get to my criticisms, I just want to say in plain english: I LOVE this edit and it is my FAVORITE presentation of Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones.
Also, a HUGE hats off to his efforts on restoring and upscaling the deleted scenes. I have seen others try and incorporate these same scenes to much less success in terms of them feeling seamless. Absolutely amazing wizardry.
Okay, on to the small things that broke my heart lol.
1. Musical transitions - (Timeline marks 32:31 & 50:44) Across the Stars is such a beautiful, iconic, and recognizable theme. And in these two transitions the musical fade out occurs BEFORE the chord finishes, interrupting the musical flow of the film. The audience is WAITING painfully for that theme to terminate its melodic and romantic voice... but we cut ABRUPTLY away from it. It is jarring and feels a bit like cinematic blue balls (pardon the crude analogy). The abruptness of it SCREAMS that something unnatural has occurred and pulls the viewer RIGHT out of this amazing experience that has been crafted. DDS has rescued the romance of this film... and then... with these TOO abrupt transitions... proceeds to shake it roughly as it is trying to be delicate. The ONLY reason I am so hard on this... is because of how much I love the edit. I want this to be my official go to, the one I show my kids when they are old enough, but these musical ouchies are just very painful.
2. - (Timeline mark - 52:45) I personally prefer Anakin having the nightmare about Shmi and not implying any kind of sexual foray between the two yet, but that's just down to my taste. The editor made a creative decision and I respect that entirely. That being said, there is a choice here I cannot figure out. We cut to Anakin standing in meditation looking out at the sunrise... and we hear a disconnected Anakin voice say: "We could keep it a secret." This is immediately followed by Shmi's pained voice that Anakin is perceiving, and then we go to Padme talking about Anakin's dream the night before. I have no idea what I am supposed to be getting from this. Is Anakin talking to Padme from the balcony while she's in the room saying, "We could keep it a secret"? Is he remembering Shmi's pained voice from his nightmare? Is he, RIGHT then, hearing her again? My brain just cannot put these pieces together within the time I'm given to do so and with the information I am being presented. I know this wasn't the intent, but it almost feels like Anakin's disembodied line and his mom's screams are somehow supposed to be connected... and it feels very weird. This one moment feels like a tiny little mustache on a massive and beautiful Mona Lisa. At the very least, I am hoping that DDS can help me understand the intention here. But honestly, I would love him the go back and just take a look at this moment from the audience's perspective and consider making a change that streamlines this scene. Even something as simple as taking the "We could keep it a secret" line out would immensely help the whole thing.
I hope none of this comes across as disrespectful. It is in no way intended to be. I love this edit and I really respect the vision of DDS. These are two little places where I strongly feel this work could be improved significantly.
Cheers to the editor. I cannot wait to see what you tackle next.
User Review
Do you recommend this edit?
Yes
Format Watched?
Digital
T