Definitely worth seeing, even for the jaded...

Rating: 10/10 (19 May 1999)

I heard a lot of pre-movie hype, about how "It sucks, it's going to suck, it has to suck, no one can make 4 good movies in a series in a row, it can't measure up to the originals!" Well, if George Lucas had tried to make it measure up to the original, people would have just been saying, "It's a cheesy remake!" You can't please all the people all of the time, but I have to think of it like this. I never got to see the originals in the theatres, because my parents were convinced by the religious zealots they associated with that "Star Wars" had to do with the "New Age" movement, and was therefore evil. I had to wait until the "Special Edition" release to see them in the theatres, and they were just as good to me, I think, as they would have been if I had been seeing them on the big screen as a kid, even though I had seen them on video several times over the years. We need to remember that there will kids there who are seeing a "Star Wars" film for the first time, and this will seem like magic to them, even if YOU think it sucks, because you are older and know better, and because it doesn't have Luke, Han, Leia, etc. etc. I thought it was great, and no amount of know-it-all fans are going to convince me otherwise. The underwater scene was incredible, MacGregor and Neeson were great, as was Portman. Lloyd, contrary to "those in-the-know," was good too. The effects were better than ever, which is not surprising, as most modern special-effects are based on those pioneered by George Lucas for his first Star Wars film, because there was no one out there doing what he needed. See it with an open mind, and remember, it is the first part of three that preceed those we already know. Sure, most things seemed shiny and new in the movie, whereas they had "used and battered" look in the other three, but remember, this is a prosperous time, during the "Old Republic," before the dark age brought on under the rule of the Empire. I liked it, and I am sure I will like the other two, as well as episodes VII, VIII, and IX. It's another story from another time, and not to be judged on the merits of other actors and stories that take place after. By itself, it is great. As a part of a larger story, it is good too. That's my opinion, and I'll stick by it.