Generally decent, but rewards the faithful

Rating: 7/10 (21 May 1999)

Is it art? No. Is it enjoyable? Yes.
Decent performances from a good cast, a passable (but at times laughable) script, and extraordinary special effects make for a generally entertaining film. Faithful fans are rewarded with heaping doses of backstory on their favorite characters complete with in-the-know in-jokes, so they get the most out of it. Lots of kid-power stuff for the children too. Annoying and bordering on racial vocalizations for the alien characters tempered my enjoyment of the film.