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Star Wars: Episode II -- Attack of the Clones

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Obi Digital ''Episode II'''s darker tone, long promised by George Lucas, is reflected in the trailers' shots of gleaming nighttime cityscapes, stormy weather, and a pensive Yoda. At the same time, the visuals allow Lucas to show off what he can do with his new digital cameras, since ''Attack of the Clones'' is the first large-scale feature to abandon celluloid for ones and zeros. ''Lucas is going for hard shadows and incredibly deep, rich colors instead of a pastoral look with light and happy colors [as in 'Phantom Menace'],'' says Harry Knowles of Ain't It Cool News. ''These trailers are cut very much with the idea that this is what digital photography looks like -- you sort of get that, 'Oh wow, look how beautiful that looks!' reaction.''

Good Humor Men What jokes there were in ''Phantom Menace'' tended to be along the lines of Jar-Jar stepping in a pile of space poop. So Ferrante is pleased to note some touches of wry humor in the trailer, with snappy dialogue he thinks might be the work of Lucas' coscreenwriter Jonathan Hales, a relative newcomer who also penned the upcoming ''The Scorpion King'' (Lucas took sole screenwriting credit for ''Phantom Menace''). One example: ''Good job,'' Obi-Wan snaps at the end of the second trailer, after Anakin mounts an inept rescue attempt. Overall, Ferrante says the mood resembles that of another ''Stars Wars'' flick, the one many cite as the best. ''It looks so much more adult. It looks like 'The Empire Strikes Back.'''

Boba Sparks Armored bounty hunter Boba Fett, who first popped up in ''Empire,'' is a fan favorite in part because of his air of mystery -- he looked cool but never said or did much of anything. But judging from the trailers, his predecessor, Jango Fett (who looks exactly like Boba), seems to get more of a chance to fly around, shoot people, and generally kick ass. ''He's gonna be this movie's Darth Maul,'' says Tambone.

Jedi Without a Cause The mystery of how sweet little Anakin became heavy-breathing Vader is getting clearer. ''It's all Obi-Wan's fault -- he's holding me back!… Someday I will be the most powerful Jedi ever,'' Anakin yells in the third trailer, throwing a most un-Jedilike tantrum and then speeding off across the Tatooine desert. Ferrante says that Anakin is ''looking pretty evil. You're starting to see the anger that Jake Lloyd never had a chance to show in 'Phantom Menace.''' What about the scene where Yoda stole his lollipop?