Rating: 
Summary: The beginning of something bigger...
Review: Ok, it's not perfect, but neither was the first one. Episode one is just more of what we already expect from Star Wars. It has a story that can only happen in the Star Wars universe. It has a strong female role and a lot of fast moving vehicles. What it is missing is the in depth story that was already established with the first Star Wars movie in 1977. In that movie, there had already been a war (the clone wars), Luke's parents were dead, his mother a mystery, his father a hero (at least at first), the Senate was disbanded and this seemingly all powerful empire controlled everything. We were thrown into the middle of it all. Now where do start all this? George has done a good job but it's obvious he had a better idea of Vader's prime and his demise then he did of his beginnings. With 'Attack of the Clones' (oohh, that title) being released next summer I believe he will get into the thick of it now that we have an origin established. Episode One is a beginning, the beginning of a much larger story. In a nutshell, a corrupt trade federation is blockading an innocent planet in order for the council to debate the status. Queen Amadala is the newly elected leader of her planet. Young and beautiful, and slightly naïve, she is being manipulated by Senator Palpatine in a ploy to get himself elected to a higher position by forcing her hand. This is where Episode 1 is most intriguing. The underlying deceit of this Senator, who we all know the fate of already, is nothing less than evil. We see what he is doing, and we hate him for it. It is actually a very complicated political scheme; Senator Palpatine blockades her planet secretly because he needs her vote to eject the current counselor so he can move in on his position. We see the workings of a brilliant manipulator starting and unfortunately we know how it ends up. Thankfully, Lucas doesn't try to hide it from us as if we are new comers. It's subtle enough to not grab our attention, but clear enough to make sure those of us who know the truth are not having to search for it. The entrance of the Jedi Knights (McGregor and Neeson) is a monkey wrench in the works of this deceit and suggests someone in the council is at least partially aware of the plans of the Senator. Moving on from the political aspect, there are plenty of marketable creatures to make action figures from and despite Jar Jar's annoying personality, the rest of the movie is still very well done. The affects are awesome, nothing less can be expected from the creator of ILM, and the action scenes are spectacular. The lightsaber dual at the end is hands down the most awesome melee ever put on film. One gripe is the fact that Anakins actions at the end of the movie saved everyone, and he did it by accident...maybe George believes we will chalk it up to subconscious use of the force. The actors are all good. The boy is a bit of an amateur but he holds his own. You couldn't have found a better likeness for Obi Wan then Ewan McGregor. Liam Neeson is so charismatic and powerful that you have no choice but to believe in him. Natalie Portman is a heartbreaker and she plays her role of Royalty with every bit of forcefulness as Carrie Fisher did for Leia. You can really believe that this girl is her mother. The pod sequence is another foray in Lucas' obsession with speed and it will most likely be outdone in the next movie. Overall, you have to cut Lucas some slack, he hadn't directed since the first Star Wars movie. The story line is thin but it is the beginning of a much larger story. When all is done, it will be considered a part of whole and then I think it will be seen in a better light.
Rating:
Summary: Kids Love Jar-Jar
Review: OK, Jar-Jar may be a little irritating to us adults, but as a parent of 5 boys (ages 6 mo. to 11 years), Jar-Jar brings much needed lightness to a fairly dark tale. Just when you think the Jedi are going to die, Jar-Jar shows up and gives the kids some breathing room.I think that this will be as much a classic to my 11 year old, as the original Star Wars Episode IV was to me. I stood in line for 4 hours in 1977 to see it for the first time, and waited 2 hours last year to see it with my boys. My only complaint is the muddiness of the soundtrack with regards to the voices. It was muddy in the theatre, and is muddy at home. You think that Lucas with his THX system would get it right on one of his films. Come on, Skywalker, Use the Force.
Rating: 
Summary: Child at heart
Review: Ok, now how do I stand up to the critics who bashed this film. Well, first I'll thank them for lowering my expectations so that when I saw it I was blown away once again by George Lucas' vision. I can still remember walking out of that crowded theater thinking, "those critics didn't know what they were talking about." This film is a visually stunning acheivement, of course full of ground-breaking effects. I thoroughly enjoyed the story and characters. I felt the same childlike awe that the original had. Now I know many said that the characters were not developed enough but remember that this is the beginning of a six-part series. Mr. Lucas can't develop and explain everything in the first episode. This is an ongoing saga and I feel that Episode I fits in well. Now when watching it make sure you pay attention. There is alot of detail packed into this story that can be missed. It's like a kaleidoscope. There are several instances of forshadowing of future events. And keep an open mind. If you watch the film mainly looking for flaws, well, that kinda ruins the whole experience. And as for the critics, well, perhaps they are "getting too old for this sort of thing." Anyways, I thoroughly recommend this film. Lucas is a wonderful storyteller and The Phantom Menace is full of color, energy, and imagination. Thank you Mr. Lucas for keeping myth alive and allowing me to feel the wonder and awe of my inner child at heart.
Rating: 
Summary: Should have been MUCH better
Review: Ok, Ok, before you hate me for my review. Ask yourself, 'Did I feel disappointed when the end credits began to roll?' Well, their ya go! 'Nuff said.
Rating:
Summary: Menacing Fun...
Review: Ok, ok, Jar Jar can be annoying but let's not forget the good parts of the movie. Rabid fans who have waited more than 20 years since the premier of Star Wars would have enjoyed this outing. My favorite part is the duel between Darth Maul and the 2 Jedis. Set to the wonderful atmosphere conjured by John Williams' Duel of the Fates, I found it engaging to a whole new level. While some people may find the romantic overtones between young Skywalker and Amidala to be unnerving, it is necessary to set the stage for that plot line to be further develop in Episode II and III. I mean we all KNOW how it ends up right!
Rating:
Summary: The best of the series yet!
Review: Ok, Ok, Ok..... you've heard all of the hype - you've seen the commercials - you've heard the critics, so nothing I state here could pursuade you either way, but I feel that as much as I have watched Episodes 4, 5 & 6 that I should throw in my 2 cents worth. First of all, watching Episode 1 for the first time took a little adapting from the future episodes. George Lucus had to start from the beginning, and so did we. Unfortunately, if you are not a fan of the original trilogy, you will never truly feel the impact of this episode in connection with the future of this series. For a first-time Star Wars experience, it is a good movie, but won't make a lot of sense. Only seasoned Star Wars fans will understand the true significance of this episode and how it relates to the original trilogy. Having seen the trilogy nearly 50 times each throughout my teenage and adult life, I can truly appreciate Episode 1 for everything that it is and for what it is setting up for episodes 2 & 3. And I eagerly await episodes 2 & 3. (Besides.... The Dual of the Fates is BY FAR the best light saber dual in all the trilogy combined! ) I have a feeling that Episode 2 (now in production - yipee! ) or perhaps Episode 3 may center around the era of the Clone Wars, mentioned in Episode 4. Starwars.com says they will not have the official 'title' for Episode 2 until it is near completion. Who knows... it may be Episode 2: The Clone Wars. The bottom line.... this is by far one of the best Sci-Fi movies you could have add to your collection. But if you're going to add this one, you might as well add the Star Wars Trilogy to it as well. Well done, George Lucus! I eagerly await Episodes 2 & 3. (Oh! Let's not forget about the awesome Soundtrack! George Lucus and John Williams together again.... an UNBEATABLE combo!)
Rating:
Summary: Good, but not star wars
Review: Ok, people are looking at it the wrong way. The original star wars was an incredible movie, in fact its one of my favorites. That is why Star Wars Edpisode 1 gets a bad reviews. Suppose star wars had never previously existed and this was the first ever star wars movie to be produced. People would actually find it to be a very unique genre of movie. Its sort of a scifi/fantasy movie. People would like it. In conclusion i will say that Star Wars Episode 1 is not starwars, it doesn't deliver "the star wars feel" like the other origonal movies did. Hopefully the other 2 movies will be better.
Rating:
Summary: Why are all you so-called Star Wars fans so cruel?
Review: OK, so "The Phantom Menace" was not the best Star Wars movie or even close to it...but you've gotta give Lucas, the cast, and crew tons of credit for the effort. It's not really their fault that the media overhyped this movie and you can't expect them to live up to EVERY SINGLE PERSON's expectations--that would just go way overboard! If you were a true Star Wars fan, you'd love "The Phantom Menace" no matter what. I'm not trying to be an apologic fan, because this is just my personal opinion on living up to the hype. And just because this may not have been the best Star Wars movie ever, doesn't mean that you shouldn't see Episode II. I can assure you all that Episode II will be much different than Episode I. Everyone knows the story of Episode I so I do not have to go into great detail. What I will say though is that the acting by the cast was pretty fair--good acting in some cases, but other cast members faired worse. The special effects were absolutely incredible, and the storyline and dialouge were so-so. They had to make the dialouge kid-friendly because there was a kid starring in the movie...remember, don't expect little Anakin Skywalker to start acting and speaking like an adult! But now onto the DVD. You can't deny that this DVD is definitely one of the best DVDs out there. Hours and hours of special bonus features including interviews, CD-ROM extras, the making of "The Phantom Menace", music videos, teaser trailers, featurettes, behind-the-scenes, the making of the special effects, and a lot more. Plus, the picture quality and sound quality is outstanding! Yes, Jar Jar Binks was annoying...but he will be in Episode II a lot less. I think "The Phantom Menace" was a great addition to the Star Wars saga and I can't wait to see "Attack Of the Clones"...which I'm planning to see opening day. Buy this DVD and go see Episode II when it opens in theaters May 16th! (And don't believe all those so-called, angry fans who said this movie was bad)
Rating: 
Summary: BLAH - no DVD.... :(
Review: Ok, the movie WAS great... George Lucas is not. This version on video (widescreen and pan and scan) is despicable. Lucas is selfish, greedy, and really does not like his fans. DVD is better quality.. end of story.
Rating: 
Summary: Mostly a good DVD, but some gripes
Review: Ok, the weaknesses of Phantom Menace are well known, so I won't go into pointing out the weaknesses in it. The DVD has some really nice features, particularly alot of the bonus material that was added. Still, some of the menus are so filled with flash that it slows down getting to what you want to see (For example rather than give you a good decent list of the deleted scenes, you have to view the name of the scenes one at a time). My biggest gripe is the fact that Lucas changed the film on the DVD so that it is different than the one on VHS or appeared in the theater. While the additional scenes were nice, a DVD that does not explicitly name itself as a director's cut should at least give the viewer the option to see the film the way it was originally presented (for an example of how that is done very effectively see the Abyss DVD, while I much prefer the Director's Cut, it is nice to be able to see the original).
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