4 years later and critics still are harping on Phantom Menace.

Rating: Null/10 (2 June 2003)

OK its 2003. 4 years after the Phantom Menace and still the critics are harping on Episode 1. Now it may not have been the best film ever made or even the best Star Wars film but it is by far not the worst sequel ever made as E online would have you to believe. It even beat out BATMAN AND ROBIN for the dubious honor. BATMAN AND ROBIN is a film where everyone involved deserved to be locked away for there total lack of effort and respect towards the source material, from the acting to the writing to the set design, to the direction.
Now when I went to see Episode 1 I wasn't let down because I was skeptical going into the film. With all the buzz and all the interviews Lucas was giving back in 1999 I had already written off Phantom Menace as some half-baked predecessor to the original films and one which all the bandwagon people would jump for the joy because it would have nothing but neat computer effects like the Matrix. I also got thrown for a loop in 1999 because all of a sudden it was cool to like Star Wars. While Lucas does prefer good visuals over good dialogue I still felt that a story was being told, all be it a little jumbled. And yes even though I find things in the Phantom Menace that cause me to roll my eyes it does not make me hate the film like all the bandwagon fans and critics out there do.
I have no problem in saying that I admire George Lucas and what he is continuing to do with the Star Wars franchise. He didn't sell out to all the sci-fi geeks who wanted to see Star Wars turn into Star Trek and managed to keep the films enjoyable fantasy for all ages especially concerning the love story. I like the fact that Anakin and Padme get married in the second film instead of just falling in love and having the twins out of wedlock.
As for other high profile films' whose sequels failed to live up the hype and were not on that worst sequel list. How about Star Trek 3, 5, and Nemesis and the Matrix Reloaded.