An old fan's viewpoint

Rating: Null/10 (18 May 2002)

Standing in the queue to see this movie gave me butterflies like a 16 year old experiences before an exam. Would the old magic be back? No set piece battle to begin with followed by a segment that left one wondering more than in wonder. However momentum built up like a boulder careering down a hill, with the same explosive conclusions!
No-one can claim this to be a film without flaws. One line by Christopher Lee could have come straight out of B List Ninja film. However we got to see things we could only imagine before-the political backdrop, the role of the Jedi and maybe why they need to control their emotions (dangerous things those lightsabres).
No actor will be in close up when they give out the Oscars for Best/Supporting roles but the FX folks can sit smugly back at a job well done. Some of the set pieces are simply breathtaking in their detail.
And if you have seen the film I bet you're already scanning the net looking for a release date of Episode III, and you weren't doing that after Phantom Menace...