Flawed, but fun

Rating: 7/10 (14 February 2011)

Tiresome kiddie Annakin becomes tiresome young teen Annakin.
Palpatine's machinations start to become more obvious, and there is some fun to be had with the sequences on the oceanic clone manufacturing planet, in the asteroid belt, and in the gladiatorial arena on the insect-y planet (although the Force doesn't seem to be a great deal of help to these young Jedi).
The tedious but necessary romance is more than outweighed by Yoda vs Dooku - Best. Entrance. Ever.
Jar-Jar is minimalised but, sadly, not exterminated.
And, like all middle parts, this suffers by virtue of not actually going anywhere.
Lucas has said that he is pitching his movies at younger viewers: if so, they aren't going to find it easy separating goodies from baddies in this opening trilogy.