This isn't your Daddy's Star Wars

Rating: 4/10 (22 May 1999)

I really wanted to like this movie. Really. I loved the first three Star Wars movies, but this is not anything like them. The first had characters you cared for, great music, humor, and action. This one does have action, but the other qualities are missing. The best attempt at humor is a lame fart joke, and a character stepping in animal droppings. The most telling aspect about this film's humor is the fact that I did not hear one good laugh from the packed house during the entire movie. A couple of isolated chuckles, but no laughs. Next, there are no characters you care about. Obi-wan, Anakin, and the queen are mildly interesting, but they are not developed. Finally, John Williams' music is barely heard.
Much has been made of the amount of computer generation in the film. "Much" is the operative word because there is WAY too much of it. The film looks artificial most of the time. Which surprised me, I thought CGI was well used in the Jurassic Park movies, and would be improved upon here. Not so. It was obvious when it was used. It made me think I was watching a computer game. I'd trade my empire for one cheesy, rubber-faced alien in this movie. Finally, after all is said and done, the first three films were not great art-they were fun. This effort was just plain no fun.