Finally, it feels like Star Wars.

Rating: 8/10 (20 May 2005)

After seeing this movie, my mind has been blown. For the past six years, I have been denouncing Lucas and the prequel trilogy along with every other fan of the original Star Wars Trilogy, but after seeing this movie I'm confused, but at peace. So much happens in this movie it's hard to wrap your mind around it all, but it's all enjoyable. During the fall of Anakin and his transformation into Vader, I had my mouth hanging open for minutes at a time. The thing that this movie did that the previous two failed at was making it FEEL like a Star Wars movie.
No, you can't compare it to Empire or A New Hope or any of the originals, but frankly, I never even understood why people felt the need to compare those movies to each other.
Lucas's directing was much better this time. Editing was exemplary, obviously the special effects were incredible, but everyone needs to look past that all in this movie. I remember Lucas saying about 8 years ago that a special effect without a story is just a special effect...that's how I liken Episodes 1 and 2. Finally the story is here, and honestly it does seamlessly lead into A New Hope. Wiping C3P0's memory clean is the only way to keep continuity, and I've been saying it for years. I'm just amazed that Lucas did what had to be done instead of adding in some lame line at the end of the movie, like "Oh, looks like we're headed back to Tattooine, my home planet where that Skywalker kid put me together," THE END. No, no...this all feels right.
The acting was sooo much better. Ewan McGregor was always a shining point, but Christensen suffered from the overused Star Wars cliché of "WOODEN ACTING." See the laughable dream seen in Episode II. However, Anakin had another dream seen and it was actually believable! Partially because Lucas directed the concept of the dream better, and because Christensen's skills have improved.
No, the acting is not a problem. The only problem I had was the poorly written dialogue. At parts, it seems like the lines were made up by Lucas on the spot.
Obi-Wan: "But Anakin, the Sith are EVIL!" Anakin: "But from MY point of view, the Jedi are evil!" Come on.
But, overall, it works. And you can't tell me you didn't feel a pang at Luke and Leia's birth, or the most bad-ass scene in all of Star Wars (you know, without Boba Fett in it...) of Anakin pulling his lightsaber on the younglings. Wow.
And finally, as my friend said on the way out of the theater, "If there's one thing the Star Wars franchise was missing, it's a long sustained 'NOOOOOOOOOOOO!'"