Definitely worth the wait!

Rating: 9/10 (18 May 1999)

I was fortunate enough to see an advanced showing on Sunday the 16th, as part of a benefit for the Boys & Girls Club of San Francisco. George Lucas attended, and I was able to talk to him before the movie.
I give it a 9/10, only because I think Episode 4 was a 10, and this was almost as good. Sure the technology is really amazing, but for 1977, Star Wars was really incredible. And the story in Star Wars was truly epic. The story in The Phantom Menace was very good, don't get me wrong, and it had lots of very interesting elements that I won't spoil here, but not quite like the first movie. The effects are so good though, that you won't believe some aspects are totally computer generated.
I honestly didn't really like little Anikin, but he did pretty well in the role. Liam and Ewan were outstanding as Jedi, and Samuel L. Jackson is just plain cool. Natalie as the queen was outstanding. Darth Maul is the coolest. I wish there were more scenes with him.