Doesn't anybody get it?

Rating: 8/10 (8 June 1999)

I've read close to a hundred comments on this movie, about the bad acting, disappointments due to high expectations, etc. etc. etc. It's clear that 99% of you who have seen the Star Wars series don't get it at all.
First and foremost, the acting in The Phantom Menace is not wooden! Try to remember: most of the characters are politicians. Even Queen Abudala is a politician, even though she's not very good at it. The chief exceptions are Jin and Kenobi, and Skywalker, each of whom turn in credible performances. The two Jedi act the way they do because they've been taught practically from birth to be passive, that the Force governs their destiny. This they show quite effectively. As for Skywalker, his character clearly is that of a little boy, overcompensating for his status as a slave by being boastful.
Second, and equally important, Star Wars is basically a Saturday afternoon serial; no more, no less. If you expect more out of these films, you will be disappointed; don't even bother to watch. But for those of us who can completely suspend disbelief (or perhaps just smirk slightly at the more obvious violations of physics) and watch these classics with the eye of a child, Lucas has framed in excess of eight hours of pure fun, and counting. Bless him for that.