Was never going to live up to the fan's expectations

Rating: Null/10 (26 April 2000)

Lets face it - Star Wars Episode 1 was never, ever going to be the ground-breaking, generation-changing movie that so many people wanted it to be. The world in the late 20th century is so much more cynical than that, and so many people have their own ideas about what this film was going to be like that when they didn't see their own imagination on the screen they hated it - lets face it, the die-hard Star Wars fan had waited sixteen long years to see this movie.
Myself, I was stunned. Fair enough, the special effects kind of over-ran the movie, overwhelming you at first sight and, strangely, making you wonder what it was you just saw, but with repeated viewings it all makes sense. The thing is, you shouldn't have to watch it again and again to appreciate it. It should hit you the first time.
Still, it is an incredibly enjoyable movie and, despite the rantings of die-hard Star Wars fans and the biting of critics who just want to get noticed, it is an excellent addition to the series.