This movie will be vindicated in time

Rating: 9/10 (21 February 2000)

Right now there is a flood of negative comments about this film, even among SW fans. I'd just like to take a moment to refute several points made by TPM's detractors:
1)Midichlorians are NOT the Force! The Force still is the same mystical energy field described in the classic trilogy. They simply are a means with which one can use the Force.
2)The pod race is not mindless eye candy (tho the FX are incredible) It showcases Anakin's abilities in the Force and must win the race in order to win his freedom, as well as help the Queen. I guess that whole chariot race in Ben Hur is all rubbish too?
3)Jar-Jar is not solely used for comic relief. He is insturmental in bringing the Gungans and Naboo together, as Boss Nass tells him. Jar-Jar informs the Queen that "Gungans have a grand army" which inspires her to go back to Naboo to free the planet.
4)The whole "ethnic stereotype" controversy is utter nonsense. Ahmed Best, the voice of Jar-Jar, who is black, has said so in various occasions. It is a well known fact that George Lucas has borrowed heavily from different cutures in the SW movies. The accents are just another example of this. Having aliens speaking a foreign language without any traces of their native tongue would be ridiculous. And what about the Imperials speaking with a British accent in the classic trilogy? Why aren't there any Brits crying racism?
5)Darth Maul is not the main villain in TPM. I guess the fault can be placed to the producers for featuring him so prominantly in posters and such while Darth Sideous is the "phantom menace" of the film. Maul is more like a henchman in a James Bond film.
I believe that the amount of scrutiny and critcism given TPM is unfair. I believe that once the next two films are released, this movie will get the respect it deserves. In the meantime, I am eagerly awaiting my widescreen collectors edition on video.