A Grain of Sand in the Sahara desert...

Rating: 4/10 (11 October 2001)

...that's how I feel about this review. 2533 posted reviews at this point. Sheesh! I feel at this time that any point by point review is needless with so many previous attempts to break down this film, frame by frame.
Anyway, forget all the critical nit-picking and complaining about the small details, I'll keep it simple. I loved "Star Wars", I liked "Empire" and grew to choose it as my favorite over the years for it's maturity and "Return" was at first a satisfying conclusion which had flaws that became harder to ignore over the years but the film itself remains a great adventure. When the films were reissued I was ecstatic, my childhood was given a second life and I reveled in it. Which brings us to "Phantom Menace", I went in expecting greatness but was prepared to forgive little flaws that might arise similar to "Return".
And in the end I was disappointed.
Not because of Jar-Jar or Midie clorien 'whatevers' or even the pointless overabundance of first grade humor and bizarre plot developments. All of these I could have overlooked. In the end I just didn't get caught up in the adventure. The pod race, the space battle or the jedi fight at the end just didn't capture my sense of fun, my childlike thrill of adventure.

It just didn't work for me, I had no fun watching this 'Star Wars' film and no argument will change that. And believe me when I say I wanted to like it, and for all it's faults in direction and writing, I do give it full marks as a well produced film.
But production isn't enough and no matter what anyone says, I feel this isn't up to the standards of the first 3 "Star Wars" films.

This is just my opinion, I mean no offence to those who did enjoy it, and I'm not putting down anyone who did. I don't expect to like the next film but I hope Lucas proves me wrong. I would love to be able to renew my love of this series.
To Lucas I say "Please prove me wrong", I want to look forward to these films again. I may no longer be a kid but the 'kid at heart' in me is still here to be pleased.
My Ego Tripped