have to see but not because it's great

Rating: 7/10 (19 May 1999)

This morning, at 12:01 AM, Wednesday May 19th, I and 11 other friends finally saw the long awaited Phantom Menance. In spite of the late hour the crowd was highly energetic. All the previews were booed except for "The Spy Who Shagged Me" and "Big Daddy".
The movie itself is quite entertaining and fun. Unfortunately and understandably there wasn't much in terms of originality in the film. What was even more disappointing was how weak the characters were. There was no one to hate or love. No one catched our excitement or imagination.
However if you enjoyed Star Wars at all you have to see this movie. Episode I begins to explain how everything started. There also seemed to be some "Easter eggs" like a character that looked like a Planet Of The Ape character and a bunch of aliens in the Senate who looked like E.T.'s. Great special effects, battles, etc. as one would expect in a Star Wars film.
Overall, I'd say brave the lines, sit with a raucous crowd, and enjoy it.