TAGGED AS: films, movies, Sci-Fi, Star Wars
(Photo by ©Copyright Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation.)
Some people just don’t like Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones. It’s not that it’s coarse and rough and irritating and it gets everywhere – nope, we will never let the “I don’t like sand” moment die – though, according to many, it’s a few of those things. It’s more that this story of impending clone wars and doomed romance is – at least in the eyes of its critics – sappy, poorly written, terribly acted, and full of CGI that just doesn’t hold up. (Though there is that Yoda fight.)
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And yet… while legions of Star Wars fans consider Attack of the Clones the worst of any of the theatrically released Star Wars movies, the Tomatometer would beg to differ. In fact, not only does Attack of the Clones sit higher than The Phantom Menace and The Rise of Skywalker, according to the critics, it does so with a fairly decent Fresh score of 65%, with reviews praising George Lucas’s increased focus on action and move away from endless senate chit-chat.
Who is right? Audiences who deemed the film a Rotten franchise lowpoint? Or the critics who gave it a pass?
In the second podcast episode of our three-part special looking at the Star Wars Prequel trilogy, Rotten Tomatoes Is Wrong hosts Jacqueline Coley and Mark Ellis are picking up their lightsabers and slicing into Attack of the Clones. They’re tackling questions such as: Was Hayden Christensen really that bad as lovesick Anakin Skywalker? Did a totally unfettered George Lucas take his CGI obsession one step too far? And, yes, how good was it to see Yoda finally fight?
Our hosts are joined this week by comedian, actor, and co-host of podcast Blerds N the Hood, Jay Washington.
Check in every Thursday for a new episode of Rotten Tomatoes Is Wrong (A Podcast From Rotten Tomatoes). Each week, hosts Jacqueline and Mark and guests go deep and settle the score on some of the most beloved – and despised – movies and TV shows ever made, directly taking on the statement we hear from so many fans: “Rotten Tomatoes is wrong.”
Check out some more episodes of Rotten Tomatoes Is Wrong:
If you have a suggestion for a movie or show you think we should do an episode on, let us know in the comments, or email us at rtiswrong@rottentomatoes.com.
Meet the hosts
Jacqueline Coley is an editor at Rotten Tomatoes, with a focus on awards and indie coverage but with a passion for everything, from the MCU to musicals and period pieces. Coley is a regular moderator at conventions and other events, can be seen on Access Hollywood and other shows, and will not stand Constantine slander of any kind. Follow Jacqueline on Twitter: @THATjacqueline.
Mark Ellis is a comedian and contributing editor for Rotten Tomatoes. He currently hosts the Rotten Tomatoes series Versus, among others, and can be seen co-hosting the sports entertainment phenomenon Movie Trivia Schmoedown. His favorite Star Wars movie is Jedi (guess which one!), his favorite person is actually a dog (his beloved stepdaughter Mollie), and – thanks to this podcast – he’s about to watch Burlesque for the first time in his life. Follow Mark on Twitter: @markellislive.
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