Rating: 
Summary: Bad Move, NO DVD AVAIL
Review: In this day and time, it is regretful that whomever (Lucas ?) is not offering this in DVD. We who have DVD will not buy it in VHS. Somebody is missing the marketing "boat"!
Rating: 
Summary: VHS quality....'nuff said
Review: I bought a copy today and just finished watching it. It was not the wide-screen version, no way was I going to pay $30 for a VHS copy of anything. I never thought I'd buy a VHS movie ever again since buying a DVD player last year, but I had to make an exception this one time. The picture quality was definitely washed out on my copy. The sound was not good by any means (i.e., compared to a DVD with a good Dolby 5.1 encoding), and if you saw it in the theater, you know what kind of awesome sound it had. As for the movie itself, basically it gets 3 stars from me. While it wasn't terrible, it had some bad acting and Lucas introduced the most idiotic and annoying character to probably ever grace the silver screen, Jar-Jar Binks. Also, for those of you out there who expected "more," realize this is basically laying the foundation for the whole Star Wars saga. They aren't going to reveal and show everything in this Episode 1, but rather introduce the viewer to characters and situations that with the other two upcoming Episodes, will be expounded on further. Those of you waiting for this along with the other Star Wars movies to be released on DVD, I hope you're not holding your breath. I have read that Lucas is NEVER going to release them on DVD, as he is supposedly waiting for a better format to showcase them on. I am not aware of any such format even being talked about at this time to be the successor to the already wildly popular and excellent current DVD format. Now, who knows, the guy might catch a clue and release it on DVD, but my attitude regarding this is I'm expecting the worst, hoping for the best. Has anyone noticed that Spielberg hasn't released his Indiana Jones Trilogy and also Jaws on DVD? He supposedly wants to wait for the "right time" or something stupid like that. Why? They just released a remastered Digital VHS version of the Indy trilogy, if that's not heresy, I don't know what is! Well, to sum it up, in my opinion the Phantom Menace VHS transfer is pretty poor, and the film itself is o.k., not great, not terrible either.
Rating: 
Summary: The Adventure Continues
Review: It's back and I for one am glad that it is. Many people were disappointed with it, but lets face it, any prequel would have been found lacking. All in all, it is a great family movie. Unless, you have read the novels, it picks up on how Anakin Skywalker was picked to be a Jedi Knight, how Obi Wan will be the one who will train him, Who will be the mother of Luke and Leia Skywalker and How the Dark Lord of the Sith will become the evil Emperor of the Republic. One unforgettable character is Jar Jar Binks and the role he plays in helping Queen Ambadala regains her throne on her planet Baboo .The highlight of the film is Pod races and the final climatic battle in space and on the ground battle on BaBoo The special effects are great and Liam Neeson as Qui Gon Jin is superb. Get the movie, it is worth every penny.
Rating:
Summary: Children's movie
Review: I saw the first 4 Star War movies in the theater and this one is certainly for the youngins. Also, where's the DVD,George? My children are into technology. Get with the new and let the old technology fade like 8 track.
Rating: 
Summary: with all due respect, time for george to retire
Review: i think the phantom menace is prime evidence that george lucas needs to hand the torch off to someone else. once upon a time, george was a true maverick filmmaker who made movies that really did change the world. alas, the phantom menace is seriously lacking. the world's love of all things star wars clouds the fact that this movie is missing basic storytelling elements that even your average tv movie has. there is no dynamic between characters. the actors are basically props that move from one scene to the next. painful to watch. if back in 77, george decided to start the star wars saga at episode one, and shot this script...there never would have been a sequel. it would have flopped horribly. another way to look at it, if george had the money and technology in 77 that he had at his disposal now. he would have used those resources much more creativiely than he does now. the fact that it's not on dvd just emphasizes the clear fact that george needs to release his iron grip and step down.
Rating:
Summary: GREAT MOVIE
Review: This was an excellent movie. I didn't get to see it nearly enough in the theatre so I have made up for it by watching the video continuously since it came out. The true Star Wars fan will realize what an incredible job George Lucas did in setting the stage for the next two movies. My friends and I can't stop trying to figure out the answers that are still to be given. We can't wait for II and III. Thanks Mr. Lucas, for another great beginning!
Rating:
Summary: VHS Brings the Film Down
Review: The film was great in theaters, but the fact that it isn't on DVD yet automaticaly brings the movie down to just being a good movie. When the DVD comes out my rating will change, especially since Lucas should have enough time to put in as many special features as possible on the DVD, like the music video to "Dual of Fates" and the making of Episode I. Hope some of you enjoy the movie just fine on VHS, but for me I rather own the DVD.
Rating:
Summary: Not everyone has a DVD player.
Review: People seem to either love or hate the movie; see the reviews below. Yes, for numerous reasons, Lucas is downright greedy (i.e. multiple film versions and releases, no standard widescreen tape for sale in North America). Lucas needs to cut back on the toy/product endorsements; he is only contributing to society's problem of materialism. That being said: I'm sorry to hear so many people whine about DVD. It's great that you have the latest technology, but many people only have VHS players, if that. I enjoyed the widescreen version of the movie, and life goes on. Listen to the news.... hear whats happening in South Africa and your DVD problem is no longer such a big issue. If it is, just be patient and wait a few years until the DVD release. Of course, by then there will be newer and "better" technologies......
Rating:
Summary: Depends on how the next 2 follow up
Review: Like many other fans, I hate how "kiddified" this series has become. First Lucas decides that Endor should be populated with Ewoks rather than Wookies in RotJ. Then comes Phantom, and Lucas no longer has Han, Lando and the rest of the crowd to keep the audience entertained, so he throws in Jar-Jar, who's purpose seems to be to walk into things, making funny noises in the hope of eliciting a laugh. That vented, it was still a decent movie. I don't care that the film lacked some of the feeling of grandeur that 4, 5, and 6 had; it wasn't supposed to be about saving the universe, it was supposed to be a setup for it (ever notice that there's a "1" in Episode 1)? There was awesome music and special effects, and the lightsaber duel and the pod racing scene were superb. Admittedly, the movie did take a bit too long building up to the race, that part needed some trimming. I also have a hard time believing that a Jedi council that seems to do nothing but sit around all day making funny faces at one another can be all that wise, and I caught absolutely no hint of the Darkness hidden in Anakin, nor a single tear as the kid said goodbye to his mother. He just seemed like a very poor actor. Still, these are minor gripes in comparison with the thrill I get watching most of the movie. Maybe if people didn't kill their imaginations they would enjoy it more.
Rating:
Summary: Exciting, energetic, and visual.
Review: An extraordinary picture which follows the journey of the young Anakin Skywalker (Vader) and Obi Wan Kanobi. Very exciting with great visual effects. Story is not as good as A New Hope or Empire Strikes Back; however, the acting is not as bad as what the critics have said. The fight sequence between the Jedis and Darth Maul is spectacular; better than Luke vs. Vader or any duel (light saber, sword, or otherwise). The pod race is also very fast-paced and exciting. Definitely worth buying, especially if you are a fan of the Star Wars epic.
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