Rating: 
Summary: Star Bores
Review: The many special features on the DVD, like the thousands of special effects in the movie, aren't enough to obscure the fact that The Phantom Menace is, at the root of it all, a mediocre film, from the horror of Jar Jar Binks to the uncharacteristically lackluster John Williams score. While TPM does indeed push the limits of CGI technology, the frank truth is that this technology has not yet been developed to the point where it can carry an entire film, and the bulk of the TPM characters and sets are very obviously computer-animated, which would be fine if it weren't so painfully clear that George Lucas had intended them to blend seamlessly with the real. Speaking of real, Liam Neeson and Ewan MacGregor did what little they could with a plodding, humorless, self-conscious script (Lawrence Kasdan, your presence is sorely missed) and a busy, incoherent snoozer of a plot that was something to do with trade tariffs. At least they tried, which is more than can be said for Natalie Portman, whose Queen Amidala was little more than a mannequin in a variety of fantastic costumes. A better director might have been able to get a better performance out of her, but one gets the feeling that Lucas didn't particularly care what his human cast got up to, as they were playing collective second banana to the CGI anyway. Anakin Skywalker was a crashing bore; Jake Lloyd seems to have been lifted straight out of a Grosse Pointe Little League carpool and deposited on Tatooine without so much as a briefing, and he's beyond forgettable. There's a lot of work to be done in Episodes 2 and 3 if we're ever supposed to care about Anakin, or indeed any of these characters, all of whom were curiously remote and unsympathetic. The bottom line is that the original trilogy was driven just as much by character and content as it was by technology, but TPM has sacrificed the first two in order to focus on the third, and the result is a severe disappointment.
Rating: 
Summary: Phantom Menace: Beginning of a New Legacy
Review: The Menace is a seed, a root to a larger more intense story set about by Lucas. What most people have forgotten about Lucas is that he is a genius. He is flexible...and has not changed as a director. The same comical, creative, dark atmospheres that he created in the original trilogy do occur in the Menace. The Menace is a plant creator. It sets the story for the second trilogy and is necessary. It contains the Gungans, an underwater tribe not unlike the Ewoks. It contains Tatooine, a city captured by beauty and originally unscarred by evil that sets the tone for what will be a much darker galaxy. I suggest you notice this movie for its ability to be an elaborate plant with surreal flowers.
Rating: 
Summary: Fan from DAY ONE...
Review: The minute I saw the first ever trailer for Star Wars, I was hooked!! Even before the "blockbuster" lines around every known theater when the original came out. I was first in line to see Phantom, and enjoyed it tremendously. Almost a religious experience! I am completely intrigued with how this is going to play out, the connection between Episodes 4-6 and 1-3. So much food for thought and speculation is provided in this new film. As a Star Wars fan, I thouroughly enjoyed this movie, but I believe it stands as well as a fine film in its own right. The delicious sets, costumes, and the use of thought-provoking themes (the politics of doing the right thing, the apparently attractive face of evil, etc.) make this a worthwhile film.
Rating:
Summary: A great video reproduction of a fantastic journey
Review: The most anticipated (if not quite the best) movie of 1999 appears at last in your living room. This crisp, vibrant reproduction, of what George Lucas would ideally have us all watching in the cinema is a great technical feat, and possibly the most colorful movie ever to appear on your little TV set. The digital production means that colors are so vibrant that the galaxy we are transported to seems almost surreal at times, even on the small screen. Add that to sounds that we have all become familiar with over the past 20 years (the laser blasts, R2D2, lines such as "I have a bad feeling about this...") and you have an audio visual experience that is anything but a passive one. The small screen version thankfully does not show up the 'effects' to be just that, as with Titanic. Somewhat sadly, the storyline and particularly characterisation lacks a little, but the familiarity with certain characters helps many fill in the blanks - it is certainly a worthy introduction to Star Wars for a whole new generation who instead of growing up with Air Hockey and Pong, grew up with Zelda and Mario.
Rating:
Summary: The Phantom DVD
Review: The most anticipated Cinema event in years, The Phantom Menace is a movie which couldn't help but fall short. Expectations were phenomenonally high and critics were not quiet about the fact that they weren't pleased. However, the movie, when viewed without these distractions, is an achievement in it's own right. First of all,the obvious:visual effects. The wizards at Industrial Light and Magic outdid themselves. Whether it was the CGI of the droid army or the wonders of Coruscant, from the light saber duel at the end of the movie to the pod race, the effects were mind blowing. A lot of criticism was aimed at the plot of the movie, which didn't move as fast as some would have liked. We must remember that this is the first episode, akin to the opening chapter of a novel. Lucas must spend time introducing us to the characters and setting the stage for what is to come. We see Darth Sidious (aka the Emperor/ aka Senator Palpatine) manipulating events to suit some plot which we are not yet privy to. We also learn how it is that the Jedi accepted the person who would ultimately lead to their fall from grace and near destruction: Anakin Skywalker. The best thing about this movie is the fact that it looked and felt just like a Star Wars movie. After more than 15 years since the release of Episode VI it was great to hear the music and see the rolling introduction.
Rating:
Summary: The most anticipated movie of ALL time......................
Review: The most anticipated movie of all time is a substantial slogan a movie should hold, Star Wars Episode I The Phantom Menace unfortunately had to suffer the consequenced of this title. Lets face it people, the movie aint THAT bad. Sure Jar Jar should have been sliced and diced in his first 10 seconds of his screen time and Jake Lloyd's "Yipee's" do get annoying but the adventure, atmosphere and sheer fun of all the Star Wars movies is evident The Phantom Menace. I Refuse to beleive that not one veiwer smirked at how bizarr, quirky and downright hypnotic this film was. What I think that people dont realise is The Phantom Menace is the film that it started to intended to be. Their were meant to be alot of special effects because this is a special effects movie!!!! Some movies dont have ANY special effects, but this movie had crap loads, is that SO hard to expect? I must admit, I did go into this movie, 14 years of age, expecting it to be the best movie of my dreams, of course it wasnt and I dont think any other movie could fill those heafty expectations of anyone. Another joy of The Phantom Menace is to see the brilliant range of amazingly talented actors that are in the movie: Liam Neeson, Ewan Mc Gregor, Pernilla August, Terence Stamp and Natalie Portman are all cult hit actors in their own right, and just because they chose a project that was a bit more big budgeted than the rest of the films they have done, there is no reason to ridicule them for it, they are in it for the fun of it, just as YOU should be. So when you sit back and relax and watch The Phantom Menace,throw your brain out the window, and enjoy one of the most amazing technical and inspirational piece of cinema ever.
Rating:
Summary: Worst movie of 1999!
Review: The most anticipated movie of the year or should I say the past twenty years, was nothing more than a spectacle of computer imagery (even though the Matrix got the Oscar for special effects). Jar Jar Binks was nothing more than an annoying stereotype. I couldn't stand the fact that they made Anakin Skywalker a "Christ-like" figure, and the fact that they called him Annie was just outright appolling. And the fact that the Force isn't a spiritual enlightment, but rather micro-organisms swimming in the bloodstream makes it seem like you'd need a vaccine rather than see this movie.
Rating:
Summary: QUIT YOUR WHINING AND WATCH THE MOVIE!
Review: The most eagerly-awaited prequel in movie history, "Episode I: The Phantom Menace" carried so many false hopes into theatres many were bound to be disappointed. But the problem isn't with the movie itself, which is first-rate. There were just too many people who had their own ideas of what the first new Star Wars film in nearly a generation should be like for creator George Lucas to possibly satisfy. Sadly, those persons' negative reviews have somewhat marred an otherwise phenomenal blockbuster, which by any well-reasoned definition is a highly worthy extension of the beloved Star Wars mythos. Even the film's critics agree that this movie looks spectacular. Lucas spared no expense in the set design and special effects, and the result is simply magical. From the iconic architecture of the planet Naboo to the wastes of Tatooine and the cold reaches of space, everything shimmers with life and you almost feel like you could walk right into the story yourself. Beyond that, the story itself is excellent and in line with the familiar Star Wars formula of good vs. evil on an interplanetary scale. Likewise, the cast is terrific and does a tremendous job. Liam Neeson is an commanding Qui-Gon Jinn who dominates every scene he is in, and Ewan McGregor is also excellent as the young Obi-Wan Kenobi just growing into his full power but clearly destined to be one of the greatest Jedi of all. Natalie Portman's Padme is appealing and believable, and Jake Lloyd is surprisingly effective as the ill-fated Anakin Skywalker. Ian McDiarmid lends a sinister air as the shadowy Senator Palpatine, whose suave elegance barely conceals his true dark nature. Yes, there is Jar Jar Binks, and while Jar Jar does occasionally strike a funny note he is more often annoying. And young Mr. Lloyd does have to utter some rather painful lines from time to time. But these minor flaws hardly hinder the overall drama, which is quite strong. Particularly moving is Anakin's final dialogue with his mother, when he stands at the crossroads of his destiny and realizes that once he chooses which path to take, he can never look back. Of course there is also the famous pod race, a deadly race against fate that shoots across the Tatooine desert like lightning. The masterful extended climax (divided amongst no less than four different battles)is incredibly exciting. Here young Anakin foreshadows Luke Skywalker's later Death Star heroics, and Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan face the diabolical Darth Maul in an incredible display of lightsaber wizardry. No review of this film would be complete without mention of John Williams's usual fantastic score. The soundtrack is magnificent, one of the most thrilling any movie has ever had, and it should've been used a bit more liberally in "Attack of the Clones." Not only is the movie great, but the DVD is something special too. There are tons of special features that are sure to enhance what should be an already awesome viewing experience. Overall, most of the negative press this movie got was undeserved. The characters are strong, the action unceasing, and the final product is nothing less than sensational. If it's not quite as good as the original Star Wars films, "The Phantom Menace" nonetheless recaptures the spirit of those immortal movies and opens a brand new door to wonder and fantasy. Don't be afraid...come on in!
Rating: 
Summary: "I have a bad feeling about this"
Review: The most famous phase in a Star Wars movie is "I have a bad feeling about this" and its made by Obi-Wan (Ewan McGreggor) and i can't decide if he's talking about the movie itself, or the annoying Jar Jar Binks.
Great DVD, so-so movie.
Rating:
Summary: Even fans have to admit that this movie totally sucked!
Review: The movie had nice special effects, there I said it. But the rest of this was an insult, fart jokes, stupid characters, lame plot points, bad bad bad acting, and overall just a horrible script. The direction of this movie was a joke, obviously they shot a couple takes then assumed the special effects would distract the audience from this ungodly mess.
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