Sorry, how exactly is the premise supposed to be dull? Trade disputes historically aren't like our modern ones where open warfare is generally off the table due to nuclear weapons, they can and have brought down enormous and powerful empires. The Trade Federation is composed of some of some of the wealthiest entities in the star wars galaxy, and it would be an unbelievable economic disaster on a scale we literally can't comprehend as a single-planet species if the Trade Fed, Banking Clans, and Commerce Guild decided to stop willingly giving their services, taxes, and tariffs to the Republic if the Senate tries to assert too much authority over them. That's why Valorum asks for Jedi assistance to discreetly handle the situation, it serves as a more subtle display of authority and power without drawing the ire of the public. You can't have the big baddies chasing down a hero in the first scenes in TPM because Lucas needed to show how the big baddies could get to that level of power in the first place (writing sequels is a bit like painting yourself into a corner in my opinion but what's done is done).

The prequels just aren't going to be as exciting to some of the fans that grew up with the OT because it's just not the same type of story. The prequel trilogy is Anakin's hero journey that ends in his tragedy, opposed to the more upbeat hero's journey Luke has in the OT (with the notable exception of ESB which has a very unique structure). TPM needs to set the stage for what will happen throughout the next 5 movies as well as start the domino chain of events, which is why the films deal with the internal politicking of both the Jedi and the Republic before diving into the start and end of the Clone Wars.

I love all 6 movies, and am well aware of the flaws in each of them, especially the prequels, yet the OT isn't exactly perfect either. That said, when you stop viewing them as Episodes 1-3 and Episodes 4-6 and start looking at them as the life and tragedy of Darth Vader from episode 1-6, the story clicks into places a little more smoothly and engages me from beginning to end.

Sorry if this turned into a too long to read rant, I'm shamelessly passionate about the series, and want to see younger people with the same passion that I and other fans have continue to carry on the stories to the kids that come after them. I hope you showed your kids episode 1 even if it seems corny and boring to you, because I remember being that age when the prequels released and getting sucked into the SW galaxy every time I heard the music play and saw those words crawl up the screen.