A lot better than people give it credit for

Rating: 7/10 (16 January 2011)

Probably earning some sort of reputation as one of the most hated sequels( or prequels actually) of all time, I'm here to say that Star Wars Episode 1 is a lot better than everyone gives it credit for.
Now I will admit this is still probably the weakest of the Star Wars movies( that or Episode 2), but its still pretty good. Now talking about the actors, everyone does a pretty good job. Liam Neeson is just awesome as Quigon, with his awesome voice, charisma, and Jedi-like wisdom, he really fits this part quite well. Ewan McGregor was pretty good as Obi-Wan, but didn't really get enough screen time to leave a big impression. Natalie Portman was either good or okay. As the queen, she was oddly monotone for some reason, which seems out of place, but still gets the job done well as the queen and Padme. Jake Lloyd was actually okay. As far as child actors go, you could do much worse, and although he was a little annoying at times, he was still pretty decent.
Another big problem people have is Jar Jar Binks, probably one of the most despised fictional characters ever. I actually thought he was pretty good. He could be annoying at times, but other times I found myself chuckling at his stupidity, which I think was the point. Towards the end of the movie he actually does grow up into a somewhat brave and resourceful hero. He could be loud and annoying, but he could also be quiet when necessary, and let other people speak.
I do have a gripe with the villain, Dath Maul. Now he looks cool and the final fight a the end of the movie was spectacular, but you didn't really feel any dread of him approaching and he really didn't have a lot to do. But still, he was okay.
Not much else to say except that the graphics and visuals are jaw-droppingly beautiful, even by today's standards. You can really feel the artistic creativity in each set and location. The story can be dry at some points, but it could also be suspenseful and action packed. Now I know this movie is far from perfect, with it relying a little too heavily on special effects and there being some underused characters and plot points, but this movie is still really good in my opinion. I recommend this to newcomers and old fans who should give this movie, and the rest of the prequels another shot.