Rating: 
Summary: A Welcome addition to the Star Wars saga
Review: As a Star Wars fan it is my resposibility to point out the high and low points of this film. First I would like to do a short analysis for some of the major characters.Qui-Gon: His role was one of the things that really held this film together. Liam did a great job as this Jedi Master Obi-Wan: Ewan did a great job portraying Obi in his apprentice years. His character was very believable. Queen Amidala: Natalie did a fairly good job portraying the young queen. Few of her lines came off lame. Anakin Skywalker: How could you. I think George could have found a much better actor to portray somebody so important to the Star Wars story like that kid from the Sixth Sense Haley Joel. His lines came across very lame. Darth Maul: He was my favorite character of the film because he was so cool. Ray Parks martial arts skills are unbelievable. However, his character should have been developed much more. Darth Sidious: Very mysterious. Personally I think he is the Emperor himself, only time will tell. His character is very sith-like. Senator Palpatine: As always, Ian Mcdiarmid does a great job portraying the greedy senator who is soon to become the Emperor. Jar Jar Binks: He should not have even been a main character. He stole so much of the show and should have had 50% less screen time. The plot of this movie wasn't all that bad which was the blockade and boycott of Trade routes to the planet of Naboo. I feel as though a lot more will be explained in the upcoming movie which is due for a May 2002 release. Some parts of the movie were very predicatable such as the podrace. The lightsaber fights were just mind boggling. Once again I say that Ray Park was perfectly fit for the role of Darth Maul because he is capable of doing all the fancy kicking and knows how to fight with a double-edged sword. However, the journey back to Tatooine and the lightsaber fights were nostalgic and brought back a lot of the Star Wars atmosphere. The reason why I gave this movie 4 stars is because of Jar Jar and Anakin. Everything else fell perfectly into place. This will probably remain one of my favorite movies and with the exeption of those two characters, it is worthy of its position in the Star Wars saga.
Rating:
Summary: DVD, finally here!
Review: As a Star Wars fan, I was of course excited and overwhelmed by all of the publicity and hype for what was then the upcoming "Phantom Menace." I must admit, I read as many articles, watched as many interviews, listened to as many tracks from the soundtrack, and tuned in to as many radios programs for inside scoops as I was able to. I even waited in line for an hour and a half just to get tickets a week in advance! Yes, you're probably thinking I am a loser, and you are probably right. Anyways, I saw the movie the day it came out and like everyone else in the theater I walked out of the movie feeling like I had just been on some awesome journey, wanting more. The new special effects were astounding to behold and single-handedly transported you to another universe altogether. I fear that maybe this film relied too heavily on its explosions, battles, computer generated characters and background filler, that there was not much left for storyline and character development. Don't get me wrong, it was a good motion picture but I think it should have dealt with less comedic relief (Jar Jar Binks)and more solid progression of story. At some points I thought to myself that many of the jokes were just unnecessary slapstick comedy. I guess I was just expecting something more mature and plot driven. It was difficult to critique this movie, and possibly I am being too picky because of my viewpoint of a big fan of the series. But all in all, "Phantom Menace," now finally after a very long wait on DVD, is an action-packed fun movie for the whole family. It is full of twists and turns that follow Obi-wan Kenobi (played by Ewan McGregor) Anakin Skywalker (played by Jake Lloyd), and the reserved Queen Amidala (played by the lovely Natalie Portman) as they fight to free Naboo (Amidala's home planet) from the invasions of the evil Trade Federation. We are introduced to new characters such as Qui-Gon Jinn, Nute Gunray, Darth Maul, and the mysterious Darth Sidious along the way. The DVD offers behind the scenes footage as well as many interesting scenes that did not make it into the film itself. Some of these scenes may shed some light on the plot, but most of them are simply fun to watch. There is also a commentary included where the director George Lucas and the producer Rick McCallum talk about the process of making the film and inside stories that went along with its production. The picture quality as well as the sound quality is astounding, making the experience of Episode I all the better. In short this DVD will be a great addition to the present saga, and is a must have in the home of whatever degree of Star Wars fans.
Rating: 
Summary: Remember, its for the child in all of us
Review: As a teenager I remember being disappointed at the 'corny' Ewoks from return of the Jedi and dismissed it as the weakest of the films. A few years ago as a fourth grade teacher, I was fed up with the kids thinking that Independance Day was the greatest Sci Fi they had ever seen, so I showed them the original trilogy. They were slightly bored with the beginning of Star Wars but were totally mesmerized by the battle for the Death Star and the revelations in Empire. They literally stood up and cheered when the horn blew and the Ewoks began to attack the Stormtroopers.That is when I realized who these stories were for.Adults love the mythology and effects but this is all a fantastic Fairy tale, in the tradition of all the great epics. This is why I enjoyed The Phantom Menace so much.Mr. Lucas did not suddenly change his story to an Aliens Starship Troopers carnage fest. He continues with a solid story with enough action,humor and yes silly comedy for all of us.The final 25 minutes where he deftly handles FOUR action scenes at the same time puts this movie up there with the first one. You'll want to see it again and again.
Rating:
Summary: Not perfect, but just great nevertheless.
Review: As any movie director would tell you, it is just NOT easy to produce a flick that would live up to its preceders and the anticaptions of die-hard fans, but this one did succeed in a few places. The scenery is quite breathtaking as well as the special effects, but it's the displacement that put off most fans: imagine being treated to your most beloved story, but only with the well-known characters completely removed and thus replaced by total strangers. You'll get used to it in time, nevertheless. But some of the characters are a good pick, in my opinion. Despite her weirdo hairdos, the pubescent young queen turns out to be a pretty intriguing character with her headstrong determineness and despite what everyone said about the young Anakin Skywalker, I really think he's a little cutie and I bet he would break hearts when he grows up, which you will get to witness in the upcoming movie this summer. And the climax is really ASTONISHING and just plain cool! So yes, Geroge Lucas did put his best effects in producing a sci-fi movie of our dreams, though it didn't come up in tip-top perfection.
Rating: 
Summary: OK for an ordinary movie, bad for THE SAGA
Review: As everyone probably agrees, technically, Lucas has evolved and this is his best so far, naturally. Unfortunately, it seems that the rest got lost in the technological "show". Sure, the pod race screams, the jedi fighting is the best yet ever, but what on earth is that...Jar-Jar? (I thought the ewoks were already a sacrilege). I agree with all those people that say Jar Jar was SO bad he practically ruins the movie. Luckily on DVD you can skip scenes... But a bigger sacrilege is the quick and dirty improvisation of R2-D2 and C-3PO; they didn't naturally fit into the plot; if it were really them then why was there no "click" to the Skywalker name in Star Wars IV? A memory erasure is too cheap to explain why 3PO could forget his maker... and why wouldn't Obi-Wan remember little R2-D2? (don't defend this hole with senility). It feels too artificial like Lucas was afraid everyone would forget it was a Star Wars film without any of the original characters...it's true that people who love star wars also love Luke, Han and Leia and I think it is a shame that Lucas went back in time rather than forward because frankly, wouldn't we prefer to know what happens to them? Basically, if you've got home cinema then this DVD is not bad; the sound is perfect and hence the pod race is stunning. I've watched the original Trilogy at least over a hundred times and unfortunately, I think that after two or three times this movie gets boring really fast. A real shame. Hope it gets better next time out. One last thing -- why is it that Jar-Jar talks like a gay black slave and "Trade Federation guys" sound like uneducated Japanese who speak really bad English and that Anakin's "owner" resembles a muslum? Is Lucas consciously making racist statements???
Rating:
Summary: excellent
Review: as good as the theater. Wonderful extra features
Rating: 
Summary: As hard as I try...!
Review: As hard as I try I still have issues with this film.I have eagerly awaited this film since George Lucas first anounced his plan for the Star Wars saga way back in 1977. I was 17 at the time and still in high school.I am now 41 years old and none of the films that I have seen to date can compare to seeing the original Star Wars films at the Lowes Astor Plaza on Broadway here in New York for the first,or 21st time. Needless to say, The Phantom Menace is not the film that I waited 20+ years to see. Although I enjoyed the film in the theatre it did not hold up to repeated viewings. In all fairness I must say that the film is a technical masterpiece. Yes ILM did break new ground with the computer graphics. Yes the film is beautiful to watch. George Lucas however,somehow,somewhere,seemed to forget that special effects do not make the film. All the razzle dazzle in the world is useless if the characters; who are supposed to be the driving force of the film are not fully realized,and badly acted. It is evident that Mr. Lucas was so engrossed in the special effects aspect of the film that he paid little or no attention to script and characters. I found the acting to be flat and emotionless. Qui-Gon and Obi-wan walk through much of the film in a coma. I felt nothing for these characters whatsoever,considering the acting credentials of these two performers. Jar Jar binks is one of the most unlikeable characters I have ever seen on film. Being an african american I cannot help but notice the racial stereotype used for Jar Jar, although George has denied it. Natalie Portman turned in a good performance as Queen Amidala but I found it difficult at times to know who was the real queen and who was the decoy through all that heavy makeup. In regards to little Anakin it was evident that Mr. Lucas cast this child for his looks and not for any real acting talent. I understand that the purpose of the film was to establish the background of the new characters but I still feel that the film suffers greatly because of a lack of a central villan. The one great character created by Lucas in years was Darth Maul. We needed to see more of this guy. I was greatly disappointed that the character recieved so little screen time, not enough dialog, and a serious upstaging by Obi-wan. The character deserved better. Compared to the other films, The Phantom Menace goes to the end of the line behind The Return Of The Jedi; my least favorite of the Star Wars films until now. I think that George Lucas needs to return to basics. Maybe he should invite Steven Speilberg, and James Cameron over for lunch and take notes. All things aside it still is Star Wars and well worth seeing. I am looking forward to seeing how the characters develop in the second film. PS: If George Lucas ever gets to read this, Midi chlorians?!!!!
Rating:
Summary: High Quality DVD, Extremely High Potential Movie
Review: As I say every time I am asked about Episode One, "the movie was great, but..." Some things within just were not right, especially not for my favorite movies of all time, Star Wars. I couldn't watch this movie more than twice in the theater, which is very odd ( I have seen Episode II 7 times and Spiderman 4, along with 3 times for many other movies) and only watched it once on VHS. Two years passed without my watching it, as people's opinions and the inability to skip over some parts
(see: any part with Jake Lloyd interacting with Ahmed Best)left me with a bit of a bad taste for it. But, I heard the DVD was good, and well, it DARN WELL IS!
The movie still has the best lightsaber battle ever and the prettiest effects ever seen in any film, and the pacing is not nearly as bad as I remember. I think that Episode II actually made this a much more enjoyable film, as you care more about the characters than you did going into Episode One. The movie has four BIG flaws (Jake Lloyd, Jar-Jar, Mediclorians, and the whole 'Anakin is Jesus' thing) but it also has some extreme positives ( Queen Amidala, Obi-Wan, the Emperor Palpatine, and oh yeah, Darth Maul). So watch it again after you have seen Episode II, you will find yourself pleasantly surprised at how much better it seems now than it did then.
But the quality of the DVD likely plays into that somewhat, as it is just spectacular. The sound is unbelievable, trust me, UNBELIEVABLE! Your speakers will be rocking to this one, and it makes the action scenes much more exciting when your house shakes after an explosion. The Video quality is flawless, the movie looks twice as pretty as it did in the theater, and I finally was able to appreciate the quality of the special effects, which were incredible now that I see them in such detail. Matrix better effects, you've gotta be kidding me!
The extras are the icing on the cake, though, especially the extended pod-racing scenes, which should not have been cut from the movie. The featurettes are extremely well-done, especially the segments on the fight choreography and the costume work, since this movie still has the most creative costumes ever. The TV spots are really nifty, especially the tone poems that are quick and exciting ( Queen Amidala's being my favorite, of course). The bloopers you can access are pretty funny, too, that R2 bot they use sure is a piece of crap( but lovable).
Overall, the most high-quality DVD I have ever seen, and a very entertaining, if flawed, movie. I just can't wait for Episode II to hit DVD, especially if they put in the Yoda double-saber fight that was cut. So, while it is the worst film in the Star Wars cannon, it is still in my top ten and one of the most easily watchable movies ever made. Buy the DVD, watch it, and think of the other SW movies receiving this treatment, don't tell me it doesn't make you smile.
DVD Rating: 5/5
Episode ONE movie rating: 4/5
Episode TWO movie rating: 110% ( I know, there is no number over 100%, but that's how much I like the movie P.S. Stop making fun of Return of the Jedi, so the Ewoks weren't cool, they were only in the movie for ten minutes!
Rating:
Summary: MAY THE PATIENCE BE WITH YOU
Review: As I strolled through the Regency 20 theaters on May 22, 1999,(with a jumbo pack of Twizzlers and large Sprite, my standard movie going fare) my anticipation was high. My imagination was filled with child-like delight. My eyes twinkled like the prom queen's...ok, maybe that's more than you NEED to know, but nevertheless, I was positively enthralled with the chance to view before my very eyes, Star Wars: Episode 1-The Phantom Menace. The movie was, without a doubt, the most hyped and anticipated presentation in cinematic history, prompting people to even wildly erupt in thunderous applause when the 2 minute TRAILER was shown months earlier(I even heard one person exclaim "REWIND IT! ")....But how would it stand to the discriminating critique of Joe Lunchpail and Sally Housecoat? Judging from the word on the street, you'd think this movie was more disappointing than "Showgirls". But the box office receipts say otherwise...Personally, I LOVED the movie, but then again, I'm ALSO inpressed by the savagery of vultures fighting over a raccoon carcass. The movie was nothing more than an introduction to the storylines to follow. No, you will not find any gripping and compelling dialogue, although I do admit to being a little choked up when young Anakin(played so Culkin-like by Jake Lloyd) has to leave his mother. Like many a movie, it is eye candy du-jour, with it's lush vegetation, desert landscapes, and your standard dogfights in space. And THAT is why this movie is fun to watch. You even get to see the Jedi's preference of corpse disposal towards the end of the movie. It has it ALL....While I'm sure that Episodes 2 & 3 will be more spellbinding and satisfying to those who prefer more Shakespere and less shooting, this movie is more pleasing to the eye. We will see more bonding between Obi-Wan(Ewan McGregor), and Anakin(which I pray to GOD will not be played at any point and time by Leonardo DiCaprio), and hopefully we'll see more of Mace Windu(Samuel L. Jackson, 'cause even in SPACE, there's gotta be a brotha' throwin' it DOWN on the bad guys! )...But this movie is DEFINITELY worth your while, even if to just hear the entrancing and soothing sounds of a swinging lightsaber....
Rating:
Summary: George, my George, where have you gone?
Review: As I'm sure you know, this movie is so extremely average that it is a mountainous blemish on the face of the Star Wars saga. The standards George Lucas had to live up to for this project were immense, but this movie is a letdown all the same. The original three movie arc was a dark, dramatic saga that was perfectly paced, beautifully written, and featured strong, three dimensional characters. Episode I, conversely, lacks the dramatic edge that marked the previous efforts. Instead of Chewbacca we get Jar Jar Binks, an overgrown frog with an ugly pug of a face and a voice that's about as soothing as a drill through the head. Instead of a tightly knit plot propelling the movie forward, the entire film feels like action scenes with numbing drivel inbetween. The importance of Anakin is somewhat underscored. He has "special blood" and can compete in pod races, but that's the only look we get of his abilities. The core audience for these movies was established 23 years ago. With this movie Lucas is trying to appeal to the next generation, but he's supplying them with inferior product. Summation: kill Jar Jar Binks, up the Darth Maul factor times 10 to make it dark and edgey again, tighten up the plot *A LOT*, cut out the circus/kiddy feel, and focus more on the characters who will be in the forthcoming movies (not Subulba, not JJB, not those weird looking Jedi dudes). Appended to the holy name of Star Wars, this movie is nearly blasphemous.
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