A film for the young and young at heart -- smart ass reviewers be damned.

Rating: 7/10 (1 August 1999)

Let it first be said that Star Wars was my formative movie experience. I was 6 when the first one came out and grew up with the series and mythology.
George Lucas had an impossible job and he pulls it off for the most part. He had to make a movie detailed enough for the geeks like me who have waited for years and will now spend our time analyzing and picking apart each scene. AND, he had to make a movie accessible and fun enough for the younger generation now and an audience not familiar with the original trilogy.
There are great action sequences, space battles, ground battles, light saber duels (alone worth the price of admission) and a futuristic drag race that ought to entertain the young and young at heart. Lucas also throws in some twists and details for us lifetime fans. Old acquaintances show up (and look out for the cameo of one well-known Spielberg alien).
There are also some implausible plot twists, several cliches and some intended jokes that fall flat.
But if you want to be entertained and revisit the Star Wars universe, you should have a blast. If you just wanna go so you can pick it apart and ruin it for the fans, please, do us a favor and go see something else.