10 Movies With Great Second Halves (But Awful Firsts)

Though the second Star Wars prequel is largely accepted to be the worst of the nine mainline movies, it isn't all bad, even if the first half absolutely is.

Attack of the Clones' first hour-plus is an exhausting collage of draining political discussions, unsettling asides where Anakin (Hayden Christensen) creeps on Padme (Natalie Portman), and a nauseating collection of romantic liaisons between the two. And there's that line about sand, of course.

Even the focal action sequence of the first half isn't much fun, and it isn't until the mid-way point that Lucas finally lets his characters do rather than talk.

Things pick up considerably thereafter, with Anakin's trip to Tatooine, the death of Shmi (Pernilla August), Anakin's subsequent slaughter of the Tusken Raiders, the introduction of Dooku (Christopher Lee), and a third act that's basically wall-to-wall action.

Sure, there's way too much CGI, but between the plentiful action and meaningful plot that sets the stage nicely for Revenge of the Sith, it's terrifically entertaining - especially compared to that clunky, stuffy first half.