The Real Menace: Poor Writing.

Rating: 3/10 (22 May 1999)

To say that I was disappointed with the latest Star Wars film is an understatement. I am not trying to rain on the parade of fans that waited for a month in tent-cities waiting to get their eyes on the latest Lucas invention but... It is high time that moviegoers start demanding a decent screenplay to go along with all the flashy effects.
I love special effects as much as the next guy, but when you are spending this much money on a film, I think it demands an amazing script. Instead we are subjected to the kind of writing we see in The Phantom Menace. It is sloppy. How much better this film would have been if Lucas would have hired a first-tier screenwriter to craft the story. I really don't understand the thinking behind this decision... the only conclusion I can come up with is that Lucas doesn't really think the script is important.
All of this to say, I didn't like the film. I waited five hours in line to see it at one of the best theaters in LA. I really wanted to like it. But with the distracting script, the flat acting, and characters I couldn't seem to care about... I really can't find anything (other than the wonderful visual elements) to praise this film for.
George, if you read this... next time hire William Goldman!
-M