Tor.com: “Attack of the Clones is a terrific installment in the Star Wars saga”

“[…] Because, no, Attack of the Clones isn’t equivalent to A New Hope. I’m not a crazy person. But I do love the prequel movies. I love them for the way they expanded the Star Wars universe, I love them for their ambition, and I love them for the tragic story they weaved. I’d even go so far to say that, in a world where tent-pole summer blockbusters couldn’t be more formulaic, the prequels are more deserving of praise than ever. It’ll be a long, long time before we see a big budget franchise display the kind of boldness George Lucas did in those three films. I mean, let’s face it: he could have just remixed the original trilogy. He could have taken his success and replicated it. But he didn’t. For better or for worse, Lucas gave us something different, something unique, and that alone will always be worthy of admiration in my opinion.

That said, while Attack of the Clones isn’t the landmark that A New Hope is, it is a terrific installment in the Star Wars saga, and it deserve more recognition—and not just as a punchline (Have you heard the one about sand being rough? I don’t think we’ve gotten quite enough mileage out of that one yet).

So, to celebrate this much-maligned second episode of the prequel trilogy, here’s 10 reasons why Attack of the Clones is better than you might remember:

The Unseen Adventures of Obi-Wan and Anakin

One of the best things about the original trilogy, everyone says, are the things we don’t see. The references to places and events that aren’t explained, the characters who look awesome but never introduced—there’s so much going on within the tapestry of this universe, and it not only helps to make the world feel real, but what was unseen sparked the imaginations of countless people (like me) who had their own Star Wars universes playing out in their heads. When Anakin and Obi-Wan muse about their adventures en route to meeting Padme, I get that same vibe: Anakin and Obi-Wan’s relationship seems lived in, and I want to know more. I want to see Anakin and Obi-Wan trapped in that nest of gundarks. These moments that open up and inspire the imagination, to me, will always be a big part of the Star Wars magic.

Count Dooku: It’s Christopher Lee.

Enough said. […]”

Read the whole article at Tor.com.