Over-produced, over-hyped and over-long

Rating: Null/10 (30 May 1999)

Although I am not a Star Wars fan, I have to admit that the first three films (especially The Empire Strikes Back) have a visceral kick to them in their loving recreation of old movie serial formulas. The latest installment, however, is a tired, over-produced video game that lacks energy, invention and thrills. The film is poorly paced and scripted and the actors so drained of any emotion they fit right in with the rather dull computer generated visuals. George Lucas has always been a clunky movie-maker, with none of the wit and energy of his buddy Steven Spielberg, but here he seems bankrupt of ideas. I always suspected that he was making this baloney up as he went along, but I think any one of the terminally adolescent fanatics who call this dopey stuff their religion could have cobbled together a better story. The only thing that kept me awake was Ob-Ewan McGregor's very credible imitation of Sir Alec. I think I'll pass on the next two. If this is the future of movies, I'll get off the merry-go-round here and go back to reading.