One of the things I really dislike about most EpI edits is how they cut the opening, specifically I love the underwater sequence and I wish more people kept it in. I’ve always found it exciting, rather than a drag of any kind.
My thoughts on the underwater sequence are “on the one hand, on the other hand.” On the one hand, I agree that, from a visual standpoint, gunga city is pretty to look at. On the other hand, the scene doesn’t serve much of a purpose beyond knowing about the conflict between the gungans and Amidala. I think that’s why a lot of people have such disdain for it. It’s because seeing a bunch of CGI underwater creatures doesn’t serve the plot much. I personally like l8wrtr’s take on the underwater sequence the best. It goes to the boss nass scene, then cuts out the underwater sequence altogether, taking away the unimportant stuff.