The first Star Wars had the rescue of a beautiful young princess and the attack on the frickin’ Death Star. The Empire Strikes Back had Han and Leia chased all over the galaxy and Luke training with a Jedi master and, finally, learning a terrible and dark secret. The Return of the Jedi had another rescue and another Death Star and a long-awaited showdown between father and son. And The Phantom Menace? Trade negotiations and senate meetings.
WHAT OTHERS SAID:
“…gobs of dry exposition, devoted to blustering, filibustering debates on taxation and elections. It’s all very edifying. Like…school.”
—Richard Corliss, TIME, May 31, 1999