Rating: 
Summary: No matter what others might say this will be a CLASSIC
Review: I really loved to watch this film (but I would love it more if there's a DVD), Lucas really DID respected the original trilogy's style (it has the wipes, the music style, and the good old fashioned Star Wars action); The dialogue, plot was written by one single man (guess is Lucas) thus many people say that the dialogue is somewhat simplistic, I'm sure that it could have been better if the editor wouldn't have deleted some lines, (if you wanna know more about this last thing I shall recommend you the Illustrated screenplay anyway) Jar Jar acts as a "comic" break for the film's great action I found his way of spaking kinda cool (hello boyos!) and you know Lucas: he tends to add "funny" things in his films, (watch the original trilogy or Indiana Jones) I really loved this film's great music and cool sound effects, the Lightsaber battles were espectacular! It's whole family entertainment 'cause is somewhat light on violence. When Episode II is released many fans will say: "wow! this one is even better than the empire strikes back" and the critics: "well, definitely it's better made than Episode I, good thing Lucas heard our dislike" I'm very sure of that.
Rating: 
Summary: It's sooooo bad!!
Review: I really wanted to love this movie, but 5 minutes into it, I found myself checking my watch. I think George Lucas should apologize for making this movie, like he did for the second Raiders movie (I think it was him). Anyway, it was embarrasing to watch. The DVD? Forget it. I'd rather watch a commercial for doritos.
Rating: 
Summary: Great special effects, but poor acting
Review: I recently received my copy of the Phantom Menace DVD and am quite pleased with it. I must say that the sound quality of the DVD is really quite amazing. The sound and picture quality and special effects alone are worth the price of the DVD.Despite the strengths of the special effects, I must say that the script and the acting are extremely weak at times during the movie. For example, little 5-year-old Anakin Skywalker hits on the Princess at many times during the movie. Those scenes are extremely unrealistic. I just find it really hard to believe that little brat would flirt that much with the adult princess. Also, Anakin Skywalker simply cannot act. That boy basically reads his lines without much emotion. I think that the little kid from the 6th Sense would have played a much better Anakin Skywalker. What genius decided that it would be a good idea to have JarJar Binks in almost every scene? I do understand that JarJar is supposed to provide comic relief. However, JarJar is not funny at all - he's just really annoying. And what's the deal with the Jedi blood test? Why could they do this at the time of the first episode, but not at any time during episodes 4-6? Was the technology simply lost? It doesn't make any sense to me. However, despite the script and acting weaknesses, the film is still much better than most of the movies churned out by Hollywood today.
Rating: 
Summary: Has Star Wars lost it's soul?
Review: I recently saw "The Phantom Menace" on video. I had seen it twice at the theatre and thought it was very average. This time around I thought I'd give it another chance. Maybe I was wrong. I wasn't! This film is disappointing in so many ways, it's not funny. Don't get me wrong, I love Star Wars. Saw the first one twelve times when it first came out. Blew my mind. The main thing that attracted Star Wars to me and my seven year old colleagues was tho coolness of this film. Not the special effects, but the cool and more importantly the soul of the film. What am I talking about. I'm talking about Han Solo(say no more),Darth Vader, Chewbacca, Obi-Wan Kenobi, the Millennium Falcon, the Death Star attack. And it kept getting better!(except for Jedi, enough said)Now we know some of the characters were a bit annoying. You know who they are. But at least there was depth to these characters. These ones are just soulless. There is hardly any moving moments in the whole film, apart from the key sequence when Qui Gonn Jinn and Darth Maul are blocked off from each other in the final light sabre battle. Even when Qui Gonn is killed, there is no sense of disbelief and it actually makes you think that maybe Liam deserved to bite the bullet after appearing in this mess.But to be fair, he does come off the best out of this uneven script with laughable dialogue. When young Anni Skywalker has to leave his mother behind on Tattoine, again, I wasn't deeply moved. Call me cynical, but believe me when I say that the seven year old boy that fell in love with this space opera, was suddenly on holiday after the first twenty minutes into the film. Some people might say, What about Darth Maul?, he had a presence to be reckoned with. Yeah, maybe a bit. But the guy had the personality of George Lucas. Tried to be cool, but we knew that he wasn't.Even Ewan McGregor came off as just a white version of Kunta Kinte. Yes master,three bags full master. The guy was obviously bored and who wouldn't be. Stuck in front of a green screen, talking to a stick. Now lets talk about another element, that a lot of so called film makers think that is vital to movie making. The special effects. I think the more time we distant ourselves from the camera and taking the film making process into an editing suite, the more we distant ourselves from the humanity that is tried to be put up there in the first place(Even if it is a creature from another world)I think The Phantom Menace is a prime example of this. For me Phantom Menace was like a bad cartoon, especially in the war between the Jar Jar Binks brigade and the federation robots. Boy, I thought the roadrunner was going to pop up amongst all this animation mess. How silly that would've been. On the other hand? All i can say now is to cross you fingers for Episode II. On the plus side at least, it will have a diffrent director.
Rating:
Summary: I refuse to pay this much for a VHS tape
Review: I refuse to pay this much for a VHS tape. DVD quality is much better and I will wait for that. VHS is not worth it.
Rating:
Summary: It grew on me
Review: I remember after seeing Episode I at the theater in 1999, I thought it was the biggest disappointment in cinematic history. At the time, the only actor/character I liked was Natalie Portman as Queen Amidala. The most poignant memory of the movie in my head was Ewan MacGregor delivering the corniest lines in the movie ("You were right about one thing, the negotiations WERE short") with an even cornier look on his face. I also remember disliking Jar Jar Binks, but not all that much. After seeing and enjoying Episode II, my Star Wars interest was piqued again to a crazed level for the first time since fifth grade. So, I bought the Episode I DVD just because I didn't want to be missing any of the episodes in my movie collection. I watched it again, remembering how boring the podrace sequence was and how corny and cartoonish the big battle at the end was ... but then, I was surprised! I was genuinely enjoying the movie more than Episode II. The podrace was more exciting than I remembered, the CGI creatures and real life humans blended together seamlessly, corny lines from Obi-Wan were a generally miniscule part of the movie, and Jar Jar was almost likeable. I recommend giving Episode I a second chance, and make sure to watch it on the DVD.
Rating:
Summary: 14 minutes of humanity
Review: I remember reading somewhere that there were 14 minutes in this film in which there were no special effects. Films have sure come a long way since the original Star Wars. Perhaps we won't even need actors in the not-too-distant future. We'll have computer celebrities. Computer programmers will become screenwriter, director, producer and actor. In other words, this movie is one huge special effect, with smatterings of characterization. At times it's frustrating, because it's like playing a video game without a joystick! Still it's a terrific video game which speeds by despite its 2+ hour length. And when it's over, you'll still be wanting more (like a roller coaster ride, you'll wonder how it ended so fast). I don't think a Star Wars film could ever recapture the innocence that was in the original. But I must admit to loving Jar-Jar Binks, who mercilessly brings relief to the self-importance of many of the scenes. And I marvel at the fans who object to Binks, saying that he ruins the movie by interjecting comedy at the altar of Jedi-seriousness. Folks, it's supposed to be a fun movie, and should be enjoyed as such (Jar Jar would ruin the tone of Schindler's List, but not a Star Wars film). Lucas and company are not finding cures for cancer, nor are they creating world peace, or ending world hunger -- they merely built a roller coaster. And what a roller coaster it is!
Rating:
Summary: Quizzicality
Review: I remember the disbelief and awe I felt when I saw this in the theatre. That someone could make an absolutely stunning work of art like THX-1138... AND THEN MOVE ON TO MINDLESS DRIVEL.
Rating:
Summary: Nice Visuals
Review: I remember the excitement that started to flow through me when I first saw the previews for Star Wars I. I was shocked and amazed by the stunning visual effects that flashed before my eyes. But that was the only problem with this movie. It was just stunning visual effects. Now don't get me wrong about the movie. I loved it (except for those kids in front of me during the movie). The plot was excellent because we all know what all of it is leading up to. I somewhat agree with the people who say you really didn't feel for the characters like in the last three. I think the visual effects did play a big role in this movie. For one that could pull off things they couldn't in the last three. I remember talking to my brother about how they should go and do the last three over exactly the same but with better effects. Well I'm going to make this short. It all comes down to that this Star Wars isn't the best of the bunch but it has a lot of eye candy and action. Also you got to remember there are two more coming out. Maybe they will pull those off a little better. So right now I'm off to buy my copy of Star Wars I.
Rating:
Summary: A Great DVD For A Lousy Movie
Review: I remember the first time I saw "Star Wars-Episode I: The Phantom Menace". I was so impressed -with my mouth wide open -by the visual effects that I forgot the rest of the movie. The CGI effects marked a breakthrough so high that I didn't pay attention to the characters. When I came out of the cinema, I asked myself "Was I really watching this movie?"
In a video documentary called "From Star Wars To Jedi: The Making Of A Saga", George Lucas said: 'Special effects are a tool, means of telling a story. Special effects without a story is a pretty boring thing'. Well, in my opinion, it seems he contradicted himself while filming "The Phantom Menace" because the movie almost became boring thanks to those spectacular, yet excessive, visual effects. He seemed to have forgotten how to direct his actors, especially Jake Lloyd, and the story fell down to a great second place. The Force appears to be no longer with Lucas.
However, I must admit that this DVD is fantastic. I mean the extras are truly superb. The documentary, that tells the process that Lucas and his team went through in making this film, is excellent; like a video journal on the production development. The deleted scenes are great, especially the one in which Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson), Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan MacGregor), and Jar-Jar Binks escape from the Gungan transport before it falls down a waterfall. I mean all the extras are worthwhile.
It's too bad that I only have to give this DVD four stars in spite of its quality, but the movie itself refrains me from giving it five. Honest.
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