Rating: 
Summary: NEAT EFFECTS! Choppy-weak story. Still Worth It.
Review: If you are familiar with the first 3, this one lacks a compelling story, and fails to maintain any suspense. [We already know what will happen with most of the characters--we've already been told the ending in the 1st 3 films. None of the rest of the Star Wars series yet to be made will be able to maintain much suspense either, for the same reason.]Still, as an exercise in Star Wars stuff, it is moderately entertaining, and the special effects are really neat. Chaulk one up for ever improving computer technology. However, the effects may lose something in the translation to the smaller TV screen. The letterbox edition should be better than the cropped version.
Rating: 
Summary: Kids' Review
Review: The 3 of us are kids, and have seen the movie twice. We all 3 loved it, and instead of worrying about plots, actors and all that, we went out and bought as many of the action figures as we could and reenact the movie to this day. It is one of our fave movies. We first got into the Star Wars craze when our dad forced(excuse the pun) us to watch the original movies. JarJar was one of our favorite characters, for you people who are criticizing him. All in all, we loved Episode 1. It is a great movie, and we recommend it to everyone. PS Our dad liked it too.
Rating:
Summary: ABSOLUTELY WORTH THE WAIT...
Review: For any fan who grew up on the original Star Wars (it was the very first movie I ever went to see in the theater), don't be looking for the special effects that made the first a technological breakthrough. Though the special effects in this movie are mind-blowing, they're not the first of their kind. And don't believe all of the criticism you hear of Jar-Jar Binks. He was a great comical relief, and just a basically funny creature -- you can't help but fall in love; the Queen is a strong and intelligent young woman -- just the kind you want as a role model for your daughter; and Anakin is smart and witty, taking in his situation with a wonderful sense of humor. You meet Obi-Wan before he becomes "Ben", and find where he gets all of his wisdom from in the form of Qui-Gon Jinn. This has got to be the best Sci-Fi picture ever made since ROTJ. But when you see it, don't compare it to the original. George Lucas himself said that those seeing this movie as the end-all, be-all are going to be sadly disappointed. See it for the sheer entertainment that it's meant to be. You definitely won't be disappointed.
Rating: 
Summary: Skip It
Review: If your under 12 you may like the movie. If your an avid Star Wars fan you will cry! It is a sad movie I mean sad from begining to end. I am such a big fan of StarWars I can quote complete dialogue from the first trilogy. I have read all the books even the ones for episodes 7/8/9 by Timothy Zaun but could not make any real connections between the trilogy and this episode.
Rating:
Summary: 10 minutes of Joy for 2 hours of embarrasment...
Review: Sort of like Sex! What I mean to say is, this can't be everything I expected. But if I buy this movie, and I might just hold out for the slim but wonderous chance that Lucas blesses us with DVD now instead of later, it will be for the last 10 minutes of footage during the last half hour of action: Light saber heaven. Now don't get me wrong, I don't want any Anakin accidentally blowing up the control ship, I want the Maulmeister cleverly dividing and almost completely conquering the dynamic duo of QGJ and OB1. I want the so fast you must pause and slow play (DVD please) light saber strokes. I want to watch the hours Maul has to kill OB1 as he rises out of the shaft. I want to watch it over and over. Repeat A - B style (DVD again). I just wish I COULD edit out the other 2/3 of the final half hour. Not that they're that bad, just multiple interruptions of Jedi bliss. The first 10 minutes aren't too bad either. Love that penetrating saber in portal scene. Spoiled by rolling droid balls. By the way, to all you Jar Jar rippers out there, what about Fode and Beed? Not nearly as much screen time, but considerable damage to the Star Wars universe in such a short time! If Jar Jar is coming back, which it sounds like he certainly is, Maul better come back, just to finish him off. Here is the big question, if Lucas produced this all himself, to avoid studio tampering, why did he make a bigger mess than any studio exec. ever could dream? I mean the least common demo type script, full of very childish jokes, come on. Star Wars was so much more natural in its stupid humor. So easy and subtle. (Granted cheesy, but not hit you over the head fart jokes.) I couldn't dream of writing up such a successful fantasy universe, so spare me any retorts, but something happened to the magic, and I know its more than everyone growing up. I must beg, finally, for the DVD we all want now. Give us ANH, ESB, and ROTJ, at least, NOW! Just in case the world ends or something else much worse! Please. Make the logical choice. The council has spoken.
Rating:
Summary: Hopefully Lucas is reading these!
Review: I'm one of the "old-school" Star Wars fans that had the joy and magic to see the Original in the theater many more years ago then I care to remember. This film was the most hyped-up piece of work because it took my generation back to a time when we were children and had nothing but our imaginations driving us day after day. Then we get this film, and it becomes clear why Lucas was "afraid" to write anything after the end of "Jedi". I never understood if a writer is so worried about messing-up a successful series, why he wouldn't have the guts to give it to someone who "does" have talent in filmmaking instead of us waiting so long to see his weakness show. Now granted, ILM is the best in the World and they proved their part once again with their work on this film, but looks and Special Effects Magic is practically all one can give to the film. Only a few Actors earned their money, one of which being Ewan McGregor. But unfortunately I can't be modest on the young Anakin Skywalker simply because he's a young actor... I think we've all seen actors of the same age act circles around this one, including Elija Wood and Haley Joel Osment from "The Sixth Sense". - Good young actors are out there regaurdless of their "cutness" and an actor is only as good as their director... you had the feeling while watching this film that Lucas didn't make the young actor do as many takes as he should to get it right. Then of course it goes without saying about Jar Jar Binks... The Character really didn't look all that bad when we all saw him in the previews but then we all heard his voice and it made our ears bleed. From the first two minutes of his appearence, I was hoping he'd take a bullet. - If it hadn't been for the Superb Fight sequence of Darth Maul, this character would've single-handedly ruined the entire movie putting it right up there with all the Sequals and Prequals that have been ignored due to the idea that they ruined a great series (Can anyone say "Aliens 3"?) ... I'd have to say accept this film because the series is not yet over, but don't waste your money on buying any special edition unless it comes on DVD. VHS belongs on the shelf along with Beta and the 8-track tape.
Rating: 
Summary: Let's Stir the Cauldron
Review: I used this movie to explain to my 6yo son many political lessons. Example: Taxes are oppressive . Centralized governments can lead to suppression of individual freedoms. Bill Clinton actually played Darth Sidius.
Rating:
Summary: The 600 Million Dollar Failure
Review: This was by far one of the worst movies I've ever seen. The special effects were amazing but George forgot to craft a story to tell. Whithout the contents who cares how nice the box looks. This was a hollow empty shell of a movie populated by flat characters that you never care about. Let's open it up and take a look. No suspense, no creativity, no mind boggeling plot twists, no romance, no intersting characters...wait, what's this at the bottom? A little action and a few pretty pictures, hardly worth a 20 year wait. The only thing worse than the movie was the constant din of a small pack of blind Lucas devotees who won't admit that their God has failed, that he is a flawed human. These are the people that constantly re-watch the movie hoping that it gets better with each viewing and send around midless email and postings to try to get others to re-watch to try to artificaly jack up the domestic box, giving the illusion that George did a great job. The truth is he didn't. He's a much better storyteller than this. If you want to help him tell him. Stop pumping up the numbers and maybe he'll do the kind of work his genius is capable of.
Rating: 
Summary: The "magic" is gone.
Review: I am amazed at all the 5 star reviews on this board. Are we talking about the same movie? I saw the original STAR WARS in the theatre almost 50 times and I even enjoyed the cheesy-ness of ROTJ. I feel like STAR WARS was the biggest influece on my childhood and it holds a special place in my heart. That being said, Episode 1 was a HUGE disappointment for me. I don't care what they do with this "boxed-set", the movie is still going to disappoint whether it's DTS, Widescreen, etc. I didn't expect it to live up to all the hype, but I didn't expect that the plot and charcters would be as one-dimensional as a Power Rangers episode. I am well aware of the flaws of the first three movies. But Epsiode 1 lacked all the charm, enthusiasm, characters, and emotion of the first three. Yes, the CGI, Podrace, and light sabre duel were great, but THAT'S IT. Darth Maul could have been an icredible villian had he been given half a chance. What a waste of great actors and some of the best talent ever assembled on a movie. Special Effects are nice, but without enjoyable characters and a coherent plot, you have yourself another Wing Commander movie. I just hope Lucas can redeem himself in Episode 2 and find some time to give us the DVD versions in some form before the next millenium.
Rating:
Summary: Simply fun and entertaining
Review: I feel bad for sci-fi fans who are so caught up in themselves and what they percieve to be a "perfect movie" that they couldn't enjoy a fun, entertaining, and warm movie like this. From start to finish, I was completely caught up in another world. Lucas's masterpiece has the ability to sweep you away for two hours and take you on an exciting journey like no other film has. This movie is a throwback to "old-time" entertainment that is "good vs. evil" and exciting and FAMILY ORIENTED. I do not consider myself a huge Star Wars fan, but I absolutely loved this film. Avoid the opinions of all the Star Wars nuts who would not have been satisfied if Lucas had shot a four hour epic on LOCATION in a galaxy far away with real Jedi. The story is great (and emotional when you realize what the future holds for some of the characters), special effects are astounding, and characters are cool. What else do you want? NEWSFLASH: Two hours and 20 min of Darth Maul would not make a good movie (although some would have you believe so). I liked him too, but I don't think the movie sucks because I personally would have liked to see more of him! He was supposed to be a menacing background character (hence: The Phantom Menace), not a new Darth Vader. So...get a grip, loosen up, allow yourself to have fun and watch this one for what it IS: a fun and entertaining movie, not a Godsent gift of filmmaking perfection aimed directly at you...
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