been there, done that: What's wrong George? No more originality?

Rating: 6/10 (9 August 1999)

Perhaps no movie could compare to the combined marketing blitz and anticipation that this movie followed. The media blitz, the fan pages, and the oh-so-convenient mass merchandising left even me, a Star Wars fan (not an out-for-blood, stand-in-line-for-two-weeks fan, mind you) very skeptical to begin with.
In short, the film contained too many parallels to the first film; so many plants to former references that it felt like it had to make excuses to die-hard followers; inadequate special effects (only because we've seen Lucasfilm's technology in non-Lucas productions) to the point where I was unimpressed; unlike how original Star Wars movies just boggled the mind.
Certainly the plot was less than intriguing. But maybe that's the way things go. I gave George Lucas more credit to come up with a fanciful and interesting tale. Instead this film was filled with kiddie humor, toilet humor, and vague & unsatisfying development. What a waste of talent all around. There were great actors, a great director, great if not unsurpassed special effects potential, and a crazy-sized budget. What happened?? ...And yet, on the other hand: I still recommend seeing it. (There's more to come, so why miss out?)