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Episode II Surpasses $116 Million at Box Office

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the that-kinda-cash-buys-a-lot-of-wookies dept.

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.

2 of 503 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Screens by StudMuffin · · Score: 5, Interesting

    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.

    --
    Weaseling out of things is important to learn. It's what separates us from the animals... except the weasel. -
  2. Re:I completly Agree by crucini · · Score: 4, Interesting
    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.