More of the Same?

Rating: 1/10 (3 January 2000)

I should realize that a Star Wars movie is going to be just that. There isn't going to be that much that's new or different in a series that lives off light saber fights, and ship battles. So what did the movie offer? Great effects mostly. The acting lacked energy. The music didn't drive the movie like it did in the first two. The set design was great in spots, dull in others.
The computer animated creatures looked like muppets - I haven't figured that one out yet. The best rendered creature was Jar-Jar. To be honest, I liked and felt sorry for him. He was treated badly when first encountered - "What's that?" emphasize 'What' - Star Wars apparently doesn't have to be p.c. and treat all life as equal. A few lines later, Jar Jar takes another shot - "just because it can talk, doesn't mean it's intelligent". I guess Qui-Gonn won't be resigning his Jedi commitment anytime soon to join Star Fleet. Apparently, respect for other life forms isn't in his book.

Having Anakin destroy the droid control ship by accident gave me the same feeling I had when Luke had to have help from Vader to beat the emperor in Return of the Jedi. I was unfulfilled - not thrilled as I should be. In short, I felt this movie fell short of the first two, and because it lacked the characters we grew to love in the first three films, even fell short of ROTJ which I enjoyed least of the original trilogy.
Tim B.