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Fan backlash is a lot like sand. It's coarse, rough, and irritating, and thanks to the internet, it can get everywhere. It's this kind of friction that George Lucas' "Star Wars" universe has been forced to endure, with "Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones" taking most of the hits.
"Episode I – The Phantom Menace" and "Episode III – Revenge of the Sith" both have their highlights, but it's "Attack of the Clones" that gets the most flak. Criticized for Hayden Christensen's wooden acting as Anakin Skywalker, a sulky Jedi knight with anger issues, and for a romance that feels as believable as Christopher Lee fighting Yoda, it's remained at the wrong end of the movie rankings since its release. One person quick to defend the film, however, is Lucas' longtime collaborator and friend, Steven Spielberg.
Known for dabbling in science fiction movies himself (with some even predicting the future), Spielberg backed the sequel in a 2002 Cinescape interview. "For the record, of all the 'Star Wars' they've made, this is my second favorite just behind 'Empire,'" the director revealed. "It was great. The action scenes looked like George had been inspired by James Cameron because they were as good as any of the action scenes in 'T2', and I think George did his best directing with this one too." While the rest of the world might've thought otherwise, Lucas argued that the second chapter of the prequel was a misunderstood beast that did exactly what it needed to do.
George Lucas doesn't accept the criticisms of dialogue in Attack of the Clones
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While it was all well and good to finally see Yoda draw his lightsaber, all of that was undercut by the ropey dialogue between Anakin and Padme (Natalie Portman). Admittedly, Lucas has confessed to having a few regrets about some creative choices in the "Star Wars" universe, but the ones he made in "Attack of the Clones" weren't among them.
"It is presented very honestly, it isn't tongue-in-cheek at all, and it's played to the hilt. But it is consistent, not only with the rest of the movie, but with the overall 'Star Wars' style," explained Lucas in "The Star Wars Archive 1999-2005" (via Digital Spy). "Most people don't understand the style of 'Star Wars.' They don't get that there's an underlying motif that is very much like a 1930s Western or Saturday matinee serial. It's in the more romantic period of making movies and adventure films. And this film is even more of a melodrama than the others."
Like it or love it, the legacy of "Star Wars" has continued to flourish through films and television shows, ensuring that even with the occasional slip-ups, fans will keep coming back, no matter what missteps are made. Sure, "Attack of the Clones" might be ropey, but what about "Rise of Skywalker"? Let's not forget "somehow Emperor Palpatine has returned," "Rey Skywalker," or "they fly now" are all from the same film. When you hold "Clones" up against that, it really feels like sand isn't that much of an issue, after all.