Supercheesy, but good in a kiddy way

Rating: 7/10 (16 April 2002)

OK so this didn't please a lot of kids of the seventies, but trying to look at it without the rosy eyewear of the old trilogy's massive influence it's not a bad film. Some of the 'keep the kids happy' stuff is a bit daft and the whole thing with Jar Jar Binks (and his entire race, especially Brian Blessed's ruler) is quite shockingly poorly judged, but the podrace sequences are awesome, the sabre-fighting scenes are stunning though far too few, the story is OK and looks like it could build into something even better in the next parts, and the CGI is pretty impressive too. Should be given a chance.