Episode II Surpasses $116 Million at Box Office

Domasi writes "The Force is with George Lucas again as the fifth installment of the Star Wars saga, 'Attack of the Clones,' took in $116.3 million in its first four days and to become the second-fastest film behind only "Spider-Man"." Spider-man is better. But I plan to see both of them again.

Comments

Just for Yoda

[underpaid]

I'd see it again just to see yoda fight. I just wish there was a clear ending to the fight so everyone could have cheered for him.

Re:Screens

[StudMuffin]

A large part of this was due to Lucas' condition that if a theater shows AOTC, that it show for a minimum of four weeks. Smaller theaters with only a few screens can't support this kind of commitment during the summer movie season. So, since Spider-Man had no such condition, it opened (and stayed) on more screens.

Re:No one saw this.

[rnb]

But Spider-Man was on 1,500 more screens than Episode II because Lucas wanted to only show Episode II in theaters equipped with digital sound.

Anyone have the per-screen averages?

Why Spidey Beat the Jedis

[Dwiggy]

Because Spiderman is pure and simple popular story-telling, while AOTC was full of histrionics and exposition, much of which would probably be useless and/or confusing if you hadn't seen all of the other films.

I know this is going to sound strange, but as far as ease of digestion goes, it's almost as if AOTC is the art house gourmet movie and Spiderman is the summer popcorn movie.

Re:Why Spidey Beat the Jedis

[galaga79]

You have hit the nail on the head, in some ways AOTC and Spiderman are two different beasts. Whilst I have yet to see Spiderman I imagine its a far more self-contained film in that you don't need to read the comics to understand the plot.

AOTC on the otherhand exists to both compliment and set the backdrop for the classic Star Wars trilogy. Personally I enjoyed AOTC not in it's own right, but the back story it provided in terms of the origins of Storm Trooper, Boba Fett, the Empire etc. It was brilliant how it all came together in the last 30 minutes.

Re:No one saw this.

[NerdSlayer]

I did.

Re:I completly Agree

[crucini]

Those who view it as inferior to the first trilogy are looking at Those three throught the rose-colored glasses of nostalgia.

I seriously considered that possibility. Then I downloaded the script of Star Wars (aka "the first movie") and read it through. My reading confirmed my impression that it is far superior to AOTC. A few differences:

• Qi-Gong jumping out the window to grab a flying vehicle immediately set
  the tone of a very unrealistic movie in which the heroes would perform superhuman feats. And sure enough, the characters go through a lot of stuff that would surely have killed or maimed them, like jumping out of an aircraft in flight. In Star Wars, I think the closest thing is Luke and Leia swinging across the shaft. That was risky but believable.
  
• Anakin is just too moody, unstable and immature to be trusted with any independent assignment, let alone guarding a crucial politician. I wouldn't let this guy wash my car - it would probably end up in Tijuana. This lessens both the credibility of the movie and the ability to connect with the character. Luke had the same traits to a lesser degree, but he was not deliberately entrusted with much responsibility.
  
• Darth Vader was one of the best villains in any movie. The subsequent Star Wars movies have failed to come up with anyone nearly as impressive.
  
• Star Wars is the story of a young guy from a boring hick town, a strange old desert rat with a zen-like calm, and a cocky smuggler who inadvertently take on the Death Star. AOTC is about a group of powerful, privileged and respected people who ward off a possible challenge to their privileged position.
  

I could write a lot more, but I think the movies are deeply different. Certainly there are some aspects that remain the same, and to that extent your remark about rose-colored glasses could be true. But on the whole, AOTC is a very inferior movie.