[Andrés]

The plot does makes sense and could have been a great opening to the whole saga.
No movie could have met the expectations of all fans that have been waiting for so long, but that’s not a good defense.
But with a few minor changes, less dialogs, the end of the space and ground battle, and it would have been the movie we were waiting for.
The destruction of the TFDCS could have resembled more the destruction of a Death Star, size matters not (though it was big enough), but how it was made. The gungans could have won over the droids, that in turn could have got confused and not dead after the destruction of the command ship. Ewoks with little help of a few rebels could beat the better prepared imperial forces.

Too much special effects? I don’t think so, after all starwars has always had a lot of fx. Jar Jar was overdone and given too much time, I agree. I heard they were careful to make effects in the new movies fit with those in the original trilogy.

About the race: Remember that humans are not supposed to be able to drive pod racers. Anakin relied on his Force perception, most of the other drivers were aliens with faster reflexes and multiple hands.

Hadrian: I don’t think that Palpatine would have planned to use the Death Star against the Gungans, Naboo was his home-planet.
IIRC Rebel sympathizer planets such as Chandrila, Calamari and Sullust were in the list.

And what's serious sci-fi? Blade Runner, Aliens, Terminator and Farscape?
Give me a break!