Don't believe the critics, this one was great!

Rating: 10/10 (17 May 2002)

Besides what the critics might have said, I loved this movie down to the very last second. While still showcasing a little choppy dialogue that is somewhat characteristic of Lucas, the movie was still a thrill to watch. The fifth installment in a series of six movies, this one managed to make good on what its predecessor didn't. One noticable improvement can be seen in Anakin Skywalker. While still not the greatest acting ever seen, Hayden Christensen does a much better job on the character than Jake Lloyd did. While Anakin in "The Phantom Menace" came off as poorly acted kid hero, Anakin in this movie comes off how he should, a teenager who is slowly turning to the dark side. After seeing the movie twice, I can safely say that the critics were over critical of the acting. On to the movie itself. While some accuse the first two hours being to slow and boring, I never found that to be true. Anytime the movie would start to drag, something exciting happened, which kept you wanting to see more. Then there is the last half hour of the movie. One of the greatest parts of any movie I have ever seen, it gives a little taste of everything, including some humor that involves R2-D2 and C-3PO. The last half hour also showcases some of the most amazing visual effects ever shown. The realistic looking CGI Yoda is a testament to the time spent on making the visual effects look real. And don't get me wrong, the effects through the first two hours are amazing too. The sound is also done quite well, and helps to immerse in the picture even more. I would say this movie is a shoo in for Best Visual Effects and Best Sound Editing Oscars, as have many of the other Star Wars movies. ILM and Skywalker Sound show why the are considered to be one of the best in the business. All in all, this movie is a great one, and worth seeing many times. I've already seen it twice, and I can't wait to see it more.