Let’s look at some of the films that received failing ratings from the majority of critics. Films such as "Battlefield Earth", "Freddy Got Fingered", "Ishtar" and "Leonard Part 6" are good examples of failures. Is Episode II worthy of being compared to those films? I think not. Episode II does not have people walking out of theaters (as all of the films mentioned had) and will not be remembered as a titanic cinematic failure if nothing else based on the millions of satisfied fans and dollars it will generate.

I think in many ways George Lucas has become a victim of his success, and there are members of the media and Hollywood who hold a grudge against him. The man is an innovator, as he has evolved beyond his beginnings as a writer, director and producer, to be the genesis behind several successful companies. Many of which are innovators in the fields of gaming, FX, sound and production. You would be hard pressed to find a filmmaker who has become so successful in so many different areas as Lucas, and one who continues to drive the future of cinema as he has with digital filming/projection and his THX sound standard..

Where is it written that if a man is successful in business that he can’t be a quality writer and director? As for the criticism that the acting in the new trilogy is stiff and the dialogue is absurd, let’s not forget that the original series had its share of bad lines and some acting that at times was less than stellar. The films are meant to be a fairy tale in space. The series tells of seduction, redemption and good vs. evil, and above all, faith in the future. This is not Shakespeare, this is an epic sci-fi fantasy and a series that has remained popular with three different generations and become a part of the world culture. If Lucas had made the new series like the original films then he would no doubt be accused of copying himself and not having any fresh ideas. Instead, he has set the new trilogy in a time that is very different from the original series and contains characters that reflect this. There is no wise cracking rogue, as there is no Rebellion yet.

This is a time of corruption run amuck and a society in decay much as we had in ancient Rome. The focus is on showing how a Republic fell and how a dictator created situations and manipulated people to gain power as Hitler did. The stories for the new series needed to focus on mystery, darkness, betrayal and the rise of the Empire and Darth Vader, not wise cracking rogues and a rebellion and clear cut good and bad guys. This is why the film seems so different to many viewers; it is an era we have never seen and one that is very different from the one that was established in the original trilogy. Obi Wan tells Luke that a light saber was an elegant weapon of a more civilized time, yet Luke uses a blaster throughout the trilogy. You do not see any Jedi with blasters in the first two films thus illustrating how different society had become in the original series where armed occupation was a very real factor for many of the characters.

I digress, I can see how some would not like the dialogue, would find the mystery aspect of the series and a romance amidst the chaos unacceptable when compared to the original. To those of you that are in this category I offer you this observation. Ask any fan what they thought of Episode II and I bet you would find at least an 80% approval rating. People who are not happy do not give films standing ovations and do not continue to line up outside theaters a week after a film opens. George knows what the fans want and he has given it to them. He is not making movies for Hollywood but telling the stories that he wants to tell to the delight of billions of satisfied fans worldwide. In doing so, Lucas has created a series that is so epic in scope and technical complexity that it continues to set the standard for all other series to aspire to. Most of the films this summer will be forgotten, but thirty years from now people will still love Episode II and Star Wars. Thank you George Lucas for doing things your way and creating a series that will endure for the ages.