It's still one of my favorite

Rating: 7/10 (9 May 2007)

Okay... let's get something straight. I first saw this movie when i was about nine-years-old and this was my first Star Wars and probably my first space movie I had ever watched. This movie wanted me to study astronomy; let my interest towards space to expand but that's irrelevant.
I still hold this episode my third favorite under Return of the Jedi and Revenge of the Sith.
SPOILER: Skip the positives and negatives please if don't want to be spoiled!
Positive: 1. We begin with two Jedi: Obi-Wan Kenobi and Qui Gon Jinn. Qui Gon is my favorite of his character and his look. I think we all know who Obi-Wan is. They fight their way through the Droid ambush and try to infiltrate the command center to arrest the viceroy. So mainly we have a great introduction!
2. Jar Jar Binks. Now I know there has been many critics about this alien but during my childhood, most of the children and i adored him when this movie first came out. He's funny and I still like his character. He was the alien that at least tried to bring some comedy into the movie.
3. Anakin Skywalker. The boy that was close to my age that was the prominent character and hero of the episode. Cut this kid some slack! He changed from a slave into a pod-racing winner and a war hero for destroying the main ship that deactivated the droids in Naboo.
4. Naboo! Ah man... I still remember the underwater city and the adventure of seeing new aquatic creatures: the gigantic piranha-like fish, the Godzilla-like fish, etc.
5. Darth Sidious, alias as Senator Palpatine. His anonymous identity made us wonder who he was. He didn't do anything major in this but still he was so cool.
6. And yes who could forget Darth Maul, the only Sith warrior who used a double-bladed lightsaber and gave us a hell of an entertaining-lightsaber battle. He murdered Qui Gon and then the Obi Wan vs. Darth Maul duel was very phenomenal.
Negative: Okay there was some negatives
1. I mainly ignored the political debate in the assembly but if viewers first watch Star Wars in this order, people will be confused of what the bureaucrats are squabbling about.
2. Jar Jar Binks. I'm not putting this because I think he's negative, I am just warning the viewers that Jar Jar does several silly things and he's illiterate. So if you get used to the comedy or simply ignore him, you'll have a great time with this movie.
3. Darth Maul didn't have a long script. He only had about three sentences to say. And I wished he didn't die at all! The way he died didn't bother me, until I saw AOTC and thought he would resurrect or survive but...
4. If I watch it again, most of the characters are bland and dull. But it's understandable if you think about it: Jedi are pacifist and have broad discipline and can't feel no emotion, politicians generally are dead inside so they don't have a character of their own, and the queen's people and her planet are seized by the Trade Federation which is why she never had alternate feelings. Maybe the problem were too many serious people.
Okay you got it! For the majority, many people hated and berated this movie because of Jar Jar Binks and it wasn't as the old trilogy. But what people should understand is that the prequels are for the new generation and the people that grew up with the prequels, like me... will adore the prequels more than the originals. So most of you Star Wars fans out there that love the originals, take an open mind and be comprehensive to the new Star Wars sagas. And for the rest of you that never saw Star Wars, star with number 4; it'll be more exciting that way.