After 16 years...

Rating: 8/10 (17 December 2015)

I have to admit I changed my mind about Episode 1 after I read the famous theory about Darth Jar Jar
https://www.reddit.com/r/StarWars/comments/3qvj6w/theory_jar_jar_bin ks_was_a_trained_force_user/
and re-watched it making a close analysis. I came to the conclusion: George you are an evil genius. Why didn't just ignore the Jar Jar bashing and stick to your original plan - whatever it was? Here is why:
When I watched Ep 1 back in '99 I was already prepared for the annoying Jar Jar thanks to the reviews. But when you just ignore all this you can actually really enjoy the subtle details on the first half of the movie - while the second half when they arrive at Coruscant is still clumsy and flawed. I guess George ran out of time.
I assume you read the theory in the link. I do not completely agree with it, but it will help you to understand what comes next:
I will just give a quick analysis of the first 20 minutes to prove that this movie is not that bad, but first you must be ready to look behind Jar Jar's behavior:
When we meet Jar Jar:
Qui-Gon runs into Jar Jar and he thinks, Jar Jar is a moron and tells him to leave. Jar Jar then already managed to change Qui-Gon's mind, by using (force) manipulation. Jar Jar implants the idea that it is demanded by the gods to stay with Qui-Gon and serve him. From that point on Qui-Gon thinks Jar Jar serves him. But who is really serving whom? Also note how clever this demanded by the god thing is later!
Then Obi-Wan runs into them with blaster fire from some droids. Jar Jar escapes the blaster fire pretty fast and Qui-Gon destroys the droids. All this happens so fast, the audience hardly has time to realize what happens!
On the run, Jar Jar mentions Gunga City but says they cannot go there, why? He perfectly realizes both Jedi need transportation and Jar Jar made the Jedi think it was their idea to go to Gunga City. But whose idea was it really?
Finally when Jar Jar somersaults into the water he pops up saying: You follow me now, OK? Right! Got the message! So the Jedis are fooled and the audience is fooled as well, all are thinking what an annoying idiot! But if you look past this and try to understand what Jar Jar really does and why it becomes more interesting!
The whole thing continues when they are before Boss Nass. There you can also see excellent editing, indicating who is just influencing whom. Note there is a cut to Jar Jar's point of view! Ask yourself why and you'll understand!
When they are leaving Jar Jar manipulates Qui-Gon into asking Boss Nass about his release. Qui-Gon can now use the gods demand it point he learned earlier or else how would he knew that?
Now, I admit the movie still has clumsy dialogue but realizing what Jar Jar actually does and what sort of character he really was intended to be, it made the movie much more interesting to me.
As mentioned above, with the arrival on Coruscant the movie gets kind of dull again. But if I think unemotional about it, the first half of this movie has a much better, more complex plot and much better character development than episode 4 and episode 7. Sad, but somehow true. I am not saying the newest episode is bad, but a master mind seems to be missing. Never thought I'd write this.
So give this movie another chance and try to look behind Jar Jar's behavior, the CGI crap and the medichlorians, they are just a story tool to show how important Anakin is.