Star Wars meets Disney :-(

Rating: 4/10 (16 June 2011)

I went to see this film three times. THREE. This is because various groups of friends / my girlfriend wanted to see it, and wanted me to go with them. What's done is done.
Plot: If you are at all familiar with the first Star Wars trilogy then you should have no problems discerning this for yourself.
Acting / Cast: Good cast, mostly. Ewan and Liam are always very watchable, although Ewan's accent is a major turn-off for those of us used to the crisp tones of Alec Guiness in the first trilogy. Jake Lloyd grated appallingly, but Natalie Portman was bearable. Terence Stamp is always highly watchable. Jar-Jar Binks was without doubt the most irritating character that I have ever had the misfortune to see on screen, ever, bar none.
Action: There is some. The 2nd and 3rd times I watched the film I slept through the "pod race" as it was overly long and really boring. Highlights have to be the light saber fights, which are well choreographed and spectacular. The space battles were ruined by the presence of the young Anakin.
Things I really didn't like: The name "Naboo", the Gungans, Jar-Jar flipping Binks, young Anakin's standard Hollywood child bowl-cut, young Anakin's character at all in fact, "my young Padawan", the Disney-like cartoon characters masquerading as actors to make the film appeal to kiddies and score $$$$$$$$$s, and the fact that the film was far too long. Oh, and the robots were annoying too.
Only really good part of the film: Darth Maul. Without him, I would have rated this 3/10.