Very disappointing...everything is thin - plot, characters...

Rating: Null/10 (26 August 2001)

I was very disappointed in this movie. I LOVE the first three films, seen them a million times, got the videos, watch them when they're on the tube... and this movie DOES NOT live up to their legacy. The plot is paper thin... the characters are almost transparent... The action, such as it is, is predictable. They spent 11 minutes (might have been 13, I've forgotten, but I timed it) on the "pod race" which had a VERY minimal impact on the plot (what plot?), when the main point of the thing could have been handled in about 3-5 minutes. Those other 6-8 minutes could have been used to give some substance to the characters. I'm forced to wonder if Liam made them mad? His character was a cardboard cut-out, apparently designed to be killed for effect, so that Obi-Wan could go on alone. Darth Maul was even more ephemeral. He didn't even have a voice, or so it seemed. He was apparently there to kill Liam and then be gone. Definitely the weakest link! Yoda and the "council" of the Jedi Knights could have used a few minutes of air time to make us believe that they did anything other than say "no" to Liam (which, of course, he ignored). Is Samuel L. Jackson scheduled to show up in future episodes? (I didn't see his name on the credits for Episode II on this site). And Jar Jar Binks???? What a waste of make-up!!! Question... Why didn't he look anything like the rest of his people??? Why did he appear to be a cross between "Old Weird Harold" from the Cosby Kids and "Roger Rabbit"? Why did we have to suffer through his never-ending babble???
George, you've done a dis-service to your vision. We wouldn't have minded waiting for a few more years if that was what it took to get a GOOD movie. I HOPE... no I PRAY that Episode II is better, but I'm not holding my breath.