Today’s Prayer Focus
MOVIE REVIEW

Star Wars: Attack of the Clones

also known as “Star Wars: Episode II—Attack of the Clones”
MPA Rating: PG-Rating (MPA) for sustained sequences of sci-fi action/violence.

Reviewed by: Ryan Izay
CONTRIBUTOR

Moral Rating: Better than Average
Moviemaking Quality:
Primary Audience: Teen to Adult
Genre: Sci-Fi Action Adventure
Length: 2 hr. 12 min.
Year of Release: 2002
USA Release: May 16, 2002
Copyright, Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporationclick photos to ENLARGE Copyright, Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation Copyright, Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation Copyright, Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation Copyright, Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation Copyright, Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation Copyright, Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation Copyright, Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation Copyright, Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation Copyright, Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation
Relevant Issues
Copyright, Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

About murder in the Bible

Armies in the Bible

War

Love

What is true love and how do you know when you have found it? Answer

Goodness

Swords

Marriage in the Bible

PROPHECY and the Bible

Messiah

Messianic prophecies

Anger in the Bible

REVENGE—Love replaces hatred—former israeli soldier and an ex-PLO fighter prove peace is possible-but only with Jesus

How do I know what is right from wrong? Answer

Sin

New Age / Buddhist Philosophy

The subtle (or not so subtle) Buddhist / New Age philosophies (i.e. “The Force”) and other such content of the Star Wars series may leave many Christians unsure how to respond to such teachings in pop culture. We have provided the following resources to help you:

Buddhism: On the Rise in the West (from our EffectiveEvangelism site)

“New Age” Q&A

Click here to read about the TRUE force
What is the TRUE FORCE?
Featuring Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, Hayden Christensen, Christopher Lee, Samuel L. Jackson, Frank Oz, See all »
Director George Lucas
Producer Lucasfilm, George Lucas, Rick McCallum, Lorne Orleans
Distributor Distributor: Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. Trademark logo.20th Century Studios, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Studios, a division of The Walt Disney Company

“A Jedi shall not know anger. Nor hatred. Nor love.”

For every generation there are a group of movies that are so incredibly new and exciting that we take them with us as we grow older. These are the movies that we can all remember who we were with when we first saw them and how we felt, even if the details of the film are not clear. For my parents “Star Wars” would fall into this category as I’m sure it would for many people their age. And although the new addition to this series does have somewhat of a timeless quality to it, I’m afraid it would never fit in my list.

Not a “bad” film by any means, “Episode II” seems a little transparent or flat, as far as the script is concerned. As in the original films, “Episode II” is at its best when the action is going strong, but unfortunately this one seems to fall short once it stops. If action were enough, and it is extremely good action, then this film would be fantastic. The problem lies in the scenes leading up to the fantastic final forty-five minutes.

Much of the plot focuses on Anakin, who has now grown into a young man. A young man who is plainly in love with Senator Padme, our Queen Natalie Portman from “Episode I”. What could be an endearing love story ends up dry and predictable. Often I felt myself wondering when they would go back to Obi-Wan Kenobi, a much more entertaining character thanks to the ever talented Ewan McGregor.

With a great cast most seem to rely too much on the idea of Star Wars and never really make it their own. The three exceptions would have to be Ewan McGregor, Sam Jackson, at the top of his game when allowed to stretch his muscles in this humble role, and last but not least Yoda, with thanks to Frank Oz and more advanced puppets.

As great as the action is I could not help but notice that it is extremely violent. There are not a lot of blood and guts but the violence still seems a bit extreme for a PG rating, which is something you might want to take into consideration before taking any young children to see “Episode II”.

Frank Oz as the voice of Yoda in “Star Wars: Episode II”Aside from the violence the film does a good job of staying fairly clean but the subject matter can still be rather dark at times. “Episode II” deals with the abuse of power to a great extent and although there is something to be learned from this it seems that we end up watching a great deal of the characters abusing their power rather than the ones which are good. As in all movies about good and evil, evil must be portrayed, as Satan is portrayed in the Bible, but “Episode II” realizes that evil is often more interesting to an audience and so they choose to focus on it.

“The Attack of the Clones” is entertaining at points, long at others (over two and a half hours including the previews) but worth seeing in the theatres if you plan to see it at all. Before taking the kids make sure that they are mature enough to handle some tense and frightening scenes as well as violent battles. As far as finding a strong message in this film, well, may the force be with you.

See list of Relevant Issues—questions-and-answers.


Viewer CommentsSend your comments
Positive
Positive—Having seen the movie twice already, the only people I can see having a problem with this movie are rival film makers. While I didn’t dislike The Phantom Menace like a lot of people said they did, this one is a HUGE improvement. In fact, I haven’t seen a movie this cool since 1977. The story was engaging, the effects were top notch as usual, and of course—YODA! The last ten minutes alone would be worth the price of admission even if the rest of the movie sucked, which it definitely doesn’t.

A few people have mentioned having problems with occult overtones and the like, but just like the people at the Detroit News who say they saw racism, these people are seeing something that simply isn’t there. The Force is not occultic but fantasy, and there IS a difference…
My Ratings: [Good / 5]
Joseph J. Fusco, age 32
Positive—This is a terrific movie with a heart and amazing action sequences. People sometimes seem to read too much into this being like witchcraft. This is not set on planet Earth nor does the SW Universe have any ties whatsoever to Earth. It’s a fantasy movie. No kid with a little parental guidance is going to go out practicing witchcraft because of this movie. The whole arc of the SW saga is HOPE. Hope that even the vilest of sinners can be redeemed if he they are truly sorry and repent as Anakin does later in the series.

This movie is another step that shows what can become of us of we let possessiveness, and anger rule our lives. A great addition to the SW saga. I cannot wait for the story arc to be completed with EPISODE III in 2005.
My Ratings: [Average / 5]
Steven Bragg, age 26
Positive—I’d have to say that this 5th installment has been the best Star Wars yet. Attack of the Clones has all the elements that make a great movie. The effects are stunning and the acting, action, and plot are all solid and entertaining. Many Christians are familiar with the Star Wars concept of “The Force” and believe it to be a form of Buddhist propaganda.

However, I myself believe, also as a Christian, that “The Force” (with the good and “dark” side) is just a fictional phenomenom which explains the spiritual and supernatural conflict between Good and Evil in a fictional setting. I believe that this is a great fantasy movie and I can’t recall any moral objections.

I’m sure many Christians will disagree but the Bible isn’t all about flowers and smiles either and is in fact, more graphically disturbing than Attack of the Clones. This movie is mature in that it does portray violence and war. Also, the Love story was very tasteful and no obvious sexual connotations were discovered unless you look too hard at some of Natalie Portman’s outfits. I also noticed a few minor flops in details, but they are too minor to take away from any of the enjoyment that the movie provides. Also, there is no favor towards evil which is why I give this a Good moral rating. I do suggest that people who havn’t seen Episode I watch that first for better understanding of the plot.
My Ratings: [Good / 5]
Antero Colon, age 24
Positive—Some people that have commented on this movie said that Senator Amidala’s costumes were SOOO offensive that they couldn’t even watch the movie. Although I agree that her costumes were too showy they weren’t sooo horrible that it ruined the movie. I really loved this movie. I encourage anyone to see it! Some people say that this is New Age and Buddhist and even tho that’s what it’s based on, I don’t think they are trying to pound it into your head and convert you to Buddhism! This is just a great story. The only thing that I didn’t like was that at some parts the dialouge was a little lame, but otherwise the movie ROCKED!!!…
My Ratings: [Good / 5]
Matt, age 27
Positive—Attack of the Clones is an excellent film with a number of Film genre references from film noir, to war films, to romantic-comedy. It’s a truly wonderful story that has a timeless quality to it and I encourage Christians to see it because it portrays positively the struggle between good and evil. The “occultism” of the Force is one of the elements routinely brought in the story by Concerned Christian but unwarranted in Attack of the Clones (or indeed any of the trilogy) while not out and out saying “God is the source of the power of the Jedi, Satan is the source of the Sith’s power” it’s heads and above clear. I half fear Jesus would be stoned as a witch in today’s society sometime, there is plenty of real occultism out there without having to focus on miracle subtext. Padme’s dress was a little more “mature” than it was when she was playing a 14 year old but she is not dressed any more outrageously than a normal beautiful woman in evening attire or summer’s day wear…
My Ratings: [Better than Average / 4½]
Charles Phipps, age 21
Positive—This movie is the best star wars film ever, it is leading up to the birth of the empire and the formation of darth vader. Anakin was played out well and all the other characters did god jobs. As for the comments about too much Flesh, please, there wasn’t even that much shown and it seems that you must of been looking for that if you noticed and was drawn away from the movie. It is perfectly suitable for people of all ages, the final scene is kind of action packed and has a dark overtone to it but if you think this movie is dark… wait till III.
My Ratings: [Good / 5]
izzy frederickson, age 20
Positive—It’s not very often that a movie comes along that I can take my 8 yr old son to. The Star Wars Saga are still clean, and does not drag our Lord’s name into it. I have seen all the Star War films more times than I would admit to, and this is right up there with “The Empire Strikes Back” which is my all time favorite movie. There were good morals and decision making in starting a relationship rather than just feeling between Anikin and Senator Padme. The violence was not graphic but done in good taste. It is classic dark tones, special effects, serial humor and fast action put this as a must see.
My Ratings: [Better than Average / 5]
Gene Miller, age 48
Positive—I just saw the movie this weekend and I thought it was better than Episode 1. The movie was slow in some spots but still informative. The action finally picked up at the end. There are some disturbing scenes (for young viewers) and Padme should just a little too much skin. Other than that, one of the better Star Wars movies but not the best.
My Ratings: [Better than Average / 3½]
John, age 36
Positive—First of all, I can’t see why people are criticizing this movie for the amount of skin shown. Yes, it was inappropriate, but Leia’s costume in “Return of the Jedi” was much, much worse. I was surprised at the amount of violence shown, it definitely pushed the PG rating. I thought the romance scenes were pretty dry and flat but the action scenes make up for it. Especially Yoda’s fight. People in the theater were cheering before/during/after that scene. I would recommend this to anyone who doesn’t freak at violence.
My Ratings: [Good / 3½]
Kristen, age 21
Positive—Our family really enjoyed this movie. Our three daughters, 10, 6, and 5 really liked it although it was a bit long for the 5 year old. It is true some of the clothes Amadala wore wore a bit revealing, but nothing worse than they might see, but flipping through the channels of the tv. I saw nothing wrong with the relationship between she and Anikin.
My Ratings: [Better than Average / 5]
Jeanette Case, age 29
Positive—Although it was obvious that the “force be with you” is not biblical, there was no profanity, and no sex, as many movies portray now. I found the love story between Anakin and Senator Amidala to be wonderful. The special effects were very impressive. If you can look past the violence and the idolatry in this film, it is a great movie-one worth seeing again.
My Ratings: [Average / 4]
Tara, age 19
Positive—Just like all of the other Star Wars movies. George Lucas is telling a story to arouse emotion and excitement in its viewers. He was successful. Aside from the mind control and levitating, this is a classic story of good versus evil. The story was told so well that my wife, (not a Star Wars fan.) wanted to know more about the whole story. On its own, the movie isn’t that great, but when all of the other movies are taken in to account this movie was well written and acted. The action scenes where wonderful and the special effects where masterful. Episode II is a MUST See!
My Ratings: [Better than Average / 4½]
Dameon Gray, age 27
Positive—Just got back from the premiere day of the latest Star Wars flick. I went with my son (13) and his friends. I have followed the series since I was his age and have continued the interest. While mildly disappointed in Phantom Menace I was thrilled with the next movie Attack Of The Clones. Overall, production was superb. Special effects were awesome. There were tons of new creatures, vehicles and characters to amaze your eyes and bring your into their SW universe. There was lots of action for those action buffs (hey guys) and there was a love story with all aspects of that MINUS sex (hey girls). I would say kids over 10 would enjoy it on up to geeky guys in their 40’s. NOT a really great date movie though. Anakin begins to show his dark side in a few areas. There are LOTS of subtle hints and connections to the first released trilogy. From a Christian perspective…NO sex, some violence none graphic or bloody. Language was VERY clean…don’t recall ANY objectionable words. Amedela’s outfits were rather… let’s say THERE we may have an issue. While quite beautiful as gowns may be other outifts were close to objectionable. Anakin’s step brother has a live in girlfriend in quick mention. There are no obviously DARK looking characters like Darth Maul in this movie. Best of all (to me) MINIMAL JAR JAR BINKS exposure. He may be on screen for 3 scenes and they are quite short. THAT was great to see.

As for the often questionable “force”…there was less of an element of spiritual practice as it was a “side” to be on. Never presented as a religion but hint of philosophical bent with power attached. I understand that this is questionable and worth discussing regardless of how it is presented or breezed over however I did not find it offensive… I mean no more than Touched By An Angel is new agey at times. (offended THOSE supporters I am sure) I advise anyone concerned with that to pick up April/May’s issue of New Man Mag for a great Star Wars and Christians article. While quite conservative I had no problem taking my son to the movie. I look forward to seeing it again and buying the DVD. And like any movie like this my wife will enjoy it with me (for me) when it is rented, she’s so sweet.
My Ratings: [Better than Average / 5]
Steve Hample, age 38
Positive—When I left the theater after seeing the movie I wasn’t sure how I felt about it. I had to sleep on it. As an avid Star Wars fan, I have to say that this movie is… “different”. In some ways, the movie is downright disturbing, and I believe this reaction was intended by Lucas. This movie has very dark elements as you see some real attitude changes in Anakin. We all know he will become evil, its just tough to watch at times because we were used to the “cute kid” of Episode I.

As for the movie itself, the effects are stunning. Yes, Natalie Portman at times is showing skin as one other reviewer pointed out, but its never as bad as what Princess Leia wore on Jabba’s barge in Return of the Jedi so downing the movie on that point compared to the first trilogy is not entirely fair. Best part of the movie has to be Yoda. His lightsaber duel rocks. In the end, great movie. Just be prepared for some disturbing aspects. It has to be that way, the whole prequel is about a boy’s journey from good to [the dark side]…
My Ratings: [Better than Average / 4]
Dave Christie, age 31
Positive—As a mother of young boys, I watch carefully wondering if my children will be allowed to see the movie. I know they wait anxiously for the answer. I hope against hope for a movie that will not emphasize violence, omit profanity and offer some wholesome fun. In short, I hope for a miracle. Despite my careful scrutiny, I must admit that Lucas made a valiant effort to provide a movie suitable for many young children.

Concern #1: What about the love story between Anakin and Amadala? Anni reminded me of an adolescent boy. He was awkward and always trying to portray himself as more mature than he was. There were three kisses: short, semi-conservative and not overly emphasized. Amadala’s wardrobe is fascinating as it was in Episode I, however the white leotard was tight fitting and somewhat revealing. I did find their relationship offensive.

Concern #2: How much violence is in this movie? It is consistent with all other episodes. In particular, Anakin’s arm is cut off and a bounty hunter named Janga-fett has his head cut off. In one scene, Annakin gives in to his consuming hatred and kills all of the Tuskin Raiders (sand people) who had captured his mother. During the final scenes there is a battle in the arena between the Jedis and the droids which are led by Count Dooku, second to Darth Sidious, also known as the Emperor. In all of the violent scenes, there is no gore. There is no blood shown.

Concern #3: What about the storyline? Again, this episode is consistent with all others. It displays the typical “new age” like mysticism such as mind control and elusions to seeing the future. The first half of the movie is a lot of dialogue and establishes the dissention within the political government. Many viewers could get restless, young children especially. The remaining half offers more action and is very engaging including light saber duals and a performance by Yoda that will have you in hysterics.

Overall, the corny humor is endearing. It reels in young kids. Adults might find themselves laughing AT the humor instead of laughing because of the humor, but in the end, at least you’re laughing. There are those who will come and leave criticizing for sure, but if you go to this movie to have fun, you will. Sit back. Let yourself be a kid again. Enter the world of make believe and be thankful for a movie that isn’t full of profanity, sexual innuendos and gory violence.

If you choose to take your children, the movie will set a nice platform for discussing the battle between good and evil as it compares to the battle we face daily between the flesh and the spirit, as Paul says, “For what I am doing I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do… I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.” Romans 7: 15, 23-25
My Ratings: [Better than Average / 4]
Marchelle Klein, age 28
Positive—This movie was AWESOME! Any Star Wars fan, young or old would be proud of George Lucas for this one. The costumes were amazing, the music incredible (yet classic) the effects and stages were like nothing we have yet seen! I was NOT disappointed. As far as who should see this movie, anyone who has the ability to separate fantasy from reality. A few of Senator Amadala’s costumes were a bit lacking in material but nothing terribly offensive.
My Ratings: [Better than Average / 5]
Paula Olivito, age 29
Positive—First of all, I have been a HUGE fan of the Star Wars series since the opening day of the first film (later called “A New Hope”) back in high school. I have stayed “faithful” ever since. This movie was a real treat—more to my liking than the previous installment, although I felt the story gets a bit muddled and confusing at times.

The scenery is beyond description. There are, however, a few violent scenes that should be of note for those with younger children. Beyond that, I found nothing objectionable, even the usual mysticism played down a little bit more. Ultimately you will form your own final opinion on this one, but I can safely bet that you will be anxious for Episode Three by the end of the film! Recommended.
My Ratings: [Better than Average / 5]
Mike Koger, age 41
Positive—I am a Star Wars fan and I found the movie to be very well written and very entertaining. It seemed to go by really fast. There was no cursing in it. If you have any time to go to it, go see it. There is violence in it but blood is not a big part of it. It is really rare to have a movie without any cursing in it, about as rare as hen’s teeth. I applaud George Lucas in his decision with making it without any cursing. It does set-up for the next movie, and the Episodes 4, 5, and 6.
My Ratings: [Better than Average / 5]
Scott Mullins, age 19
Positive— Over 20 years ago in 2002, I watched “Attack of the Clones” on the big screen, this film was spectacular by itself and Infinitely superior to the horrible boring disaster that was “The Phantom Menace” I personally loved the Incredible Action and Special Effects in this Movie, a well written story and plot, never a dull moment, overall a superb movie, the best of the Star Wars Prequel Films by far !! Good clean Sci-Fi Fun, if only every Star Wars movie were as good as “Attack of the Clones”.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 5
Jeff Andrew Winters, age 43 (USA)
Neutral
Neutral—I honestly think that when the “myth-maker” finally finishes his prequel trilogy, he will find that it is not a matched set. George Lucas, who set out to recapture the by-gone days of the Hollywood thrill factory through a modern chapter serial, has both succeeded and failed. It is obvious that he succeeded in the original “Star Wars” trilogy.

I know that our former Methodist turned Buddhist weaves large doses of his theology into every portion of the “Star Wars” saga. His latest release is no exception. The title of the film is more of a commentary on these prequels than a bridge to the chapters IV—VI. In “Star Wars Episode 2: Attack of the Clones,” Lucas has managed to “clone” bad acting, terrible dialogue, violence (come on MPA—this should have been a PG-13 film) and some extra skin thrown in. Yes, the special effects are incredible. It is impossible to take it all in one viewing.

I know that I caught the “midnight special” area premiere and an evening showing on the first day. I personally think that Lucas should have tried to match the first three chapters visually with the rest of his story. It is difficult to effectively create an effective Sci-Fi prequel (just watch the TV show “Enterprise”).

This film has also managed to create a never-ending debate as to what actor could have better played young Anikan Skywalker. I found the dialogue extremely “dumbed-down.” It was almost as if we were being spoon-fed the story. Most of us are smart enough to realize that “belief affects behavior” (Duh!). The “one-liners” in the script were certainly a prophetic stretch to prepare us for cinematic information that we already know about.

My next criticism is the MPA’s rating of this film. This movie should, in all fairness, have been rated PG-13. Come on now, you go and watch “Clones” and “Spider-man”, and try to make sense out of our current highly biased rating system. Parent of younger children should take note. This is not your parent’s “Star Wars”! Don’t you think that epic battle scenes with heads and limbs severed should be at least PG-13? How about an entire village killed because of rage? Can I rate the next film?

Yes, I love “eye-candy” as much as the next Sci-Fi fan, but I also enjoy some reasonable substance (even in a B-movie). “Attack of the Clones” reminds me of a recent trip to a restaurant. They were out of everything on the menu that I wanted, but I still ordered—because I was hungry. You will enjoy the visual experience, but that is about all. There is a lot of cinematic muscle coming out this summer and I predict that for the first time a Star Wars film will loose money in the US and instead of waiting 11 months for it to come out in video—you will see it in the stores by Christmas.
My Ratings: [Average / 5]
Douglas Downs, Staff Writer
Neutral—The film introduces potentially harmful thoughts that you must be prepared for. Three key challenges to consider when watching or bringing people to this Star Wars film. First, one of the lead characters, Anakin Skywalker, is an arrogant, impatient, and easily angered young man. But get this: A kind beautiful girl is attracted to him somehow and he gets her in the end! Some may mistake him for a role model from this. You may want to explain what really happens to this kid later (i.e., Darth Vader with no chicks anymore). Second, the force has always been made to be cool. It is a reflection of George Lucus’ (the writer/director) own confusion and beliefs on religious pluralism and it’s sad. Be careful that people don’t get too caught up in this impersonal “force.” Third, I won’t dwell on this since many already have, but the dresses that Padame (Natalie Portman) wears are unnecessarily exposed and I wonder if the entire romance is nothing more than animal attraction…
My Ratings: [Better than Average / 2]
Mike Y, age 26
Neutral—Those of you who think Ep.II is better than Ep.I need to go watch Ep. I again. Also, this movie would be more appropriately titled: “Attack of the CGI!” I found myself not really caring about the characters (especially computer generated ones) as much as in any of the other 4 movies. This movie was very choppy and often convoluted to the point where it’s hard to tell which planet you are watching and who is on it! You have to wait for C-3PO to show up at the end of the movie before you get any comedy and the final light saber battles were exciting, but not even as good as Darth Maul’s duels. The violence is VERY heavy and is not appropriate for younger viewers. Humanoids and Creatures alike are killed and dismembered in massive amounts in all sorts of unique ways. Unfortunately, I am not eager for Ep. III. Here’s hoping that Lucas inserts some interesting and humorous dialogue reminiscent of the original trilogy by then!
My Ratings: [Average / 2]
T Whitten, age 24
Negative
Negative—I’ve grown up with the Star Wars series and this was about the most “average” of any of them. Much better than episode one but not near as good as IV (A New Hope). The religious nature of “The Force” was shunned for the most part. We even get to see Yoda in a Saber fight. However, there was at least one scene (were Amidala {sp?} and Anikin were talking about their relationship) where the acting was just terrible; you or I could have done better in the average home movie. This one was okay, as far as movies go; somewhat disappointing being of the Star Wars Series.
My Ratings: [Good / 3]
Bob C, age 38
Negative—Episode II was better than Episode I, however that is beside the point. Some of the battle scenes are impressive, but only marginally so. In fact, while much has been made of the digital effects, some of them are very rough. (See i.e. the scene of Anakin riding some creature on Naboo. The animation reminded me of some type of second rate video game.) My main beef is that there is way too much flesh in this movie. In fact, I regret that I did not walk out. In fact, it was so pervasive that I missed a good quarter of the movie averting my eyes. So, if you like to guard what you see, do not see this movie.
My Ratings: [Very Offensive / 3]
Joe Littlefield, age 26
NegativeGeorge Lucas understands the media of film, and uses it well. In this movie, the second of the “prequels” to the original Star Wars trilogy, he uses every advance in cinema technique to stunning, but morally objectionable effect. Throughout this movie occultism and non-christian “spiritualism” hold sway, pervading the atmosphere like a slimy coating of warm jam, presenting the user with a “Truth” that is blatantly against the teachings of Christ. The heroes of this story use “The Force” (an obvious occultist ideology) to fight against the legions of darkness and evil. However, does this power of good have its place in the Christian worldview? The answer to this is a resounding NO. No form of sorcery, however defined or named can be considered to come from God. See Deuteronomy, “…one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who conjures spells… For all who do these things are an abomination.”

I find it difficult to reconcile the worldview presented in this movie with the Truth as told in the good book. Lucas’ view (as shown in this movie) is insidious, as subtle as a tiger in the grass, hidden from view but ready to pounce and devour the unwary. I believe this movie to be a serious distraction from our relationship with the Lord. It is only through His word that evil is overcome, His is the only Force to be reckoned with. As my pastor Christopher Morris would say, “Christ is the answer, and all other questions are irrelevant.”
My Ratings: [Very Offensive / 3]
John Conway, age 32
Negative—The movie is rated PG but there are a lot of scenes where Senator Amidala is exposing herself to a disturbing degree. The story line was poor and the script was worse. If you liked Episode 1 do yourself a favor and don’t see this. But if you do Episode 1 will seem a lot better suddenly.
My Ratings: [Better than Average / 1½]
Greg Battista, age 24
Movie Critics
…Undeveloped, but consistent, pagan (almost Buddhist, somewhat New Agey) worldview where heroes are taught to engage with the apparently impersonal, transcendent spiritual “force” in the universe in an illogical, impersonal way; occult elements include mind control, telekinesis and mild references to telling the future; solid moral elements and minor redemptive elements include epic battle between good and evil where good is preferred, strong (almost conservative) warnings about the dangers of a totalitarian dictatorship, many references to the proper maturing and training process of trusted kingdom warriors, references to the necessity of unity to prevail against the enemy, and the fruits of bitterness and the susceptibility of the heart to evil when unforgiveness remains…
Lisa Rice, Dr. Tom Snyder, Dr. Ted Baehr, Movieguide
…With a lagging first half… lavish special effects… some okay acting on the parts of the few heavy names they had… and a story that just didn’t cut it for me in all the right places… if I were to rate this film, I’d have to give it a 6/10. I don’t usually do that because my opinion really doesn’t mean anything in the long run… and numbers like that, well, I don’t want people to think I didn’t enjoy myself. 6 isn’t a great score… but for what this film is… which is a FAN film… it’s about as good as I can give it…
John, Wordsfromhere
Comments from young people
Positive—I was one of those people who stood in line for a while to get tickets to this movie and let me say the wait was worth it. I have been a fan of Star Wars for awhile now and had been anticipating this for months now. The action scenes are fantastic and the special effects are out of this world. Do yourself a favor and spend your hard earned cash on an enjoyable movie.
My Ratings: [Good / 5]
Travis, age 18
Positive—As an avid Star Wars fan (one who would wait nineteen hours for the movie outside Mann Chinese and sleep on the sidewalk) and a Christian, I can honestly say that there was nothing in this movie to keep out someone 10 or older. Otherwise, it should be to the parents’ discretion. In fact, my 8 year old brother just asked me if I “thought it was appropriate for him.” I said no. Why? He is extremely impressionable, and with reference to the Force (not excessive), intense fighting sequences (to reiterate, no blood and gore; tastefully and admirably done), and three outfits in particular of Amidala’s (one showing six inches of midriff, one revealing her entire back, and one showing everything armpit and above), I did not feel that, without much discretion yet, it would be something that he would be entirely ready for.

Since all the real fans will have already seen the movie by the time this review is available, I now preach to the general Christian public. This movie was simply amazing. No but’s about it. Obviously, I was most impressed with the fight scenes, which make up about half the movie. I repeat another reviewer in saying that these scenes are something that you have never seen the like of before. Really. I heartily recommend this film to the casual viewer, cautious viewer, and, of course, the crazed viewers (again).
My Ratings: [Good / 5]
Kevin O'Brien, age 17
Positive—I enjoyed this installment of Star Wars immensely. It contained much more battles and Jedi fights than the last, and most of the battles were against battle droids, not humans, though quite a few humans died. There was also the issue of cloning and its ethics. These clones were used mindlessly as soldiers and sent to their deaths just as simply as droids. That part should be of some concern. The plot, while hard to follow at points, is wonderfully complicated, and I’m still trying to piece everything together. Natalie Portman’s outfits were nothing to be concerned with, less revealing than Britney Spears’s! However, when her shirt got torn, I don’t see how it managed to tear the whole thing all the way around. Overall, an excellent movie with great special effects, the best in the trilogy.
My Ratings: [Better than Average / 5]
Cameron, age 14
Positive—I think this movie was awesome, and here is why. Not only is it better than Episode I, it has better dialogue, better special effects, it has more emotion in it, and is just great. And there is NO OFFENSIVE LANGUAGE, unlike 99% of most movies out today. Padme’s clothes are a little more revealing, but nothing worse than you see everyday walking down the street. All together this is a really good film, the moral rating is very high, much better than almost all movies. This is one I’d suggest for ANYBODY.
My Ratings: [Better than Average / 4½]
Tyler, age 14
Positive—I am quite pleased with newest installment of the Star Wars series. Although not as good as the originals, Attack of the Clones far surpasses The Phantom Menace. The action scenes and visual effects were amazing. There was no blood or gore at all. The only objectionable part was a few of Padme’s dresses. Some of them revealed too much skin. Although I was disappointed by this, the movie was still very good. There were even a few moral overtones. Anakin gets himself into trouble when he disobeys his elders. He also is reprimanded for thinking that the most important thing in life is a relationship, rather than his duty, which could represent a christians service to God.
My Ratings: [Better than Average / 4½]
Aaron Jones, age 17
Positive—Being the avid Star Wars fan that I am, I had to go see this movie on opening night. A few days later I decided to read a few viewers comments here at “Christian Answers.net,” just to see what people thought. I have to say that I was very impressed with the movie but that I agree that there are a few minor moral faults. Yes, Padme did wear a backless dress at one point and a shirt that, after a fierce battle, eventually showed her mid-riff. There was also one scene that I can think of as being overly violent. (A certain bad guy getting his head cut off, with no blood shown I might add) But honestly, the moral aspects of the movie stood far above many, many, many PG movies that I have seen out there. But what I want to address is the idea of “The Force.” Too many people make a big deal out of that aspect of the movie. The movie was NOT created to persuade people to believe in “The Force.” George Lucas didn’t make the Star Wars saga to spread his evil beliefs and draw Christians to the occult…
My Ratings: [Average / 4½]
Sean Hannah, age 16
Positive—This was SO much better than Episode 1!! The first… oh I guess hour or so the dialogue seems very stilted and forced but it picks up later. The action sequences are great and the special effects are awesome! The love story between Anakin and Amidala gets pretty soppy, they spend a lot of time looking deeply into each others eyes. ;) But all in all I enjoyed the movie, I know the story so it wasn’t confusing to me; my Dad liked seeing where everyone came from. It’s interesting to see Anakin’s character beginning to “turn to the dark side.” As for worldview, you can get so much good discussion from this movie!! So if you wanna go see something fun, and you like Star Wars, go see it. (If you don’t like it, go see Spiderman!)
My Ratings: [Average / 4½]
Emma, age 15
Positive—This was a good movie. It was better than the Phantom Menace much to my relief. The violence is less than that of the Lord of the Rings. There is NO blood, and no gore. The only two scenes with a body part flying off is when Jango Fett is beheaded by Mcae Windu, and the other one has to do with a lightsabre duel, but neither is shown in a gross way. The digital effects were astounding, and the acting was good. Anakin did a great job. The only objectionable elements was when Padme’ wore slightly revealing outfits. All in all, a good movie and well worth the money.
My Ratings: [Average / 4½]
Joe, age 14
Positive—This was the coolest movie of all time. The graphics were amazing. The battle scenes left you breathless. And this movie made up for any problems in Episode 1. As for the whole “force” thing, get over it. There was no swears in the movie. There was only a few scenes with Jaa-jaa Binks (which made the movie much better). I went to see this movie with a bunch of Christian friends and we all enjoyed it along with the rest of the theater. This movie isn’t exactly recommended for little kids, but it is very appropriate for people 12+.
My Ratings: [Good / 5]
Jon, age 14
Positive—I just saw this movie and it was awesome! The special effects were even better than in the first one. In some scenes it could be categorized as suspense. The violence is not extreme but in some scenes it may be to intense for younger kids. There are also some creatures that could scare them. Hello George! Enough with the gushy scenes.
My Ratings: [Better than Average / 5]
Aaron L., age 12