Definitely Worth Waiting For

Rating: 10/10 (17 September 2005)

It's really beyond me why huge majority of Star Wars-fans consider the first trilogy SO much better than episodes I-III. Usual explanation is that the storyline and characters were by far more interesting. Well, I don't agree. Although I also have very fond memories of the original Star Wars-movie (and it's sequels) since it was my very first non-cartoonish feature I saw in theater (twice) at age 10, I already back then realized that these movies aren't by any significant margin above cartoon-level anyhow. Awesome, epoch making, brilliantly entertaining scifi with great special effects surely. So throughout the 1990's after I first heard that George Lucas was planning those brand new episodes, becoming possible by revolutionary CGI-technology, I knew there was something spectacular on its way. And I wasn't disappointed. To my money, now having seen them all, Episode I - The Phantom Menace is The Best of the whole series: Special FX leave nothing to desire, just as one assumed; action-scenes and overall pace are beautifully orchestrated; Liam Neeson and Ewan McGregor are among my very favorite actors and their line delivery is always ear-pleasing, no matter what they say; and it all climaxes in the greatest sword-fight ever, laser or not, in movie history. Granted, there are long speeches and meetings couple too many, the podrace-scene is a tad too long also, and obligatory funny "black" character Jar Jar Binks is VERY unfunny, but those are minor flaws. Especially compared to myriad of shortcomings found in former episodes, particularly in Return Of The Jedi, the only actual black sheep of the whole saga. Once and for all, it's mind blowing effects that have always defined these movies for me, other aspects come distant second.