Primitive-Looking By Now, But A 'Must" To Set Up The Series

Rating: 7/10 (10 June 2006)

After seeing all six episodes of the Star Wars saga several times apiece, I still think this initial entry is interesting but one of weaker ones in the series. Perhaps that's because by now, the special-effects look primitive but also because it's a little slow in parts, slower than the other five films. Sometimes, though, it's nice to have more lulls as these modern-day action films many times overdo the violence. This one, however, is just a bit too slow overall.
The first hour of this film sets up the second hour plus the two sequels that followed in the 1980s, showing how the principal characters were united, who they are fighting against and what mystical powers they have at their disposal. Note: it was even interesting to watch this film decades later after the final installment, episode 3, was viewed. It made this first entry make a little more sense, knowing the complete story (who was related to whom, how some died, etc.). It was also a shock to go back and see the special-effects in here after viewing those final three films issued in recent years.
I always got annoyed, to be honest, at two things in this initial Star Wars film I felt were overdone: the "Rambo" mentality in which hundreds of shots are fired at the good guys and never hit them and the constant arguing between Carrie Fisher ("Princess Leia") and Harrison Ford ("Han Solo"). By the third film, thankfully, that bickering stopped and everyone was "on the same page."
Despite how old this film is, it's a "must" for this collection since it sets up so much of what is to follow. It's also kind of fun to look at this again and see how young everyone looks!