Four star

LOVE it or loathe it, you certainly cannot ignore what is sure to be the biggest DVD release of the year.

And you have to give full credit to George Lucas and his team for producing a perfectly packaged feast of visual entertainment.

But the star of this DVD is not the film itself. The first prequel to the three Star Wars films, it kicks off the story of how cute little Anakin Skywalker sets off on a path that would eventually lead to him becoming the infamous Darth Vader.

There's no doubt that it's a technical masterpiece with stunning visual effects that quite literally push back the boundaries of technology.

The podrace and three-way lightsabre duel are enough to take your breath away.

However the story, clever though it is in guiding characters and plot lines towards their inevitable fate, leaves a lot to be desired.

The fine line-up of actors (Ewan McGregor, Liam Neeson, Samuel L Jackson, Natalie Portman and Brian Blessed to name but a few) can do nothing to disguise the corny lines and flimsy writing.

But everyone knows Star Wars is not Shakespeare and yet it is a phenomenon which has spanned generations.

Why? Because Lucas insists on nothing less than perfection for his fans and will do anything to ensure an all-round entertainment package.

Hence, it is the extras which really steal the show, totalling six hours' worth of deleted scenes, documentaries and tasty titbits to keep even the most ardent film fans happy.

And it's not until you see how much effort, time, manpower and skill goes into every single detail that you realise just how good a film it is.

Which makes it at least worth a look if you can get past the snobbery which surrounds much of Lucas' work.

Taken on its own, the film is not up to much. But taken as an episode of the ever-growing Star Wars saga, it takes on a whole new meaning and can really be appreciated.

SC