Very good, because it's Star Wars

Rating: Null/10 (26 May 2002)

I came into this film expecting way too much. I should have just expected Star Wars--because as such, this is a very good movie.

Rating-wise: (minor spoilers) As a straight-up movie, I'd have to give it a 3. But add 2 for the fact that it is in a series and it gives a lot of good history. Add 3 for the sheer fact of it being Star Wars and that it kept to the saga's theme. Minus 3 for corny dialgoue. Add 1 for giving most of the corny dialogue to Sam Jackson. You see, "The party's over" is a corny line. But when Sam Jackson says the party's over, the party is over. Add 1 for Samuel L. Jackson's sheer presence in the movie and acting. Add 2 for another lovely score composition by John Williams. Minus 3 for Natalie Portman showing less emotion than if she was reading from a cue card and for looking completely bored with the movie. Add 1 for another stalwart villain performance by Christopher Lee. Add 1 for Ewan MacGregor beginning to become Alec Guiness. Minus 1.5 when Anakin rides a two-legged cow and when Obi-wan appears to talk to Shrek in the bar. Add .5 for Yoda, strange, but good for the history. Add .5 for the effects being better than I thought they would be. I think that adds to 7.5 out of 10. Sounds good to me.