In this interview with Mark Hamill, I read something that finally verbalized what I think was wrong with Star Wars Episode 1:
"It didn't work as well as it could have because there's no cynic in it. We had Han Solo to keep our films from being too sugary and upbeat."
I think that's exactly the problem. You know, C3P0 was just as annoying as Jar Jar, but because other characters on the screen were annoyed by him as well, we were in on the joke. If there had only been someone in The Phantom Menace telling Jar Jar to shut the hell up, it would have been a much better film. Still flawed, but at least improved.
Another interesting quote which really needs no comment from me:
In Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, opening Friday, Hamill has what he had hoped would be an uncredited cameo, but writer-director Kevin Smith insisted on giving him a credit just as he had insisted only Hamill could play the role of the futuristic light-sabre swordsman Cock-Knocker.Posted by Xkot at August 20, 2001 03:21 PM | Speak It