As empty as space itself.

Rating: 1/10 (17 May 2000)

I have been a fan of the Star Wars movies since the original trilogy. Both Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back are among my all-time favorite movies, and like others, I had anxiously awaited the fourth movie....But time -- and other movies (The Matrix, Batman [1989], Independence Day, Titanic, The Shawshank Redemption, Pulp Fiction, Fargo, etc.) tempered my interest. I only had a minor interest in seeing this movie, but now I have, and unfortunately, it is not only worst than the long and loud Return of the Jedi, but is one of the most pathetic movies I've seen in a long time. This is a sad example of what happens when you have too much money and spfx on your hands -- and not a clue to what makes a decent plot. Lucas has had nearly 20 years to develop a story, and instead fell way short. The screenplay is more serious than a Biblical epic, and with fewer laughs. The story did not keep my attention, and left me empty and feeling nothing. These characters - unlike their predecessors - were so distant, I didn't care what happened to any of them. I felt no emotion when Anakin and his mother part; or none when the Neeson character is killed. I wanted to know more about Darth Maul, but was told nothing. And the pod race (which went on and on and on....) was practically lifted from Ben-Hur. The fabulous Samuel L. Jackson was quite wasted, as was Neeson. The least said about Jake Lloyd the better; as a movie buff, I've seen dozens of more talented child actors. Jar-Jar Binks was annoying, but not overly objectionable, for his human counterparts performed - for the most part - worst than the puppet did. I had hoped for more from McGregor and Portman, but after over 2 hours, no longer cared. The final scene - reminiscent of the celebration at the end of the first SW movie - was more pitiful than happy. It is regrettable that this is what Lucas has offered after all these years, and I can only feel sad in thinking that his next 2 movies will likely be more of the same. He'll just slap Star Wars in the title -- and they will come. But not me.