Would be a 9 if it wasn't for Jam Jar

Rating: 7/10 (11 May 2005)

The critical backlash against this marvellous entry into the Star Wars series is what is known as unfounded favouring of nostalgia, a refusal to advance forwards and being a bunch of knob cheeses.
Apart from the annoying JarJar Binks, Episode I is an incredible film, grand in scale and spectacle, introducing and elegant and historic - rather than futuristic - feel to Star Wars, additionally offering some great new characters.
The style of the film is different to the originals in the sense that the effects, a main element of the saga, through the undeniable naturalism have lost the unique 80s style that fans have come to love over the years. Once the new trilogy is complete, however, I'm sure that a massive U-Turn will occur and suddenly Episiodes i-iii will be declared a new masterpiece.
Think about it - does the original trilogy really have a better script than the new trilogy? The answer is no, the dialogue will always be simple and clichéd (that is the way Lucas works). This, as some may disagree, is the deliberate - this is a fairy tale after all.
The introduction of Darth Maul is the highlight of the story, his appearance before the stunning climactic light saber duel the veritable money shot of the piece.
Somebody please re-cut this film without JarJar Binks and then I can rate it a nine.