I don't think TPM made so much more money just because it had more Star Wars fans going to see it, though I do believe that may have been the largest factor. I think it genuinely was a better film on some level as well. Even if its just an immature "kid's" film with "annoying," digital characters, and even if it cleary ruins Star Wars elements, it is still watchable all on its own. The other two PT fims have nothing redeemabe on their own. They totally rely on the original Star Wars and its portrayal of Darth Vader to generate even the slightest shred of interest in a movie-goer.

Originally posted by: Yoda Is Your Father
The Phantom Menace is my favourite prequel, but that's not saying much.

There must be more out there who agree with us! Hopefully they're not all under the age of ten!

Originally posted by: Gaffer Tape
Honestly, I don't mind Anakin being a whiny lovesick teen in AOTC. When I first saw that movie, I was 16, and I was feeling pretty much the same way at the time.

Strangely, I believe Hayden Christenson actually did a good job at his acting in AotC. I thought he pulled off the whiny thing pretty well, same with his desire for Padme. Unfortunately, the dialogue he was given was retchingly bad and his whiny nature in the story's plot was totally overdone. (Does George Lucas have any concept of subtlety?) I was also very disappointed by the pathetic simplicity of the love story between Anakin and Padme which was flat at best. I bet your magnification of a power struggle in the relationship between him and her would have been a good way to spice it up.

Once again, George Lucas' writing lethargy surfaces.