I could not find the video for Ebert & Roeper's review for Revenge of the Sith. However, I found a transcript for some of their review. Ebert & Roeper Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005) transcript: Roeper: "The most anticipated movie of the year, the decade, the century, finally comes to theaters...I'm Richard Roper." Ebert: "And I'm Roger Ebert. Well here it is at last 'Star Wars Episode 3 Revenge of the Sith'. It opens Wednesday at midnight. This is an early review, after 28 years the Star Wars series concludes with a final shot showing two characters facing a dawn of what we know will be parts 4,5 and 6. By starting in the middle and returning to the beginning, Lucas loses some suspense since we already know that Anakin Skywalker will become Darth Vader. But the transition is in a way all the more fascinating as we see a younger and a more innocent Anakin (played by Haden Christensen) in love with Padme (played by Natalie Portman). Their twins will be the future Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia. As the movie opens, Anakin and a young Obi-Wan Kenobi (played by Ewan MacGregor) are flying to the rescue of the kidnapped Chancellor Palpatine. Palpatine (played by Ian McDermid) has an uneasy relationship with the Jedi Council and tries to shake Anakin's loyalty to the Jedi. Can Anakin be trusted? Mace Windu, Obi Wan and Yoda have their doubts about this untested young man. That's Samuel L. Jackson as the powerful Jedi Master Mace Windu and of course Frank Oz as the voice of Yoda. Finally the hostility surfaces in a duel to the death on a fiery volcanic planet. Revenge of the Sith is filled with action, including a thrilling dogfight, a sensational crash landing, maybe a little more dueling by lightsabers than you really need since since the swordsman are so good it takes forever for anyone to actually get hurt. The weakness is in the dialogue. It's flat when it should be poetic and exciting. They seem to be working from a limited vocabulary of basic English. This would be a bigger problem if the characters spoke more but they don't, except for Chancellor Palpatine who is eloquent and snakey as he seduces Anakin over to the Dark Side. Thumbs Up." ROEPER: "Yeah the Chancellor is the real villain in this chapter. Big thumbs up for me Roger. And you're right about the dialogue THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN A WEAKNESS IN THESE MOVIES. But that's a small part of this saga. I do like the action sequences a lot. I think this movie has something that the most recent two had none of and that is it has a heart. It really does. I mean the Natalie Portman character Padme." EBERT: "Yeah." ROEPER: "I mean she's playing this as real drama. She's seen the man she loves going to the dark side and it's really breaking her heart and it feels authentic." EBERT: "Yeah, the last third of the movie is stronger thanks to that emotional content. But at the same time I wish that in a way he (Lucas) would have pumped up the dialogue, you have people saying things like 'They're worried about you, they think you're under too much stress'. I mean come on." ROEPER: "Yeah. Hey absolutely." EBERT: "I mean its just pedestrian clunky dialogue." ROEPER: "Maybe they should have brought someone like David Mamet to punch it up." EBERT: "Somebody like Jackson (Samuel L.) is such an eloquent actor and here he is just intoning. THAT'S JUST A WEAKNESS OF THE SERIES." ROEPER: "But of the recent movies this is the best..." EBERT: "Yes it is." ROEPER: "I actually think it's the best one since Empire Strikes Back. Maybe the third best out of the 6." EBERT: "What this one does, it goes back to the great tradition of Space Opera, and action, and science fiction and gets out of those long dialogue passages that were not only badly written but also endless." ROEPER: "Yeah and as you mentioned of course the suspense isn't all quite there because we know what's going to happen." EBERT: "Yeah we know." ROEPER: "But that also gives the scenes a lot more resonance." EBERT: "The scene where Anakin turns into Darth V" (Transcript ends here).
Boy, did Roger end up being right. I'm a prequel fan but Roger's criticisms seem even better today: Lucas' decision to not shoot them on film and use more practical effects has been a disaster. They've aged soooo poorly. We'll never have a true 4k prequel release because they were shoot too low rez. This decision seems so insane today when Lucas could have even shot them on 70mm if he wanted! Tons of great actors working in green rooms likely played a huge role in the stiff performances. Love my Star Wars but I wish George had gone a different way.
I always prefer practical over computer effects, but the cgi in Phantom Menace looks better on 4K99 than the home releases, which have noise reduction, making the cgi look more dated than it is. Phantom Menace is native 4K, but we've not had a proper home video release.
You are correct. His big problem was, instead of 100 ships on screen he wanted thousands. Everything had to be bigger and flashier to please a more modern audience that was no longer amazed by these things as we were back when New Hope came out.. And that meant it would have been too slow and costly to use the old school film techniques. And as you point out, that is where the prequels loses a lot of the charm of the originals. He realized his mistakes after, unfortunately. If only he had held on and finished the trilogy, we might have had a happy ending. But he was so dienchanted by all the criticism of the prequels, he had nothing left to give I believe. Very sad for the fans like us. I rewatched Rogue One just last night. It honestly surprised me how much that movie was faithful to the originals. It had all of the qualities of the first three movies in a modern movie made in 2016. I would actually place it above Return of the Jedi and on par at least with New Hope and Empire. Which proves that George could have done it, if he had put his mind to doing it properly.
@@boneseyyl1060 Oh come ON, lucas could have afforded practical effects EASILY for the Prequels, the guy was a billionaire at this point. And Rogue One is a much BETTER looking film than the Prequels, as they engineered it to look like the OT.
You're welcome. I looked high and low for it and found it on a strange website. I have the video downloaded on my computer so if this video gets removed or whatever, I will have a safety copy.
Kind of funny on the contrast with the Roeper guy, if Gene Siskel had still been alive and doing this show, he would have disliked it a lot more than Ebert did
"I love you... I know." was fantastic, truely inspiring dialogue in the flawless incredible masterpiece gloroius wonderful sensational original triology.
@@hv3115The prequels are garbage, yes, but that doesn't mean people can't love them. I don't personally understand how anyone can love them... but that affection or dislike is subjective either way. If someone argues they're good, well made films? Then I take issue.
Their argument about Yoda's "laser-saber" is hilarious. I think this film is good for kids. I remember watching it when it came out shortly before becoming a teenager, and it was entertaining. There is enough variety in the action sequences, and kids aren't old enough to pick up on the utter lack of chemistry and the amateurish dialogue. (The CGI was considered advanced at the time and was not jarring. Keep in mind that we all saw Dwayne Johnson as a half scorpion crawl around the big screen the year prior.) I also remember that people were simultaneously shocked and amused when Yoda pulled out the lightsaber and started performing somersaults. That was all people were talking about on the way out of the theatre. Christopher Lee is the best thing about the film. He has gravitas in everything he does.
@@kali3665 i don’t like the CG version either, especially the way he flips around like Kermit the frog doing kung Fu. It made the wise Yoda into a goofy charicature
I grew up with the prequels and loved them all at the time but I think they're pretty bad films now for all the reasons Ebert gives here. I'll accept that there's a goofy charm to Phantom Menace and there are redeeming features in Revenge of the Sith, but Clones is an indefensible film imo, as bad as anything Disney did. I cannot believe Roeper said CG Yoda was better than the puppet
Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones turns 20!!! Made $80 million totaling $310.6 million following behind 'Spider-Man' Came out at a weird time after 9/11 with people worried gathering in large crowds I remember seeing it with my dad and sisters in the Adirondacks It remains, in more ways the one, a low point for the franchise, and one that has been recontextualized a great deal since its initial release There's no doubt the acting is bad, the dialogue is stilted, the romance is flat, and these lines Hayden Christensen has to say are boring, monotone, and lifeless It's also the longest and slowest of the prequels Yet the film still looks visually pleasing, the clone attack on Geonosis is the highlight Great to see Yoda fight in action and to see Christopher Lee as Darth Tyrannus bringing gravitas It's one of the first movies to be entirely shot in digital with good editing, framework, and Williams' score doesn't disappoint Thank god this paved the way for Revenge of the Sith to be so much better And there is an eternal lesson contained within this movie that applies now more than ever, as Hollywood simply cannot get out of its own way a lot of the time in its pursuit of box office dollars earned on the backs of franchise films That lesson is that just because something is attached to a property that people care about does not guarantee success Glad this expanded the canon with Jango Fett and the storm troopers' origins It's like a sand analogy; incorporating campy elements into a sci-fi blockbuster Once you get a little campy, it tends to spill over into everything
I don't like the look of this film. Early digital camera, it lacks detail and looks blurry and dark. I wish it were shot on film like Menace (although you'd have to see project 4k99 since every bluray and 4K are horribly degrained. 4K one is even upscaled).
Ebert nailed it. Moment I first seen Yoda jump off the walls with his laser sword I was done. Completely ruined his character and it was stupid. So much cringe and Roeber saying the dialog and delivery was good, should be ashamed to call himself a critic. Shrugging my shoulders
I very much like AOTC on the whole, but Ebert’s on the mark on the dialogue. Especially in the first half. Just so much exposition it’s mindnumbing. The Padme/Anakin stuff doesn’t bother me personally cause I always saw it on as a statement on how Anakin being in this repressive cult and Padme being a ruler her whole life who was robbed of a childhood would negatively effect their love lives. But I can see how some may find it grating regardless of the logical, narrative justification. I think the second half makes up for it’s shortcomings. The portion where the movie becomes the Searchers and the big arena battle with the Ray Harryhausen are big highlights for me. Also loved how it ended on the founder and leader of the would-be Rebel Alliance standing shoulder to shoulder with the Emperor overlooking the birth of the Empire.
This movie looks better than Empire Strikes Back?? Are you nuts, Roeper? The CGI creatures themselves look like crap. Theres no way this digital Yoda can hold a candle to the original
Remember this was 02, these effects were out of this world. For them to shoot this on green screen in 02 is insane. Look at the visuals of anything in 02 besides lord of the ring two towers and this is easy ahead that year
Roger Ebert was right about Phantom Menace, but I have to agree with Richard Roeper about attack of the clones. Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave it three-and-a-half stars out of four and called it "an astonishing achievement in imaginative filmmaking" and said, "Lucas tells a good story." Ebert also wrote that, "If some of the characters are less than compelling, perhaps that's inevitable" because it is the opening film in the new trilogy. He concluded his review by saying that rather than Star Trek films, filmmakers could "[g]ive me transparent underwater cities and vast hollow senatorial spheres any day".
Ebert is right on all fronts. Bad video game looking CGI including overuse of greenscreen, wooden dialog, and wooden acting. Yeesh. Thanks Roger. Rest well friend.
I'm somewhere in-between Ebert and Roeper on this one. I only marginally recommend it just because the action that is in the film - and there actually is a lot of it - is done really well, and the visuals of course are great. But I absolutely do agree with Roger about the banal script and dialogue. Just remember the future Darth Vader saying, "I hate sand." 🙄🤭🤣
The whole problem was, George was entirely focused on the visual effects in the prequels. I guess he just figured that the basic story he sketched out would be sufficient because everyone would going "OOOH, AAAH" at 1000 space ships at once, going pew pew on the screen. It didn't work, and he even admitted afterward that he was trying to do too much, visually. And the great thing is that Roger Ebert saw right through that. I don't think you can fault his review, in any way. He nailed how dull the actual movie was despite all of Lucas's digital flash and sizzle. I don't believe Roper's review was an honest one. I think he was merely doing a counterpoint to Roger, but it wasn't a very convincing one.
God, THANK YOU ROEPER "The romantic dialogue is so cliched and dated" "IT'S A LONG TIME AGO IN A GALAXY FAR FAR AWAY, IT'S SUPPOSED TO SOUND LIKE AN OLD PLAY"
I'm not sure it sounds like an old play... old plays can be pretty intriguing and have sharp ideas and dialogue. Attack of the Clones is more like a Middle-school play. 😅
@@MrZackavelli It has some amazing qualities for sure. -The Geonosians are some of the coolest looking aliens ever. And their Hive structure, society, and Queen, as detailed in the Clone Wars, makes for some of the richest creature characteristics in Star Wars. -The LAAT gunship which first appears in AotC, with its rockets, laser turrets and drop zone usage is just phenomenal and iconic. One of the best ships in Star Wars. -The Delta Aethersprite Jedi starfighter is beyond sleek. -Jango's charges are possibly the best and most memorable sound effect in the series. -The final Clone vs. Droid battle is visually stunning and heavily layered with detail. -Obi-Wan vs Jango is a great fight scene. -The scene where Anakin cradles Shmi Skywalker as she dies is actually very well acted and one of the most emotionally resonating moments in the entire saga. In terms of plot, dialogue character though, AotC is a failure in my eyes. Obi-Wan is involved in intrigue that is completely unintriguing. (literally all the information is just handed to us AND the character. I.E. The clones were created in secret, Jango helped create them, Jango works for Dooku. The Sith's involvement in the Clones creation is blatantly obvious and Obi-Wan missing these details makes him look completely incompetent.) Anakin and Padmé are involved in a romance that's not emotional. Just hilarious. (I don't like Sand! I can't love you, I'm a Senator! 😅) And Yoda, instead of the kind, wise, thoughtful Jedi Master, is a bloodthirsty general that never once attempts diplomacy. Just violence. I would understand if that was Windu's characterization, but not Yoda. In the end, the heroes are unlikable and unheroic, the adventure is stagnant, and the emotion is flat. Making Attack of the Clones one of my least favorite Star Wars films. It introduced lots of great elements into the universe, but AotC, for me, is a poor film overall. The follow up however, Revenge of the Sith, is my second favorite SW film of all time. But, if AotC resonates with you, if it's engaging and fun for you, then you're absolutely not wrong. There's no wrong opinion and, like you, I only have an opinion. I'm actually quite glad there are others who like it more than me.
@@thedorkydoodlesden Okay, I can't argue any of your subjective opinions with you, but I can reply to a few objective complaints you made: "AND the character. I.E. The clones were created in secret, Jango helped create them, Jango works for Dooku. The Sith's involvement in the Clones creation is blatantly obvious and Obi-Wan missing these details makes him look completely incompetent." Bra, Jango is a bounty hunter. He has no allegiance to any one. He can complete a job for the Republic one day (giving DNA for the clones) and then complete a job for the Separatists (being Dooku's bodyguard on Geonosis) on another. Unless it is mentioned that Dooku hired Jango specifically for the creation of the clones, then yeah, your objection would have some merit. However, Jango says that some guy called Tyrannus hired him. "I don't like Sand!" Anakin didn't exclaim this statement. He said it very calmly. I have never understood the gripes with this quote. Padme brought up the subject of beaches and laying out on the sand after a swim in the lake to dry off in the sun. Very pleasant memories of an Eden-like planet. Anakin grew up as a slave on a harsh, unforgiving sand planet with dangerous sandstorms and murderous indigenous tribes prowling about. Hence, he doesn't like sand. It has bad memories for him. "I can't love you, I'm a Senator! " You're paraphrasing here to make the dialogue look worse than it actually is. She says "You're training to become a Jedi; I'm a senator", reminding Anakin that these two career paths are not conducive to a marriage. "And Yoda, instead of the kind, wise, thoughtful Jedi Master, is a bloodthirsty general that never once attempts diplomacy. Just violence. I would understand if that was Windu's characterization, but not Yoda." Bra, when Yoda gets there, all of the Jedi and Padme are literally about to be shot to death in a hail of blasterfire. I'd say the time for diplomacy has passed, don't you? Not to mention the fact that these are all droids. Er go, no blood. I appreciate you prefacing your comment with the fact that it's your opinion; not many of your prequel-bashing brethren do the same.
@@MrZackavelli I feel critiquing the sequels, prequels or even the OG trilogy is perfectly fine. But bashing (i.e. calling them trash, calling people who like what they like stupid, etc.) is the lowest form of fandom. Or rather, it's just hate. No one needs it. I do critique the dialogue and character development in AotC as amateurish, but you're right I'm paraphrasing and exaggerating a bit. I know some like you are FINE with the dialogue and you're not at all wrong. I wish I was fine with it too. And of course most of my other critiques are subjective. As is 99% of criticism. Or praise. But bashing is of no use. Love what ya love and be vocal about it. Like I said, Revenge of the Sith is awesome to me and probably still stands as the most surprising gap between me hating one entry in a series and then loving the next.
George Lucas says that the reason so many people were turned off by the prequels, is that they weren't made for adults, they were made for children...as all of the Star Wars movies under his guidance. Problem is, the political stuff in the prequels are utterly boring for any child to sit through. Really Mr. Lucas, just admit that the prequels sucked like many of us feel the same way.
I’m not a big fan of attack of the clones but I agree with roger and most like myself missed out on seeing it digitally in cinemas and only the film version
Eberts words were ahead of their time. He wasn’t sold by the series’ legacy or the recently developed CG effects. He looked to the presentation, writing, and acting that would stand the test of time.
Roeper was so off on this one it makes me cringe. I didn’t think the movie was awful, but Richard “really liked” the love story? The dialogue was “witty”? CGI Yoda was better than the puppet Yoda?? I think he saw a different movie than Roger and I. Lol
Lucas filmed a scene of Padme's family having lunch with Anakin and two kids playing with RD-D2. That was more fun than the boring C-Span in space stuff.
It's really unbelievably terrible, and such an ugly movie, too. Shot on early 2K digital camera, not film, it sure looks primitive and has a dated appearance.
@@TannerBartko The prequel trilogy sucks in general but at least I can find certain things decent in Episode I and III but I can't think of one thing I like about Episode II. I hate this movie.
@@TannerBartkoThe Droid factory scene is just more dumb gratuitous CGI. It looks and feels phony and synthetic. Like watching a video game with horribly acted cut scenes. Just garbage.
Prequels suck, Richard. Always have. CGI will NEVER look believable. George Lucas was always so impressed with what he COULD do that he didn't pay enough attention to what he SHOULD be doing. This should be about the growing power of what would become the Galactic Empire (leaving aside that this makes Lucas's "Roman" empire last only 20 years), and instead we got a love story that is never believable for a minute. There are little moments here and there that do try to telegraph Anakin's inevitable turn, but it still comes across as a whining little prat who wants everything for himself. Not the best image for a future Sith Lord.
This was made at a time when there was clearly planning in the special effects and no planning in the writing, but nowadays, there's no planning in either.
@@TannerBartkoDue to cropping of the frame, it ended being around 840 pixels. The camera is completely outdated by now. It had problems with noise and color reproduction. It was basically unsuitable for a major motion picture.
Changing to DIGITAL was one of Lucas' most critical errors here. The OT has this GROUNDED imagery on REAL film, it's just more realistic and gritty. The over glossy DIGITAL camera made these films sometimes look more like Video Games than movies. Lucas got over obsessed with the TECHNOLOGY over the storytelling, and it cost it. As the Prequels remain hated to this very day.
This installment was the weakest in the series because…. Well, Lucas never could write. If Lucas had a lot more help with the damned script (it “won” a Razzie for a reason). And well… it could have been great. The screenplays for the original IV, V and VI actually had nominations. And as for the direction, well… he doesn’t seem to even notice his actors themselves aren’t exactly excited to be working on this project. Could he tell what a boring film he made?
That’s a wild stretch… The movie deserves a ton of criticism, even panning, but to say that it’s enough to show Lucas never was great is way too far. I agree with the other commenter, you can never take A New Hope away from him, and even if he didn’t direct V and VI, they’re still his movies, and he should get a lot of the credit for their greatness (and American Graffiti is also great, but pre-Star Wars Lucas is always forgotten).
I'm calling it right here: This is staged! The movie sucked and both men knew it. But... the show couldn't completely tear down the work of such a powerful Hollywood icon (and friend) like George Lucas or else there'd be hell to pay. So, they staged an up/down disagreement. 'That way, they could say what truly needed to be said about this abomination of a film... without the show itself throwing the picture into the trash like the dumpster fire that it is.
I’m sorry, but all three of those prequels were just downright boring. I watched them all again on DVD and not for one minute was a drawn in. All the characters were so distant and detached I found myself hoping they would be killed off by the end of the movie so they wouldn’t return for another sequel. The CGI was perfect. Everything else was flatter than day old beer.
Attack of the Clones is the weakest Star Wars movie (the sequel trilogy isn't even Canon to me, since I refuse to watch it). The reasons I find it worth watching is because of Christopher Lee as Count Dooku and the arena battle. The dialogue is really hokey even for by Star Wars prequel standards and it doesn't feel as adventurous as the other five movies. I still liked it, but it's far inferior.
In retrospect Attack of the clones is garbage compared to Revenge and Phantom. AOTC is filled with looney tunes moments mixed with like horrific violence its such a weird misfire im glad ebert saw through its millions and millions of dollars thrown at it
![เปิด อาณาจักร หมื่นล้าน "สาระตั้ม" l [Nickynachat]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/3XE0nPF4YkQ/mqdefault.jpg)
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“You don’t need no Laser-Saber.” Best line by Roger Ebert
There is not one line in this movie you can quote with any pleasure? People sure loved the I hate sand line, albeit not in the way intended.
In his print review Roger singled out that line as an exception for what it’s worth.
@@LinkMarioSamus he couldn't know how that's become such a famous line mocked for years to come.
@@christianlorre He said it was the only line that was not a complete cliche.
You wanna buy some death sticks?
"I call it aggressive negotiations."
I could not find the video for Ebert & Roeper's review for Revenge of the Sith. However, I found a transcript for some of their review.
Ebert & Roeper Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005) transcript:
Roeper: "The most anticipated movie of the year, the decade, the century, finally comes to theaters...I'm Richard Roper."
Ebert: "And I'm Roger Ebert. Well here it is at last 'Star Wars Episode 3 Revenge of the Sith'. It opens Wednesday at midnight. This is an early review, after 28 years the Star Wars series concludes with a final shot showing two characters facing a dawn of what we know will be parts 4,5 and 6. By starting in the middle and returning to the beginning, Lucas loses some suspense since we already know that Anakin Skywalker will become Darth Vader. But the transition is in a way all the more fascinating as we see a younger and a more innocent Anakin (played by Haden Christensen) in love with Padme (played by Natalie Portman). Their twins will be the future Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia. As the movie opens, Anakin and a young Obi-Wan Kenobi (played by Ewan MacGregor) are flying to the rescue of the kidnapped Chancellor Palpatine. Palpatine (played by Ian McDermid) has an uneasy relationship with the Jedi Council and tries to shake Anakin's loyalty to the Jedi. Can Anakin be trusted? Mace Windu, Obi Wan and Yoda have their doubts about this untested young man. That's Samuel L. Jackson as the powerful Jedi Master Mace Windu and of course Frank Oz as the voice of Yoda. Finally the hostility surfaces in a duel to the death on a fiery volcanic planet. Revenge of the Sith is filled with action, including a thrilling dogfight, a sensational crash landing, maybe a little more dueling by lightsabers than you really need since since the swordsman are so good it takes forever for anyone to actually get hurt. The weakness is in the dialogue. It's flat when it should be poetic and exciting. They seem to be working from a limited vocabulary of basic English. This would be a bigger problem if the characters spoke more but they don't, except for Chancellor Palpatine who is eloquent and snakey as he seduces Anakin over to the Dark Side. Thumbs Up."
ROEPER: "Yeah the Chancellor is the real villain in this chapter. Big thumbs up for me Roger. And you're right about the dialogue THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN A WEAKNESS IN THESE MOVIES. But that's a small part of this saga. I do like the action sequences a lot. I think this movie has something that the most recent two had none of and that is it has a heart. It really does. I mean the Natalie Portman character Padme."
EBERT: "Yeah."
ROEPER: "I mean she's playing this as real drama. She's seen the man she loves going to the dark side and it's really breaking her heart and it feels authentic."
EBERT: "Yeah, the last third of the movie is stronger thanks to that emotional content. But at the same time I wish that in a way he (Lucas) would have pumped up the dialogue, you have people saying things like 'They're worried about you, they think you're under too much stress'. I mean come on."
ROEPER: "Yeah. Hey absolutely."
EBERT: "I mean its just pedestrian clunky dialogue."
ROEPER: "Maybe they should have brought someone like David Mamet to punch it up."
EBERT: "Somebody like Jackson (Samuel L.) is such an eloquent actor and here he is just intoning. THAT'S JUST A WEAKNESS OF THE SERIES."
ROEPER: "But of the recent movies this is the best..."
EBERT: "Yes it is."
ROEPER: "I actually think it's the best one since Empire Strikes Back. Maybe the third best out of the 6."
EBERT: "What this one does, it goes back to the great tradition of Space Opera, and action, and science fiction and gets out of those long dialogue passages that were not only badly written but also endless."
ROEPER: "Yeah and as you mentioned of course the suspense isn't all quite there because we know what's going to happen."
EBERT: "Yeah we know."
ROEPER: "But that also gives the scenes a lot more resonance."
EBERT: "The scene where Anakin turns into Darth V"
(Transcript ends here).
th-cam.com/video/-4VOV8nyrj4/w-d-xo.htmlsi=0OF0EZNBYlUTWlXg
They were ready to throw hands over yoda😂😭
AOTC was the first Star Wars movie I saw in the theaters.
Dang I feel bad for you then. The OT was LIT in theaters.
Oh Roeper, Siskel would’ve torn this movie a new asshole.
I saw this review live on television after seeing the movie in 2002, and it was hilarious! Roger Ebert definitely spoke for me at that time.
I loved it when the last half of their reviews went on longer for more than 30 seconds
"Maybe they invented these clishés..."
"That's a great idea."
My favorite episodes is when Gene use to posses Roger and give his opinions from beyond the grave.
Boy, did Roger end up being right. I'm a prequel fan but Roger's criticisms seem even better today: Lucas' decision to not shoot them on film and use more practical effects has been a disaster. They've aged soooo poorly. We'll never have a true 4k prequel release because they were shoot too low rez. This decision seems so insane today when Lucas could have even shot them on 70mm if he wanted! Tons of great actors working in green rooms likely played a huge role in the stiff performances. Love my Star Wars but I wish George had gone a different way.
I always prefer practical over computer effects, but the cgi in Phantom Menace looks better on 4K99 than the home releases, which have noise reduction, making the cgi look more dated than it is. Phantom Menace is native 4K, but we've not had a proper home video release.
You are correct. His big problem was, instead of 100 ships on screen he wanted thousands. Everything had to be bigger and flashier to please a more modern audience that was no longer amazed by these things as we were back when New Hope came out.. And that meant it would have been too slow and costly to use the old school film techniques. And as you point out, that is where the prequels loses a lot of the charm of the originals.
He realized his mistakes after, unfortunately. If only he had held on and finished the trilogy, we might have had a happy ending. But he was so dienchanted by all the criticism of the prequels, he had nothing left to give I believe. Very sad for the fans like us.
I rewatched Rogue One just last night. It honestly surprised me how much that movie was faithful to the originals. It had all of the qualities of the first three movies in a modern movie made in 2016. I would actually place it above Return of the Jedi and on par at least with New Hope and Empire. Which proves that George could have done it, if he had put his mind to doing it properly.
@@boneseyyl1060 Oh come ON, lucas could have afforded practical effects EASILY for the Prequels, the guy was a billionaire at this point. And Rogue One is a much BETTER looking film than the Prequels, as they engineered it to look like the OT.
I love these debates, great piece of pop culture history
I can't believe it's been 20 years since this abomination of a movie.
Hey, thanks for finding this review, I've been looking for it for a while.
You're welcome. I looked high and low for it and found it on a strange website. I have the video downloaded on my computer so if this video gets removed or whatever, I will have a safety copy.
I'm surprised that Ebert disliked this movie, given the praise he laid on "The Phantom Menace". This is my favorite of all the prequels, personally.
Why is this your favourite out of all the prequels?
Kind of funny on the contrast with the Roeper guy, if Gene Siskel had still been alive and doing this show, he would have disliked it a lot more than Ebert did
The dialogue is great. “I can’t breath”
That diatribe about "sand" was exquisite
@@Blodia1990 lol “ it’ get’s everywhere”
Great to laugh at
"I love you... I know." was fantastic, truely inspiring dialogue in the flawless incredible masterpiece gloroius wonderful sensational original triology.
this one of the nerdist arguments i have ever seen.
I agree with Roeper. I love attack of the clones.
It's garbage.
@@hv3115The prequels are garbage, yes, but that doesn't mean people can't love them.
I don't personally understand how anyone can love them... but that affection or dislike is subjective either way. If someone argues they're good, well made films? Then I take issue.
Their argument about Yoda's "laser-saber" is hilarious. I think this film is good for kids. I remember watching it when it came out shortly before becoming a teenager, and it was entertaining. There is enough variety in the action sequences, and kids aren't old enough to pick up on the utter lack of chemistry and the amateurish dialogue. (The CGI was considered advanced at the time and was not jarring. Keep in mind that we all saw Dwayne Johnson as a half scorpion crawl around the big screen the year prior.) I also remember that people were simultaneously shocked and amused when Yoda pulled out the lightsaber and started performing somersaults. That was all people were talking about on the way out of the theatre.
Christopher Lee is the best thing about the film. He has gravitas in everything he does.
When Richard chose cgi yoda over puppet yoda I was like “EXCUSE ME” 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Mr. Roeper sounds like he took shrooms before watching the movie.
Never liked Roeper, never will. The puppet looked real. A cartoon will NEVER look real.
To be fair, the 1999 Phantom Menace puppet Yoda was terrible. Why they changed the perfect design from the originals is beyond me
@@nvrules27 No arguments. And, of course, they switched to CGI, because, you know, George Lucas. CGI sucks.
@@kali3665 i don’t like the CG version either, especially the way he flips around like Kermit the frog doing kung Fu. It made the wise Yoda into a goofy charicature
I grew up with the prequels and loved them all at the time but I think they're pretty bad films now for all the reasons Ebert gives here. I'll accept that there's a goofy charm to Phantom Menace and there are redeeming features in Revenge of the Sith, but Clones is an indefensible film imo, as bad as anything Disney did.
I cannot believe Roeper said CG Yoda was better than the puppet
Well it proved that cos they had to bring back Harrison Ford, Mark Hamel back into the franchise.
“You’re Yoda, nobody can stop you!”
"I love you though I mustn't love you" had me spitting out my water
Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones turns 20!!!
Made $80 million totaling $310.6 million following behind 'Spider-Man'
Came out at a weird time after 9/11 with people worried gathering in large crowds
I remember seeing it with my dad and sisters in the Adirondacks
It remains, in more ways the one, a low point for the franchise, and one that has been recontextualized a great deal since its initial release
There's no doubt the acting is bad, the dialogue is stilted, the romance is flat, and these lines Hayden Christensen has to say are boring, monotone, and lifeless
It's also the longest and slowest of the prequels
Yet the film still looks visually pleasing, the clone attack on Geonosis is the highlight
Great to see Yoda fight in action and to see Christopher Lee as Darth Tyrannus bringing gravitas
It's one of the first movies to be entirely shot in digital with good editing, framework, and Williams' score doesn't disappoint
Thank god this paved the way for Revenge of the Sith to be so much better
And there is an eternal lesson contained within this movie that applies now more than ever, as Hollywood simply cannot get out of its own way a lot of the time in its pursuit of box office dollars earned on the backs of franchise films
That lesson is that just because something is attached to a property that people care about does not guarantee success
Glad this expanded the canon with Jango Fett and the storm troopers' origins
It's like a sand analogy; incorporating campy elements into a sci-fi blockbuster
Once you get a little campy, it tends to spill over into everything
I don't like the look of this film. Early digital camera, it lacks detail and looks blurry and dark. I wish it were shot on film like Menace (although you'd have to see project 4k99 since every bluray and 4K are horribly degrained. 4K one is even upscaled).
Roger gets cranky without his tub of popcorn
Ebert nailed it. Moment I first seen Yoda jump off the walls with his laser sword I was done. Completely ruined his character and it was stupid. So much cringe and Roeber saying the dialog and delivery was good, should be ashamed to call himself a critic. Shrugging my shoulders
Yoda should have used some ultra powerful Jedi powers.
I very much like AOTC on the whole, but Ebert’s on the mark on the dialogue. Especially in the first half. Just so much exposition it’s mindnumbing. The Padme/Anakin stuff doesn’t bother me personally cause I always saw it on as a statement on how Anakin being in this repressive cult and Padme being a ruler her whole life who was robbed of a childhood would negatively effect their love lives. But I can see how some may find it grating regardless of the logical, narrative justification. I think the second half makes up for it’s shortcomings. The portion where the movie becomes the Searchers and the big arena battle with the Ray Harryhausen are big highlights for me. Also loved how it ended on the founder and leader of the would-be Rebel Alliance standing shoulder to shoulder with the Emperor overlooking the birth of the Empire.
Ebert is 100% correct!
"Croucing Yoda Hidden Dragon" lol
This movie looks better than Empire Strikes Back?? Are you nuts, Roeper? The CGI creatures themselves look like crap. Theres no way this digital Yoda can hold a candle to the original
Remember this was 02, these effects were out of this world. For them to shoot this on green screen in 02 is insane. Look at the visuals of anything in 02 besides lord of the ring two towers and this is easy ahead that year
Roger Ebert was right about Phantom Menace, but I have to agree with Richard Roeper about attack of the clones.
Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave it three-and-a-half stars out of four and called it "an astonishing achievement in imaginative filmmaking" and said, "Lucas tells a good story." Ebert also wrote that, "If some of the characters are less than compelling, perhaps that's inevitable" because it is the opening film in the new trilogy. He concluded his review by saying that rather than Star Trek films, filmmakers could "[g]ive me transparent underwater cities and vast hollow senatorial spheres any day".
Lol Roeper liked that shitty ass love story.
Roeper is insane!!!!
Based*
@@ejn8982*insane*
Did Lucas actually audition Hayden Christensen or did he just randomly pick a headshot out of the pile?
Wow Ebert had this one spot on
This is the first and last roper vid, back to 80s gene
Ebert is right on all fronts. Bad video game looking CGI including overuse of greenscreen, wooden dialog, and wooden acting. Yeesh.
Thanks Roger. Rest well friend.
Nah Roeper is right
@@thehahvokexperience Said the guy that liked his own comment because he wants his movies to look like video games. 😆
The Prequels look like Video Games, the OT looks like real life. Major major difference.
I'm somewhere in-between Ebert and Roeper on this one. I only marginally recommend it just because the action that is in the film - and there actually is a lot of it - is done really well, and the visuals of course are great. But I absolutely do agree with Roger about the banal script and dialogue. Just remember the future Darth Vader saying, "I hate sand." 🙄🤭🤣
The whole problem was, George was entirely focused on the visual effects in the prequels. I guess he just figured that the basic story he sketched out would be sufficient because everyone would going "OOOH, AAAH" at 1000 space ships at once, going pew pew on the screen. It didn't work, and he even admitted afterward that he was trying to do too much, visually.
And the great thing is that Roger Ebert saw right through that. I don't think you can fault his review, in any way. He nailed how dull the actual movie was despite all of Lucas's digital flash and sizzle. I don't believe Roper's review was an honest one. I think he was merely doing a counterpoint to Roger, but it wasn't a very convincing one.
"Begun the Clone Wars has."
Was Roeper high?
Wheres Plinkett?? He and Ebert would have a field day trashing this high budget stinker
I have to heavily agree with Richard Roeper on this film
Ebert is SO right about the "chemistry" and dialogue.
He let Roeper win just to be nice. All the good points were on Ebert’s side.
Ebert was overall right, Roeper is dead wrong
Nope, Roeper was the one who was right here.
"YoU'rE yOdA, nO oNe, CaN sToP yOu"
Did anyone stop Yoda in the film?
The script especially. Ugh.
Roeper was WAY off on this review. Roger was spot on.
Mr. Roeper was not a fan of The Fellowship of the Ring. Ok….
God, THANK YOU ROEPER
"The romantic dialogue is so cliched and dated"
"IT'S A LONG TIME AGO IN A GALAXY FAR FAR AWAY, IT'S SUPPOSED TO SOUND LIKE AN OLD PLAY"
I'm not sure it sounds like an old play... old plays can be pretty intriguing and have sharp ideas and dialogue.
Attack of the Clones is more like a Middle-school play. 😅
@@thedorkydoodlesden Nnnnnnnnnnnnnnope.
Attack of the Clones is fan-freakin-tastic.
@@MrZackavelli It has some amazing qualities for sure.
-The Geonosians are some of the coolest looking aliens ever. And their Hive structure, society, and Queen, as detailed in the Clone Wars, makes for some of the richest creature characteristics in Star Wars.
-The LAAT gunship which first appears in AotC, with its rockets, laser turrets and drop zone usage is just phenomenal and iconic. One of the best ships in Star Wars.
-The Delta Aethersprite Jedi starfighter is beyond sleek.
-Jango's charges are possibly the best and most memorable sound effect in the series.
-The final Clone vs. Droid battle is visually stunning and heavily layered with detail.
-Obi-Wan vs Jango is a great fight scene.
-The scene where Anakin cradles Shmi Skywalker as she dies is actually very well acted and one of the most emotionally resonating moments in the entire saga.
In terms of plot, dialogue character though, AotC is a failure in my eyes.
Obi-Wan is involved in intrigue that is completely unintriguing. (literally all the information is just handed to us AND the character. I.E. The clones were created in secret, Jango helped create them, Jango works for Dooku. The Sith's involvement in the Clones creation is blatantly obvious and Obi-Wan missing these details makes him look completely incompetent.)
Anakin and Padmé are involved in a romance that's not emotional. Just hilarious.
(I don't like Sand! I can't love you, I'm a Senator! 😅)
And Yoda, instead of the kind, wise, thoughtful Jedi Master, is a bloodthirsty general that never once attempts diplomacy. Just violence. I would understand if that was Windu's characterization, but not Yoda.
In the end, the heroes are unlikable and unheroic, the adventure is stagnant, and the emotion is flat. Making Attack of the Clones one of my least favorite Star Wars films.
It introduced lots of great elements into the universe, but AotC, for me, is a poor film overall. The follow up however, Revenge of the Sith, is my second favorite SW film of all time.
But, if AotC resonates with you, if it's engaging and fun for you, then you're absolutely not wrong. There's no wrong opinion and, like you, I only have an opinion. I'm actually quite glad there are others who like it more than me.
@@thedorkydoodlesden Okay, I can't argue any of your subjective opinions with you, but I can reply to a few objective complaints you made:
"AND the character. I.E. The clones were created in secret, Jango helped create them, Jango works for Dooku. The Sith's involvement in the Clones creation is blatantly obvious and Obi-Wan missing these details makes him look completely incompetent."
Bra, Jango is a bounty hunter. He has no allegiance to any one. He can complete a job for the Republic one day (giving DNA for the clones) and then complete a job for the Separatists (being Dooku's bodyguard on Geonosis) on another. Unless it is mentioned that Dooku hired Jango specifically for the creation of the clones, then yeah, your objection would have some merit. However, Jango says that some guy called Tyrannus hired him.
"I don't like Sand!"
Anakin didn't exclaim this statement. He said it very calmly. I have never understood the gripes with this quote. Padme brought up the subject of beaches and laying out on the sand after a swim in the lake to dry off in the sun. Very pleasant memories of an Eden-like planet. Anakin grew up as a slave on a harsh, unforgiving sand planet with dangerous sandstorms and murderous indigenous tribes prowling about. Hence, he doesn't like sand. It has bad memories for him.
"I can't love you, I'm a Senator! "
You're paraphrasing here to make the dialogue look worse than it actually is. She says "You're training to become a Jedi; I'm a senator", reminding Anakin that these two career paths are not conducive to a marriage.
"And Yoda, instead of the kind, wise, thoughtful Jedi Master, is a bloodthirsty general that never once attempts diplomacy. Just violence. I would understand if that was Windu's characterization, but not Yoda."
Bra, when Yoda gets there, all of the Jedi and Padme are literally about to be shot to death in a hail of blasterfire. I'd say the time for diplomacy has passed, don't you?
Not to mention the fact that these are all droids. Er go, no blood.
I appreciate you prefacing your comment with the fact that it's your opinion; not many of your prequel-bashing brethren do the same.
@@MrZackavelli I feel critiquing the sequels, prequels or even the OG trilogy is perfectly fine. But bashing (i.e. calling them trash, calling people who like what they like stupid, etc.) is the lowest form of fandom. Or rather, it's just hate. No one needs it.
I do critique the dialogue and character development in AotC as amateurish, but you're right I'm paraphrasing and exaggerating a bit. I know some like you are FINE with the dialogue and you're not at all wrong. I wish I was fine with it too.
And of course most of my other critiques are subjective. As is 99% of criticism. Or praise.
But bashing is of no use. Love what ya love and be vocal about it. Like I said, Revenge of the Sith is awesome to me and probably still stands as the most surprising gap between me hating one entry in a series and then loving the next.
George Lucas says that the reason so many people were turned off by the prequels, is that they weren't made for adults, they were made for children...as all of the Star Wars movies under his guidance.
Problem is, the political stuff in the prequels are utterly boring for any child to sit through.
Really Mr. Lucas, just admit that the prequels sucked like many of us feel the same way.
I’m not a big fan of attack of the clones but I agree with roger and most like myself missed out on seeing it digitally in cinemas and only the film version
Sellout Roper vs Based Ebert
Roeper are you high!!!
Eberts words were ahead of their time. He wasn’t sold by the series’ legacy or the recently developed CG effects. He looked to the presentation, writing, and acting that would stand the test of time.
I fell asleep watching Episode 2. To this day, I consider it the worst of ALL the Star Wars films. Including episodes 7-9.
7-9 are awesome
@@SDfan2002 I liked Episode 7, but 8 and 9 not so much! I thought the trilogy went completely downhill after Episode 7.
@@franksmith6138 was the best
Roeper was so off on this one it makes me cringe. I didn’t think the movie was awful, but Richard “really liked” the love story? The dialogue was “witty”? CGI Yoda was better than the puppet Yoda?? I think he saw a different movie than Roger and I. Lol
Terrible (but nostalgic, for me) movie, but better than the Disney sequel trilogy movies in every way. That is pathetic to think about lol.
Lucas filmed a scene of Padme's family having lunch with Anakin and two kids playing with RD-D2. That was more fun than the boring C-Span in space stuff.
Ebert nailed it!
Roeper was off his rocker on this one. Episode II is as absolute dog turd.
It's really unbelievably terrible, and such an ugly movie, too. Shot on early 2K digital camera, not film, it sure looks primitive and has a dated appearance.
@@TannerBartko The prequel trilogy sucks in general but at least I can find certain things decent in Episode I and III but I can't think of one thing I like about Episode II. I hate this movie.
@@TannerBartkoThe Droid factory scene is just more dumb gratuitous CGI. It looks and feels phony and synthetic. Like watching a video game with horribly acted cut scenes. Just garbage.
@@JoeyArmstrong2800 Interesting point. I'll take another look at it.
@@JoeyArmstrong2800 I don't like CGI either, I always prefer practical effects.
Well Yoda did look better.
Prequels suck, Richard. Always have. CGI will NEVER look believable. George Lucas was always so impressed with what he COULD do that he didn't pay enough attention to what he SHOULD be doing. This should be about the growing power of what would become the Galactic Empire (leaving aside that this makes Lucas's "Roman" empire last only 20 years), and instead we got a love story that is never believable for a minute. There are little moments here and there that do try to telegraph Anakin's inevitable turn, but it still comes across as a whining little prat who wants everything for himself. Not the best image for a future Sith Lord.
Roeper got humiliated by Ebert
The first three are classics the Menace is not.that.
This was made at a time when there was clearly planning in the special effects and no planning in the writing, but nowadays, there's no planning in either.
The digital camera Lucas used wasnt even 1080p.
Interesting! I was not aware of this. Please tell me more :)
@@TannerBartkoDue to cropping of the frame, it ended being around 840 pixels. The camera is completely outdated by now. It had problems with noise and color reproduction. It was basically unsuitable for a major motion picture.
@Mario_N64 Thanks for he info, and I agree it is completely outdated. Any chance you are the same Mario 3 user from bluray.com?
Thanks. No, I'm not him.
Attack of the clones looks BAD and its dated terribly. What was the digital video. 720p? Its murkey, its brown and it looks like a ps2 game.
I like Richard Roeper, and I like Star Wars, but this was not a great moment for either of them.
Ebert is right on.
Roeper liked this movie lol…..no one likes this movie
I liked this movie
The worst star wars movie
It’s hard to choose which Prequel is the worst Star Wars movie
True episode 2 is the clear winner
Ebert hand-picked Roeper because he was no intellectual threat to him.
LOL! Obi-Wan Kenobi jumped into the sky and kicked Jango Fett like a Midway Mortal Kombat character.
Changing to DIGITAL was one of Lucas' most critical errors here. The OT has this GROUNDED imagery on REAL film, it's just more realistic and gritty. The over glossy DIGITAL camera made these films sometimes look more like Video Games than movies. Lucas got over obsessed with the TECHNOLOGY over the storytelling, and it cost it. As the Prequels remain hated to this very day.
This installment was the weakest in the series because…. Well, Lucas never could write. If Lucas had a lot more help with the damned script (it “won” a Razzie for a reason). And well… it could have been great. The screenplays for the original IV, V and VI actually had nominations. And as for the direction, well… he doesn’t seem to even notice his actors themselves aren’t exactly excited to be working on this project. Could he tell what a boring film he made?
Bogged down by BAD DIALOGUE
Hayden Christensen is the worst actor ever
Every scene is an embarrassment of writing and acting. This movie proves that George Lucas was never a great filmmaker
Nah A New Hope is pretty great. He definitely lost his writing touch though.
That’s a wild stretch… The movie deserves a ton of criticism, even panning, but to say that it’s enough to show Lucas never was great is way too far. I agree with the other commenter, you can never take A New Hope away from him, and even if he didn’t direct V and VI, they’re still his movies, and he should get a lot of the credit for their greatness (and American Graffiti is also great, but pre-Star Wars Lucas is always forgotten).
You're basing George Lucas's genius of of one or two movies. THX wasn't that great. And American Graffiti was good but great...?
0:30 you mean against the separatists, not rebels 😂
2:34 bahahahahahhahahahah that aged well.
I agree with ebert on 1, i agree with richard on 2!
Ugh Roeper. The worst.
Roger ebert is 100% right in this
I remember sitting in the theater in disbelief at how bad it was. Not disappointing, unwatchable. Would've walked out but I wasn't the one driving
Roeper paid off: confirmed
I'm calling it right here: This is staged! The movie sucked and both men knew it. But... the show couldn't completely tear down the work of such a powerful Hollywood icon (and friend) like George Lucas or else there'd be hell to pay. So, they staged an up/down disagreement. 'That way, they could say what truly needed to be said about this abomination of a film... without the show itself throwing the picture into the trash like the dumpster fire that it is.
So you're saying that Pulitzer Prize winning Roger Ebert staged a review?
Why? 🤔
Richard Roeper was such a hack
I’m sorry, but all three of those prequels were just downright boring. I watched them all again on DVD and not for one minute was a drawn in. All the characters were so distant and detached I found myself hoping they would be killed off by the end of the movie so they wouldn’t return for another sequel. The CGI was perfect. Everything else was flatter than day old beer.
Attack of the Clones is the weakest Star Wars movie (the sequel trilogy isn't even Canon to me, since I refuse to watch it). The reasons I find it worth watching is because of Christopher Lee as Count Dooku and the arena battle. The dialogue is really hokey even for by Star Wars prequel standards and it doesn't feel as adventurous as the other five movies.
I still liked it, but it's far inferior.
It's better than phantom menace
In retrospect Attack of the clones is garbage compared to Revenge and Phantom. AOTC is filled with looney tunes moments mixed with like horrific violence its such a weird misfire im glad ebert saw through its millions and millions of dollars thrown at it
I like the visuals of the movie but it’s the worst movie for the budget.
AOTC is great, Roeper is right.