Great dialogue, acting, romance, plotwhere was it?

Rating: 7/10 (29 May 2002)

**POSSIBLE SPOILERS** Before going into the cinema to watch the latest George Lucas franchise, I had pre-conceived expectations  and after leaving 140 long minutes later, they hadn't changed. Was this the best looking video game I just saw? The special effects and locations were undeniably spectacular, but a successful film needs story, pacing and acting first and CGI not to get in the way. The love scenes and the lulls with senators sitting around in circles had me looking at my watch, which can't be a good sign for a Star Wars movie. And the less said about the poor actors spouting such banal and cringe-worthy dialogue the better - who says the word `dreamy' anymore? And Anikan comes across as a spoilt brat and not a tormented soul on his way to becoming evil dictator Darth Vader - a missed opportunity. But what about the positives, as there are some visual treats. The last half an hour turned a mediocre movie into an entertaining ride, the Gladiator style monster battle was visual eye candy to behold. OK you knew none of the `good guys' was going to die not even a sense of danger, but please bring a little tension and unpredictability next time. There is however a great scene of Yoda putting down his walking stick to kick 80 year old Christopher Lee's butt. A crowd-pleasing moment that needs belief suspended, as judging by Yoda's highflying moves, why does he need a walking stick in the first place?
So to sum up - don't expect too much from the latest Star Wars movie and you're be entertained if not overly enthralled for a couple of hours. And it's still better than The Phantom Menace, oh yes, much better - A generous 7/10 rating