A die hard fan who was not disappointed

Rating: 9/10 (20 May 2000)

Let me start off my review with commenting on Jar-Jar Binks, the most hated character in movie history. He is essential to the story, not just put there for comic relief(by the way, his antics ARE funny). Just imagine this: Take Jar-Jar out of the movie, and what do you have? A lot of cut material. Just think about it. The ride in the Bongo(the gungan sub) in the start of the movie. If he wasn't there, the whole sequence whould have been trimmed down to the point where they leave the gungan city, and when they come up in Theed. Mos Espa: If you took out Jar-Jar, how else whould they have meet Anakin again, since Qui-Gon had no intention of going back to Watto's shop, if it wasn't for Jar-Jar getting in trouble with Sebulba(the films best CGI character) and having Anakin save him. And here comes the most important reason of all. When Queen Amidala is in Palpatine's headquarters in Courscaunt, Jar-Jar tells her of the massive gungan army. When the queen goes back to Naboo, and realizes that she needs help to defeat ther Trade Federation, she seeks the auidence with Boss Nass to get their help, or else the Naboo will lose. Let's go back a few moments. If Jar-Jar wasn't in the movie, he wouldn't have not been there to the Queen of the army, and they would have lost. Get my point. Now on to the movie. MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD
The movie starts out with the Republic cruiser heading toward the planet of Naboo. Obi-Wan(excently portrayed by Ewan McGregor) and Qui-Gon Jinn, nearly escape a onslaught of destroyer droids(the coolest droids in the movie) and battle droids, and end up on the planet, where they run into Jar-Jar Binks. From here, the movie gets stronger. Nute Gunray(the Trade Federation viceroy) is very interesting to watch, and I hope he'll be back for episode 2. They way he just lies about thngs so smoothly is very good for character development. Too bad Rune Hakko(the alien who is Nute's assaintant) didn't have enough screen time. For people who complain the characters were flat, must of had something put into their drinks at the theaters by trekkies, they weren't. Qui-Gon was a stern, but a very likeable character, and I was sad when he was killed. Sebulba and Watto are the most interesting cgi characters to watch. Watto has the resembelnce of a con man, and Sebulba is the one character you wanted to see more of. Anakin was quite intresting, and the Queen is wonderful to watch. But Palpatine steels the show. Ian McDirmid does a sensational job. Panaka,Yoda,Mace Windu, and R2&3PO were fun to watch.
Overall, I give this movie three ratings: A Star Wars Movie: 3 1/2/4; a Movie by itself: 4/4; and a sci-fi movie: 5/4.