Ok, start off by saying I've been a lifelong fan...
THIS IS THE MOVIE EPISODE 2 SHOULD HAVE BEEN!
Lighthearted banter between Obiwan and Anakin, subtle hints to Anakin's Darkside rather than have it shoved down our throats. Padme doing something more than looking pretty. Anakin as a hero! Dooku as a menace. Clone warriors doing their job! Its was amazing.
I also understand it was written to kick off a TV series. I saw it for that. I viewed it as an overblown TV movie, not a full-length feature film. So a lot of the humor, story elements, and such struck me as very TV, but I went in expecting that.
Overall, I enjoyed it. I think it did a better job of capturing the heroic spirit of the Old movies far more than the political maneuvering or teen angst of the actual prequels.