This should have been Episode I

Rating: 10/10 (17 May 2005)

I saw a sneak preview tonight (Tuesday night). The action starts right off the bat and does not stop until the very end! Lucas should have skipped Episodes I and II, and just started with this one!
Everything a Star Wars fan wants is here -- amazing Lightsaber duels, huge space battles, and a plot which keeps you guessing. You just THINK you know how it's going to turn out! :) Lucas remembered to seal all the plot holes this time around -- the ending connects nicely with the beginning of a movie he started 20 years ago. Very well done.
Everything you hated about Episodes I and II have been removed from Episode III. Anakin isn't a whiner. The Padme/Anakin love story isn't so sticky sweet. The acting didn't seem nearly as "forced" as in the Episodes I and II. Jar Jar shows up in only one scene, and only says two words in the entire movie! Even the battle droids seem to have "grown up" -- they're not as geeky, and seem more authoritative... :)
My largest gripe about Episodes I and II was that Lucas seemed to want us to stare in amazement at the special effects, and not pay attention to the plot or the actors on the screen. Episode III finally puts the special effects where they belong -- in a supporting role to the plot!