Rating: 
Summary: So-So
Review: THis film is only so-so and does not live up to the hype. It is a pale shadow of the incredible original star wars trilogy. This one was obviously made jsut for the kids. It has the look and feel of a Disney film rather than a Lucas movie. It also has the storyline and character development that one would expect from a 1980's Saturday morning cartoon. Waaaay to much screen time is devoted to the bumbbling antics of goofy Jar Jar Binks that only the 5 and under crowd can appreciate. Also, Anakin's acting is horrible and there are many sloooow parts where he talks to Padme or his mother which require ready access to the fast forward on your remote. The villians, who are most interesting get very little screen time which is disapointing in and of itself, but also leaves the viewer to wonder at the end of the film: Why did they villians do all these terrible things? The films only apparaent answer is that they are the bad guys and the good guys need bad guys to fight. There was not much to explain the plot or tell why the characters were acting as they were. I've heard many fans say that this is just a set-up for E2 and E3. Still, this film should be able to stand on its own. If The original 1977 Star Wars film was this weak and blamed it on "setting up for ESB and ROTJ" the star wars franchise would have been dead right then and there. Still TPM has some redeeming qualitites. Liam Neeson is good. There is a very visually exciting pod race, and the lightsabre battle at the end is pretty cool (and unfortunatly its really the only time you ever get to see more than a few teaser seconds of Darth Maul, who could have been cool if they utilized him more than for just the final battle. Hopefully the extra scenes in the DVD version will help eplain a lot of the unanswered questions and premises on which the film is based so that it will make sense.
Rating:
Summary: The slide that began with Ewoks and CGI updates continues
Review: This film is really just a large bundle of errors and pointing them out individually is akin to sifting chaff for chaff, but here are a few: 1) The Force is genetic, the result of (or interpreted by) some sort of cooties. Is it contagious? Can you get blood transplants? 2) Anakin = Jesus. 3) Amphibians have hooves and enormous floppy ears, and display no discomfort after spending days and days on a desert planet in scorching sun and heat. 4) Every single time Jar Jar lurches onto the screen, he does something stupid. What he does is unpredictable, the fact that he will do it is not. 5) The N64 20-minute pod racer game came out the same time as the film, which features a 20-minute pod racer scene. Also note the albino bounty hunter (again on a desert planet with 2 suns) who appears because LucasArts was pondering a Tomb Raider spin-off. 6) There is no superfluous dialogue. An economy of speech and action moves the plot along like a 1-act play with 4 different scenes.Basically, Lucas' genius is in marketing, not in film-making. What he failed to understand was that had he made a film that pandered to anyone over the age of seven, an entire generation of Star Wars fans would _have brought their children with them to the theater anyway_. He bricked an assured lay-up.
Rating: 
Summary: Flawed but stil Star Wars
Review: This film is touph to rate. First off it is the most anticapated film of all time and everyone's expectations are way beyond anything Lucas could hope to accomplish. Second, the film has some very good points but some glarring flaws. First I'll start with the problems. For one the characters are a mixed bunch. Some like Obiwan are played by good actors and could be interesting but aren't explored enouph. Also other characters like Anakin and Jar Jar are simply dumb and realy hurt the film in some points. The dialoge also needs work and the story, while a good start, leaves alot of loose ends. Now on to the good points. Once again Lucas proves that he can make the best special effects in the business. This film must be seen to be beleived. Not only is the technology far beyond anything else but each set is filled with imagination. John Williams out does himself and the music is simply excellent. Also EP1 proves to be even more exciting than past Star Wars films. The action is top notch and the final battle between three Jedi is simply amazing. Star Wars:The Phantom Menace has it's problems but it manages to rise above them and still be worthy of the Star Wars name. Barely. I hope Lucas conentrates more on the actors and their characters in the next film instead of on special effects and action sequences.
Rating:
Summary: A Great Start
Review: This film is two hours of a twelve hour movie, and it's exposition. Keeping that in mind, this movie is brilliant. I introduces so many elements of the Star Wars saga, while maintaining a voice all it's own. This movie, by the way, is the most jaw dropping two and a quarter hours of film you have or will (until Episode 2) see. The Pod Race and the final battle will not let you take a breath (that's a good thing!) and contain images the likes of which you won't forget. The music is marvelous, and should definatley been nominated (and won) best original score at the academy awards. Okay Folks, The Not so good parts- The acting is kind of stiff and first time viewers will find Jar-Jar Binks annoying. (I have seen it 14 times in the theatres and in viewings 2-14 I found Jar-Jar quite humorous) The tattoine sequences (not during the pod race) will hold your attention for about two seconds, sit tight though it does get much better after that section! FINAL CRITICISM- I know many many people have said the same thing and I will repeat it- I WANT DVD! But George Lucas wins, I will buy this edition April 4th (*punk*!) and when DVD comes out, THAT too. And I recommend everyone else does the same. :)rrrrrrrrr!
Rating:
Summary: Four Stars Strictly For Special Effects
Review: This film is weak in many ways, but is visually fun to watch. I don't really care how much technology went into making Jar-Jar appear to enteract with real people, he sucked. He was whiny, stupid, and never developed beyond those two traits. If he had just been left out the film would have been a tad darker, but would have had oh, so much more punch. Sadly, defiant George has condemned us all to another installment of that floppy-eared idiot. But the DVD does look great; worth having for the crisp visuals alone.
Rating:
Summary: Worst of the SW films - best DVD Package Ever
Review: This film makes up for its mediocrity with it's extensive DVD package which is comprised of the best ever behind-the-scenes documentary, 7 completed deleted scenes and a whole host of other goodies. THe only down fall of this DVD is a poor video transfer (it appears blurry at times) and an audio track that is almost "too dynamic." Don't buy this DVD necessarily for the movie, get it for the extras.
Rating:
Summary: A LOT of fun to watch, I like it better than the original 3
Review: This film's greatest features are the sets and special effects, they're fantastic, but I think it generally makes a fun story to spend an afternoon or evening with. I'm still not too clear about some of the details but I find the idea of evil Empire interests taking over the Planet Naboo to be very interesting and not too badly done. Yes, Jake Lloyd as young Anakin is kind of a cartoon character, but then much of the time he does do all right for a boy. Some of his scenes, such as the Pod races and the space battle get very silly (an attempt to draw in the younger audience?)but most of the time I found his delivery to be good. Liam Neeson wasn't bad as Qui-Gon and I think Natalie Portman did a great job as Queen Amidala. The worst characters in my opinion were the invasion force leaders, they sounded just like the bad imitation Japanese/Chinese bad guys from some old 50's movies (and probably were meant to give that impression), and the Gungans (especially Jar-Jar Binks, although even he had his good moments). I suppose those were sort of intended to provide laughs, which didn't work very well for me. The story's not bad, most of the characters are good, the sets and effects are wonderful, I think this movie outperforms the three original movies in most ways. Have fun watching it.
Rating:
Summary: George Lucas IS The Phantom Menace
Review: This film, like the rest of the Star Wars prequels, is utter garbage. It's become apparent that Lucas cares only about the technical aspects of moviemaking, and not the need for good storytelling. The dialogue is pretentious and awful. Jar Jar Binks is insulting, even to a child's intelligence. Jake Lloyd is the worst child actor in history. Gary Coleman could have played a better Anakin Skywalker! Some of the plot elements don't even jive with what Lucas filmed years ago. Anakin created 3PO? The Force is a bunch of microbial entities in your bloodstream? Anakin was an immaculate conception? I suppose the writing was on the wall when Lucas ruined his own masterpieces in the forms of the Epidode 4,5,6 "Special Editions." Greedo shoots at Han first? I don't think so.
Rating: 
Summary: Mediocre in all but Special Effects
Review: This first of three prequels to the Star Wars trilogy is big on special effects (indeed it deserved to win an Oscar in this category but had to make do with noms for Visual Effects, Sound and Sound Effects) but mediocre in terms of any human qualities, story interest or humor. It's dreadfully serious and uninvolving and rather formulaic - geared more for children than for adults. Not as deserving as the trilogy itself. For Star Wars groupies only.
Rating: 
Summary: The Future, yet Past, of Star Wars
Review: This has got to be the best Star Wars movie out yet. One can only imagine how this story will unfold as 2 and 3 come out. I recommend this video to any major or minor Star Wars fan alive. Be sure to pick one up as soon as humanly possible...even if you are from a galaxy far, far away.
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