this movie brings back the magic, novelty, and inrtigue of star wars that caught everybody when the first movie came out (no, you can't see it again for the first time, that's impossible, so move on) and frankly is one of the greatest movies i've ever seen. here's the skinny. hayden christensen does an excellent job as anakin, i hope to see more of him in other films in the future. ewan's reprisal of the obi wan role is better than his first attempt, he's growing into the alec guinness version nicely, but i was amazed that this friendship that we've imagined all these years between him and anakin has nowhere near the emotional impact that obi wan's and qui gon's had in phantom menace. natalie portman continues to smuggle her awesome intelligence into her work under the cover of her beauty, and forces us to wonder what exactly is fueling her character's love for anakin. it's clear from the beginning of the film that anakin has been sweating her since the last chapter, but her reactions to his advances seem only what you'd expect from a very professional political figure getting a lot of sudden and very personal attention. it's only when they are apparently facing death that she tells him that she loves him too, and you wonder why, what with all the dark hints of his other self seeping through in talk from anakin that's both cleverly written and neatly overlooked by the other characters. the future emperor's guidance in his jedi career is mentioned, and is definitely growing in power. jar jar binks has a small role, but he does manage to ensure the destruction of the republic. r2 and 3po have some of their best moments, and in mirroring 'empire strikes back' as everyone thought it would, this movie trashes 3po in ways nobody could have ever expected. the lightsaber dueling is also a lot like that in 'esb', with the brilliant christopher lee giving this movie what the last one lacked; a villain who is both active, and intelligent. though the lightsaber action was better choreographed in the last one, it means more here, as it did in the old trilogy. yoda gets his groove on, and shows why everybody calls him master. the action sequences, rather than being over-the-top, were necessary back story that should live up to fan expectations started by obi wan's episode 4 reminiscing, and the developments of the battle scenes are copious and gripping. the jedi are definitely on their way out, and you feel the darkness growing as they become mere faces in crowds of friendly clone troopers, who remind me of the aliens in V before you find out they're evil. last note; the guy who played jango fett did a kick ass job, and i expect to see a lot more of him as well. go to this moive and enjoy it: you won't see anything quite like it again (probably till episode 3).