I'm sure for so many fans who grew up with the original trilogy the way Anakin is portrayed in the prequels is a total shock. I for one was expecting to see an intelligent good man, great Jedi, pilot and warrior who through circumstances becomes corrupted by the dark side. Instead we got some wooden brat who romps around in a field with a big haired senator and poorly CGI'd cows.
There's just too much crammed into the prequels that really takes the story nowhere, in fact it takes away the time that could have been given to developing Anakin's fall etc. I'm talking about things like the drawn out boring pod race, the arena battle on Geonosis, the ridiculously overlong rescue of Palpatine at the beginning of Revenge of the Sith. They dragged out things like that yet cut out what could have been a significant scene featuring a young Mon Mothma start the foundations of the Rebellion.
I also hate the way that so many of the iconic things Obi Wan told Luke are undermined by purely casting a child as Anakin. Obi Wan tells Luke Anakin was already a great pilot when he met him. What do we get as evidence of this? A 10 year old in a pod race (that personally bores the pants of me).
Actually, I'd argue it isn't. I'd say Phantom is a reasonable film weighed down by a lot of really childish and cringeworthy moments. Clones has fewer of those moments, but as an overall narrative, it's by far the weakest of the six.
Darth Maul? He wouldn't have lasted two seconRAB if those idiots on Naboo had fired their blasters at him when the doors opened and he was standing there. "Leave him to us" said the Jedi. Bollocks to that, fire at will.
All of the Star Wars films had roughly simuar reactions from the critcs , About a third hate them , a third like them and a third were not bothered either way . the main diffence this time was that the " I hate them " lot just keep on going on about what a "terrible " film it was
Vader should have just done his customary breathing, turned on his heel and walked away when Palpatine gave him the news. The Noooooooo was utterly dreadful
For a total newcomer to the Star Wars movies you should most definitely watch them in the order of the year that they were made.
Beginning with Star Wars IV: A New Hope. Then obviously Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back, followed by Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi. Only then should you move onto Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, followed by the next 2 in the series.