Rating: 
Summary: Great background but little content
Review: Lucas was definately thinking more of the special effects than the content of the story. I'm surprised he has content for a book! The only thing that made me buy it was the background and my seven year old nephew. I am a fan of the older Star Wars, from the time when special effects didn't take away from the story. I just hope Lucas' next endeavor takes us into the story and not just into the scenery. Just one more thing - If its not going to have content at least make the action sequences seem more believable and have more of them!
Rating: 
Summary: Good, Clean Fun (and how to get the DVD)
Review: Lucas' latest installment in the Star Wars saga, while not being the best movie ever made, is good clean fun. Full of stunning visuals and sounds, Phantom Menace is a great sci-fi film that the whole family can enjoy. And to all those who have been complaining of the abscense of a DVD version of The Phantom Menace, here is how to get it... While it is not a true 'DVD' the VCD (Video CD, plays in Computers and almost all DVD Players) is available through Amazon z-shops, Amazon Auctions, and E-Bay for typically less than $25.
Rating: 
Summary: Lucas was smart to merchandise before the movie came out.
Review: Lucas, true to form, created a film with special effects intended to dazzle its audience. Action, adventure, nobility, and a little tug on the heart--the formula for a truly memorable film. And perhaps I would have been overwhelmed by its sheer magnitude as I sat watching it from my tiny seat in the theater, if I were ten years old. The writers were way, way too generous with the comic relief, throwing in a juvenile element or two wherever they felt the plot was lack. In which case, they must have felt the same as I; it slacked off quite a bit. Jar Jar Binks and his entire ridiculous clan would have been better left at the drawing board. I found their behavior annoying and felt that Lucas shouldn't have taken off running with the old imbecile sidekick bit. Darth Moul was definitely not menacing. His painted face and false horns did nothing to mirror the mystery surrounding the Great Darth Vader of the Star Wars Trilogy. I was glad to see a few familiar faces such as Jabba the Hut and R2D2, but Yoda, the most memorable character of the first three episodes, seemed out of place in the urban setting. I am, nevertheless, eager to see how the next prequel turns out, and hope that my faith in Lucas is redeemed.
Rating: 
Summary: YEAH!
Review: Lucasdefinetly hit the bullseye this time, episode 1 was the best, most exciting movie of the year, and the 2nd best star wars film of all time (my fav is return of the jedi). The only mistake lucas made with episode 1 was JarJar, i really dont like him. A very good story line and great SFX. BUY THIS VIDEO!
Rating:
Summary: This is only the beginning.
Review: Lucasfilm may save a deeply troubled genre yet. Episode I iseverything a modern sci-fantasy flick should be. This firstinstallment of the prequels delivered just enough story and plot to keep us TRUE FANS coming back for more. The entire film was a fine balance beteween story, character merchandising, and visual thrill. Some moviegoers expected too much from Phantom Menace, so they became impatient and missed out on the most spectacular movie of the 90's. Whether you enjoy this movie or not, just remember it's called Episode 1 for a reason. Kudos to GEORGE LUCAS.....SAVIOR OF THE SCI-FANTASY GENRE.
Rating:
Summary: MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU, UM . . .
Review: Make that May the Force be with you if you have a bunch of them microscopic Yodas hopping about in your blood. METACHLORIANS! UGGH! And don't get me started on the fart jokes . . . Still, I'd buy this in a second for the pod race and Darth Maul and the future cityscapes.
Rating: 
Summary: i waited 20 years for this?
Review: Making his movie could be likened to writing the sequel to the Bible and expecting Christians to like it. George Lucas ceartainly had a monumentous ask before him. The first three movies were lauded so heavily, hat Lucas simply could not live up to public expectations, and he most certainly doesn't. The story of the phantom menace is contrived, slow and altogether a departure from earlier sar wars movies. The phantom menace is essenially a 2 hour advertisemen for the toys. A particularly drawn out scene is the pod-race, in which a predictable ending is streched through many minutes void of dialog or characterization. The characters themselves in the phantom menace were shallow and under-developed. (don't even get me started on jar jar binks) any actual emotion seemed a tacked on sub-plot. Other things I didn't like was the medicalization of the force, and the coy allusion to some immaculate conception of anakin. Both of these facets are only touched upon, leaving the viewer bewildered as to their deeper significance. I enjoyed the action at the end, but it was too litle too late. I was already bored from the bad acing and melodramaic script. i don't know what convinced Lucas that he could still write and direct. (lucas did not write or direct Empire or Jedi, but was an executive producer) I am a long time star wars fan, and I had waited a lifetime to see this movie, and I am sorry that it dissapointed me and others. I can only hope that episode two will bring a return to earlier form.
Rating:
Summary: Dude, this Star Wars garbage RIPS!
Review: Man, I totally think this one was better than those other ones. The reasons are many! (But I shall only list a mere three!) Firstly, in those old ones you could totally tell they were using models because they, like, sparked and junk! Everyone who's seen Wing Commander knows that rocket ships in outerspace don't spark! They exploo-ooo-oode! Nextly, Darth Maul! Man, he rocked. He could like jump and kick and do karate! Darth Vader just stood there waving his lightsaber like that fat, old, portly baseball player Babe Ruth. Darth Maul was all bad and had a nifty space-Vespa, too. And plus his lightsaber had two lightsabers and so it was twice as cool as Darth Vader's! Point proven! Lastly, Jar-Jar Binks: Hilarious. Chris Rock, Chris Tucker, Kriss-Kross ... whatever! It's so great to have a black guy in a movie that's predominately white. Lando wasn't funny, despite giving a minority some screen time in the mostly-white Star Wars universe. Jar-Jar is a CRAZY-ACTIN' AFRO-AMERICAN! Gotta love dat, yo! I'll definitely buy this DVD just so I can switch the language track to French and hear what French Gungans sound like! Ooh la la! Spoiler alert: I hear that Jar-Jar becomes Boba Fett in episode II: "When Clones Attack!" ROCKIN'!
Rating:
Summary: What the heck is going on?
Review: Man, this movie was just confusing. At least the old Star Wars movies were understandable to the regular person. The new one had so much space lingo it was just annoying. Can somebody tell me what a "Sith" is? What the heck was that thing that Kwiy-John (or whatever his name is) knocked over? Why doesn't Yoda just die already, or at least get some "Hooked-On-Phonics?" I know four year olds that are more understandable. What happened to Liam Neeson? His acting was unusually bad. The sword fights were the best part, and they just weren't that good. Special effects and flashing lights don't make a good movie. Rent this movie with a Trekkie so you can understand what is happening.
Rating:
Summary: PEE-YEW!!
Review: Man, who'da thunk such a highly anticipated movie in one of the world's most beloved sagas would be so bloody awful? Who to blame? Lucas! After all, he had potloads of money to throw at the thing, the best SFX studio in the world, and nobody looking over his shoulder to tell him what to do. It's his baby, and it was stillborn. From the painfully racist characterizations, to the slow paced plot, to the pallid attempts at humor, this flick was a clunker from beginning to end. Only when the Jedis get into action does it begin to take off - unfortunately, there's only about fifteen minutes of such action here. Don't waste your time - check out the original trilogy (actually, the first two flicks) instead!
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