Great intro to Star Wars!

Rating: 10/10 (6 April 2020)

This movie has a lot of things going on below the surface. It has to set up it's own plot to resolve to feel like a self contained story. It has to set up the arch that is going to happen for the next three movies. And connect to what we've already seen. It effortly does them all.
Another achievement from Lucas. This movie is the most important movie to come out in the last twenty years. It literally changed the way all movies were made. Nothing looked evenclose to this before. And CG characters hadn't been used like this by a long shot. And now you look at every movie and they have all changed their methods because of the cost effective CG this movie revolutionized.
This movie is able to capture the spirit of the original Star Wars by keeping it light and fun without overtly copying A New Hope. A studio would do as many call backs as they could. This has nothing that could be a straight up call back. When the original creator is involved they can do this effortlessly because they are the Gods of their universe. Lucas is not only able to maintain Star Wars but also redefine what Star Wars is. This movie isn't created for nostalgia, Lucas is, as always telling a story. In a way this is much closer to his original vision. When you read his rough draft The Star Wars, it's very close to this.
There are so many great scenes in this movie. Of course the lightsaber fight and the podrace are the two most disputed but I always loved the beginning with Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon sneaking around dismembering battle droids. Seeing a Jedi do what they do was a nice treat as well. Luke didn't know nothing. Anakin is great as well because he's nothing like we thought. He is the best kid that ever could be. Remember when we were all like that? So selfless and willing to help others? It's that love that hurts Anakin and saves him in the end. Without his love he wouldn't have created Luke and without Luke he wouldn't come back from the dark side.
I think that the designs are the best in this movie. The characters, ships, buildings, costumes and interiors are all so cool in this. I can see why, after years of being restricted by practicalities Lucas is able to let his hair down and just go for it. And from a design standpoint and really story this movie had to look different from the originals. Not only is it 30 some years before but the galaxy is in a much different state than how we know it. The design has to reflect that so we know we're in an age of romance not industry.
Qui-Gon is such a cool character. I love that he is a rebel of the Jedi and he's the reason that things to eventually work out. Without his maverick thinking things would have gone much differently.
Darth Maul is a great representative of the Sith. We don't get to see too many in the movies so his archetype image is a good window into what we can assume the Siths of old looked like.
Jar Jar is really a new type of character that really works well. 3P0 was as goofy as it got. His physical comedy is great and works in good contrast to the seriousness of the plot and everyone else. And I love that he can't help it. But he isn't there merely to relieve tension when things get serious. He goes away or isn't wacky when the plot is serious.
But he's not an idiot, he's really helpful, he's just county clumsy.
I do like how inherently goofy the Gungans are just as a culture. They talk goofy and their leader Boss Nass is the goofiest of them all. Their technology is so cool. The under water energy shields an the deflector shields during the fight are awesome.
I could keep going as I love this movie so much. But yes, great intro into what Star Wars is and can be.