Here a few fan reactions we received from New Zealanders before the movie:

muntedman tells us:

So far for the AOTC launch there are about 13 (from what i can count) SW fans dressed up as everyone from VADER, to this dude dressed up in orange fighter pilot outfit, and he's got a cool little remote controled R2-D2 ( in Auckland)

MH tells us

Well I'm waiting with baited breath! I'm a manager of a bookstore in town and so I did a promotion deal with the local cinema, so now I've got one of those SWEEET double-sided AOTC movie posters! Nightline (a news show over here) has some footage of fans so I'll see if I can capture that, but not tonight I'm going to Star Wars 2: Attack of the clones! I gotta thank George Lucas for letting us not have to wait MONTHS for this film. Can't wait!

I forgot to mention that Daniel Logan (Boba Fett) is in town tonight he's going to have lunch with a contest winner and sign some stuff! The theatre I used to work at (I was a projectionist) has flown him down. But I've given some comics and my Fett action figure to my old boss to get signed by him.

And after the movie:

Rob tells us:

Just got back from the midnight screening here in Christchurch NZ, enjoyed the movie very much (much more than I enjoyed phantom menace) and the audience reception was very good. I found the acting, aside from one or two horrid lines, to be very good - although it was unusual to hear kiwi accents in there (which the audience here had a few chuckles about). I am looking forward to seeing it again soon.... 3:00am is fast approaching and work tomorrow - but you know how it goes - Star Wars comes first ;)

MH tells us:

Well STAR WARS is BACK! My fiance' and I just got back and as a firm fan of ESB, I must say I think the king has been toppled. I don't want to spoil anything so I'll not mention any plot points. We had a few guys dress in costume, most impressive being Jango Fett.

Like every film you go to there are always jerks who laugh real loud during poignant scenes, But that still didn't spoil the film. Any way loved it! well done George, can't wait for the DVD.

Pretender tells us:

The wait was worth it, a more subdued group than at previous SW premiers gathered at the Regent cineplex in wellington for tonights midnight session, but we cheered the film along in all the right places, especiallly for Temuera Morrison and Jay Laga'aia. I have no idea what film the dissidents saw, as this was by far the best sw film yet.

Perhaps it could have benefited by keeping the middle periods going for longer before swapping to another part of the action: just as a plot line was getting meaty, the story was chopped away elsewhere, Empire benefited from longer periods with characters; I am not saying that he should have added anything, just edited it to be a little less comic book like...but that is minor, because the opening and finale were everything we had read and so much more. Thank you mister Lucas.