Back in 2002, Spielberg told Cinescape that, out of all the "Star Wars" movies made up to that point, "Star Wars: Episode II — Attack of the Clones" was "my second favorite just behind ['The Empire Strikes Back']," as the filmmaker put it. "It was great. The action scenes looked like George [Lucas] had been inspired by James Cameron because they were as good as any of the action scenes in ['Terminator 2: Judgement Day'], and I think George did his best directing with this one too."

Now, who am I to argue with Spielberg about his personal opinion? Still, it's funny that he heaped praise on "Attack of the Clones," itself perhaps the maligned out of the prequel trilogy. Still, he does have a point. For all of its many flaws, "Attack of the Clones" was ahead of its time when it opened in theaters in 2002. If nothing else, you have to admire how George Lucas managed to make a mainstream blockbuster movie for kids that's all about a democracy crumbling and a war being staged as a mere distraction so a scheming politician can amass power.

Steven Spielberg Thinks A Maligned Star Wars Movie Was George Lucas' Most Accomplished Film

Steven Spielberg is not just one of the best directors of all time, but he's also an avid cinephile. It's all the more curious, then, that he has a rather peculiar opinion about the "Star Wars" franchise.

Back in 2002, Spielberg told Cinescape that, out of all the "Star Wars" movies made up to that point, "Star Wars: Episode II — Attack of the Clones" was "my second favorite just behind ['The Empire Strikes Back']," as the filmmaker put it. "It was great. The action scenes looked like George [Lucas] had been inspired by James Cameron because they were as good as any of the action scenes in ['Terminator 2: Judgement Day'], and I think George did his best directing with this one too."

Now, who am I to argue with Spielberg about his personal opinion? Still, it's funny that he heaped praise on "Attack of the Clones," itself perhaps the maligned out of the prequel trilogy. Still, he does have a point. For all of its many flaws, "Attack of the Clones" was ahead of its time when it opened in theaters in 2002. If nothing else, you have to admire how George Lucas managed to make a mainstream blockbuster movie for kids that's all about a democracy crumbling and a war being staged as a mere distraction so a scheming politician can amass power.

In an interview with Roger Ebert, Spielberg continued to herald his old buddy Lucas, referring to "Attack of the Clones" as his "most accomplished" film as a director. "I thought [the movie] was operatic — George's most accomplished movie. But I don't think I'll ever go to computer-generated sets like he does," Spielberg explained at the time. "I think when you build a set in the 3-D world and actors walk onto that set, they get stimulated. They get ideas [...] I'm sad for the day when sets will exist in cyberspace and not in real life."