Watch closely, spot the clues, think of ways to kill Jar-Jar...

Rating: Null/10 (16 September 1999)

The thing to remember when watching this film is that it's supposed to introduce two more films. As such, Lucas is more concerned with setting the scene for the real action of the trilogy (Darth Vader, the Empire etc). So Darth Maul doesn't get a lot of screen time. So what? He's not important. He serves his purpose of being somebody to fight the Jedi and let them know that the Sith are back. (Incidentally, the Emperor wasn't the most oft-seen character in the original trilogy, but he served his purpose.
On a similar theme, Neeson and MacGregor don't get a lot of chance to develop their characters, it's often said, and there's some truth to this, but if you look a little more closely then both actually bring out their characters well without stealing from the plot. MacGregor does particularly well considering that he plays the apprentice and is hence always having to be meek and mild, not characteristics he usually plays. Neeson was, I thougth, excellent. He exudes quiet authority, in a similar way to Alec Guiness in the original trilogy, and there is some great chemistry between him and Shmi. Nobody gives an epic performance, but then they're not supposed to.
Jar-Jar. Hmmm. Not keen. I found him annoying, more so than the Ewoks or the Jawas. Clearly aimed at the kids, who do tend to love him, but he got on my nerves with the silly voice and the slapstick humour which marked the whole film in the same way as the Endor battle in "Jedi". Jar-Jar even hits himself with a bolas in the same way as Wicket. Unforgivable.

All in all, well worth seeing and can be enjoyed in it's own right. But it certainly does well in laying the scene for the next two, which I personally can't wait to see.
Oh yes, and the special effects are good if you like that sort of thing.