Even before its pressure-packed finale of clone-factory mayhem, pug-ugly monsters and (surprise) crossed light sabers, George Lucas' already debated Star Wars, Episode II: Attack of the Clones manages to outduel its leaden romantic angle. There's an intriguing galactic yarn, hot rod (or hot pod) chases around skyscrapers and asteroids, plus some of the thematic heft and grandeur associated with the saga's best entries: The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. Occupying a firm middle ground in the series, the fifth outing rates ( 3 1/2 out of four). This splits the difference between a 4-star rating for hard-core fans and a shaky 3 for the backlash-prone.
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