Short Changed, and possibly worse than TPM!!!

Rating: 3/10 (17 May 2002)

George Lucas needs to start listening to the fans!! I can understand that the films are HIS and therefore he makes them they way he wants. But the rest of the world doesn't live in a fantasy world. Anyway.... Disappointed would be an understatement as to how I felt when leaving the cinema on opening night. Short Changed would be more accurate, and I feel I was not the only one for whom "The Force" did not come home.
Okay, so there's action - but you have to wait 2 hours to get to it, and it still doesn't stand against the opening attack in "Empire" or even the assault on the Death Star in "Jedi". A lot has been said already about the so-called acting in AOTC - and I agree with the negativity. But that's not the fault of the actors, it's largely to do with being placed in front of a Blue-screen with nothing to look at. Poor performances from Hayden, Natalie & Christopher Lee. Outstanding performance from Jar Jar - as he's barely in it!
The scenery and SFX are good, but I want something more like Episodes IV, V & VI, where it feels like you're involved. George GIVE US A STORY!!!
I read the book first, and it's 10 times better. Maybe the DVD release will include a far better opening (speeder chase on Tatooine according to book), more "family" scenes between Jango & Boba Fett etc. There's just no emotion in the movie at all.
But I can't be ALL negative - seeing Yoda fighting is AWESOME. Sent a wave of euphoria through the cinema and rightly so. In summary, wait for the DVD! The book left me wanting more NOW, sadly the movie didn't! Episode 3 has to be SPECIAL to make me see it!