George Lucas is one of the most visionary filmmakers of all time and his Star Wars franchise makes him a strong contender for the same. However, unlike the universal acclaim of the original trilogy, the prequels, directed by Lucas did not receive the same amount of love from fans upon release. Moreover, the second installment, Attack of the Clones is arguably considered one of the worst in the series.
Despite the negative reception of Attack of the Clones, a fan pointed out how the film features one of the best scenes in the franchise. Furthermore, the fan also argued how the emotionally riveting scene was arguably one of the best in Lucas’ directorial career. Here is why Star Wars fans love this particular scene from Attack of the Clones even though they dislike the film.
One Scene From Star Wars: Attack of the Clones is Arguably the Best Moment in George Lucas’ Career
George Lucas directed all three films in the prequel trilogy of the Star Wars franchise, which received polarizing reactions from critics and fans. However, the second installment, Attack of the Clones, is arguably considered the worst of the lot. Nonetheless, one fan took to social media to appreciate an underrated scene from the movie.
User @jtimsuggs shared a scene from the film on X (formerly Twitter), which depicts Anakin Skywalker, played by Hayden Christensen. It sees Anakin embarking on the journey to search for his mother on Tatooine, with the help of Padmé. You can check out what the user had to say about the scene below.
This scene from Attack of the Clones where Anakin leaves to go find his mother is one of the best moments George Lucas ever shot in his entire career.
Also love how Anakin’s shadow looks eerily similar to that of Darth Vader’s helmet.
— jacob. (@jtimsuggs) June 25, 2024
As the tweet indicates, the scene is a visual spectacle because of the complexity of Anakin’s eventual transformation into Darth Vader.
The user marveled at how Lucas foreshadowed Anakin’s path to becoming Vader with certain shots by using literal shadows to hint at the character’s dark fate. Furthermore, Anakin’s love and attachment to his mother are the genesis of the emotional issues that eventually push him to the dark side, making the scene all the more tragic.
Star Wars Fans Debate What Makes the Attack of the Clones Scene So Special
After the user initially shared the clip on social media platform X, other Star Wars fans chimed in with their take on the scene, which beautifully paves the way for Anakin’s eventual transformation into Darth Vader. Here is what fans had to say about why the scene holds such emotional reverence.
Williams score in AOTC is some of his best work and this whole scene is flawlessly scored
— Eric Koch (@EricDKoch) June 25, 2024
Showing his progression to the dark side. Great point! Thanks for sharing that
— Atreyu Smith (@1993Atreyu) June 25, 2024
This is where Anakin breaks his oath. He falls here.
— small not gay adult (@w33dl0rd) June 26, 2024
There were times he was Vader long before he fell to the Dark side
This was one of the first
— Bob (@bobtherandomguy) June 25, 2024
There's so much to like here. The shadow. John Williams score. And as the scene goes beyond this clip, it's an ode to John Ford's western classic "The Searchers" as the scene & scenery is taken nearly straight from that film. John Ford was a massive influence for George Lucas.
— PDub (@WeberPhilip1) June 25, 2024
Through the tweets, most fans seemed to agree that the scene is one of the best in the franchise, particularly because of its cinematography, music, and editing, making it a rich cinematic experience without breaking the narrative thread of Anakin’s character arc.
Attack of the Clones was primarily criticized for its poor dialog and characterization of Anakin, along with Christensen’s performance in the role. Nonetheless, as time has passed, fans have come to appreciate the nuances of Anakin’s backstory and the aforementioned scene is a testament to the same. Hence, despite being considered one of the worst films in the franchise, Attack of the Clones features one of the best moments directed by Lucas.
The Star Wars movies are streaming on Disney+.
