Precise and to the point

Rating: 5/10 (20 May 1999)

I thought Episode 1 was a pretty good Star Wars flick and it did present a few surprises and setups for the coming episodes. The saber battles were especially good (especially the climax battle between Qui Gonn Jinn and Darth Maul and Obi Wan).
Although Lucas does seem to be flashing big time effects at us every minute he can, it does add to the film, though I miss the use of miniatures rather than big effects. Still, it doesn't overshadow the story much. With the added special effects Queen Amidala's hair pieces, the movie was amazing. John Williams once again added to the mesmerizing score which always adds to the scenes. And Jar Jar Binks was good as the clumsy comic relief for the picture and Little Anakin was given a great beginning before his turn to the dark side.
I await with great anticipation for the next film and can't wait to see the beginning of Amidala and Anakin's relationship grow even more. 3 more years! We've waited 15 years for episode 1. We can survive 3 more years. May the collecting begin...