Episode II for me is on the same level as it's predecessor. Not spectacular by any stretch of the imagination but certainly not the worst film ever made as it is so often made out to be. What really kills the film, so much like the previous instalment, is the acting and dialogue. The story itself is once again completely adequate, but the execution of this is all over the place. The pairing of Anakin and Padmé could've been the most intriguing part of the film but it ends up just coming across as cringeworthy. The horrors Anakin is forced to bear with regard to his mother should've made for the best scenes of the entire film, but instead, just comes across as weightless and poorly performed. I have nothing against Hayden Christensen as an actor or a person, but I really don't feel he was right for the role. He tries very hard in all of his scenes but it ends up looking a bit over the top and cringeworthy. I don't blame him entirely however as George Lucas has shown with the Prequels and even parts of the Originals, that he simply isn't a gifted writer when it comes to dialogue. This one misses for me.
