you know the thing with Ep 1 is that if you go back and watch it again, it isn't so bad. I think part of the problem was the anticipation and the fact that the bar was set so high. Funny thing is that as much as i like the original trilogy, the acting is at times really awful. That is not something you notice until you've seen it a few times and are not longer engrossed by the story.
The biggie was the character of Jar Jar. I mean GL really bought the farm with that one.
I think flashbacks to DVs childhood might have been better and gave him more time to develop II and III. But they are his and that's that.
And Natalie Portman totally sucked.