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17. "Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones"

Regardless of how fans felt about “The Phantom Menace” at the time of its release, pretty much everyone was relieved that the second film in the new trilogy would center on a young-adult Anakin Skywalker. Alas, Lucas opted to portray Vader-to-be as a petulant, impetuous twerp, which both undermined Vader’s menacing legacy and made it difficult to buy Ani as a love interest for the seemingly with-it Padmé (particularly when he’s whining about sand). This renders some of the film’s darkest scenes — particularly Ani’s slaughter of a Tusken warrior camp — oddly glancing when they should land like gut punches. The final battle is rousing enough (let’s face it, we all cheered the first time when Yoda went Sonic the Hedgehog on Count Dooku), but this is supposed to be the heart of the Prequel Trilogy, and it never connects emotionally (even with John Williams’ beautiful “Across the Stars” cue).