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Rating of
1.5/4
"The Phantom Menace" by Yojimbo
Yojimbo - wrote on 02/10/2012
If you think that the Pirates Of The Caribbean franchise is popular, or that The Dark Knight was hotly anticipated you'd be right, but they are NOTHING compared to the impact of the original Star Wars films at the time they were made. Star Wars was not so much a film franchise, but a virtual way of life to a whole generation. The Phantom Menace was THE most anticipated film ever made, and by that measure, George Lucas had one HELL of a lot of expectation to live up to. And, well, we all know what happened...But now all the hype has died down and this film can be looked at rather more objectively, and there's actually a lot to be admired about it. Lucas obviously surrounded himself with some of the best cinematic talent around. The effects are fantastic, the fight choreography excellent …
Rating of
1.5/4
Star Wars I: Phantom Menace review
Daniel Corleone - wrote on 09/29/2011
I felt that if this was officially the first Star Wars film released, then it would be a sure classic and hit. Well, it did become a hit because it was released for the new generation Star Wars fanatics. A lot of "if only's" for this flick. If only Darth Maul had more roles and wasn't killed off...if only Jar Jar had a minute role...if only the mood and dialogues were more mature...if only Anakin had more reason for his future transformation....if only the storytelling was not snail paced...if only there were more action. The effects and score was awesome since this is a SW movie. Lastly, if only Star Wars I: Phantom Menace went ahead of all the films of the franchise, so many possibilities. as a self-confessed fanatic, it wasn't that bad, nor great either.
Rating of
3/4
Not as good as the original 3.
mdtinney - wrote on 08/11/2009
In light of the completion of the Star Wars saga with Revenge of the Sith, Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace is probably due for a re-evaluation. While by no means anywhere near as good as the original trilogy, neither is it really that bad a film. After all, it's still Star Wars! The one overwhelming criticism of Episode I is the presence of one Jar Jar Binks. A computer generated amphibian with possibly the most irritating and child-like character and almost unintelligible voice in the history of cinema, with the possible exception of Chris Tucker's Ruby Rhod in 'The Fifth Element'. Jar Jar is merely a walking talking marketing device aimed squarely at children. It is he who is the main cause of irritation for the die-hard fans. But also the lack of action, and the slightly …
Rating of
3/4
Star Wars Junior Edition
Chris Kavan - wrote on 05/19/2009
As a self-proclaimed Star Wars fanboy, I'm probably giving this film too much credit. To truly appreciate the Phantom Menace, you can't review it as a stand-alone film (at which it fails) but as part of the entire Star Wars saga (at which it makes for decidedly better results).
Let's get the bad out of the way first: Jar Jar Binks sucks, Jake Lloyd is too precious (Yippee?!) and don't even get me started on midi-chlorians. I could have done without a lot of things but it's obvious this was marketed toward the younger generation (and let's face it, Star Wars is as much about merchandise as anything else) and that's what all the wacky side-kick, childish language and cuteness was all about.
Luckily, there are more than enough good things to counter. Forget little Annie - this story …
Rating of
0.5/4
More Like Dennis the Menace
PsychoKing1227 - wrote on 10/03/2008
Before this film was released, the hype around it was huge. Everyone who was anyone was there opening night to see the epic saga return to the screen. Those with young children who grew up watching it brought these tykes in to see history in the making. What these audiences saw was pure, unadulterated child's play. Marketed to make video games and draw in the children's crowd, "Phantom Menace" was by all means and definitions crap. I went to it several times and each time, found myself growing in depression and angst. I blame this movie for my "trauma" years.
Nonetheless, it is a "Star Wars" movie and it must be watched to fully appreciate the masterpiece that is the original three. I can't stand it when people chose to stave off watching episodes 4-6 and began with episode …
Rating of
3.5/4
And a legendary saga begins
The M.O.W. - wrote on 08/02/2008
This is the beginning of the story which takes place "a long time ago -- in a galaxy far. far away." It is the start of a new trilogy of one of the most beloved science-fiction franchises ever. However, like the rest of this trilogy, this movie is not perfect and doesn't follow the continuity set in the original trilogy many years ago.
The galactic government has been weaken, and the planet "Naboo" is the next target to the powerful "Trade Federation." It seems that nobody will step in to protect "Queen Amadala" (Natalie Portman) and her loyal subjects.
"Jedi Knight Quin-Gon Jinn" (Liam Neeson) and his apprentice "Obi-Wan Kenobi" (Ewan McGregor) are sent to find a settlement, and find a young boy (Jake Lloyd) "Jinn" believes will bring ballance to "The Force," a mysterious energy …
Rating of
1/4
Review - The Phantom Menace (1999)
Delorted - wrote on 07/09/2008
I'd like to write a review in my normal fashion for this movie, but I just can't. I need to write this as it comes to me, so just deal. Where do I begin? Well, I guess the best place to start is at the beginning, where Obi-Wan's very first words were "I have a bad feeling about this." This pretty much sums up the entire movie in one sentence. I was only 11 when this movie came out, but people had waited over fifteen years for this movie. They knew it had to happen, and once it was announced, it became one of the biggest things since the release of its predecessors. What we got, however, was a horrible waste of over two hours of our lives.
First of all, why on earth did George Lucas think it necessary to take all the politics that were only in the background of the original trilogy and …
Rating of
1/4
Only worth seeing if you plan to watch Episode III
Arek - wrote on 04/14/2008
One of the most anticipated films of all time is perhaps the worst letdown of all time. Although still mildly entertaining, compared to its predecessors Episode I is just an awful movie. First, the acting is bad. Really bad. Liam Neeson gives an adequate performance, but I felt Ewan McGregor and Natalie Portman fell flat. Worst of all is young Anikan. Honestly, I think I could pull any preadolescent off the street and have him or her act in a superior fashion to the uninspired drivel this kid put out. Beyond the acting, the story is shallow, contrived, and at times extremely annoying (who really thought it was a good idea to give Jar Jar that many lines anyway?). Lucas seemed to go to enormous lengths to link whatever he could from IV, V, and VI to this movie; but in the end it …
Rating of
3/4
Not nearly as bad as it's made out to be.
Epic Fan - wrote on 02/15/2008
It is a bit childish compared to the rest of the series, but they are all childish to some degree. Unlike many others I don't find the New Trilogy to be some blasphemy to the OT. In fact I see the same pros and cons in both the old and new movies. Every Star Wars movie is plagued with moments of bad scripting and/or bad acting. But each one is a good movie and the complete six part set create something magnificent. Truly the whole is greater than the sum of it's parts. This one follows the beginning of the prophecy and the first events that start the chain reaction of what occurs later. I thought Anakin was great. A very intelligent young child with big dreams and ambitions making the audience wonder how such a sweet kid could turn to the Darkside. The pod race may have been drawn …
Rating of
0.5/4
Screw Joseph Campbell! Oh wait...
bwill - wrote on 01/12/2008
Yes Jar-Jar is dumb, Gungans are the new Ewoks, the pop culture injections are distracting (e.g. the announcer(s) at the pod race, and immaculate conception via mitichlorians just seems to be a too-obviously invented device. That said, the first of the series shows a hint of the genius for story telling that we all grew to love.
This is supposed to be movie about Anakin, yet he is not introduced until halfway through the film. So who is it about, really? I contended for a while that it was really about Obi Wan, but did he really change that much? Probably more than most as he became a Jedi and witnessed the death of his mentor. But it's obviously not Obi Wan's movie.
It's not Anakin's story either. He's not in much of the actual movie; mostly just in an interminable …
