Rating: 
Summary: TRUE Star Wars fans will enjoy this movie
Review: I am tired of the crticism that this movie has been receiving. If you are a true Star Wars fan you would like this movie. The film is explaining all things that will happen in the future movies. The prequels are setting the stage for the episodes 4-6. I love the way the story is coming together. Roger Ebert gave this movie 3 and a half star, the reason people are so hard on this movie is because they expect a remake of the original Star Wars, if this movie was showed in 1977 it would be hailed a visionary. If you watch this movie and absorb it you will understand a lot more things about the Star Wars saga. Darth Maul also was a very good villian. If you do not like this movie you are not a true fan.
Rating: 
Summary: Here's how I rate the STAR WARS films from best to worst:
Review: 1. The Empire Strikes Back (5 STARS)2. Return of the Jedi (4 STARS) 3. A New Hope (3.5 STARS) 4. The Phantom Menace (2 STARS)
Rating: 
Summary: bad stand alone -- good part of the Saga
Review: When Episode I came out, I was just glad Leia (and you know,that Luke guy) got a mother. And I loved Natalie Portman. She's one ofthe few young actress' who have grace. There is one thing I agreewith, KILL JAR-JAR BINKS. I loved Ewoks, but I hated JarJar. "Live Creatures" impress me more that computersimulated crap. A guy with an elaborate make up job, in a suit, or apuppet (like Yoda) can actually interact with the actors and itshows. Thier was something more realistic about the pre-specialedition Star Wars movies because of lack of money. There is adifference between rough and fake. Computer characters lookphony. Luke's Tatooine had a rough raw background. The gungans lookedfake. When you can see that it's fake, it's less intresting ---computer generated characters are not missed by the naked eye. AlsoJar-Jar's dialogue and clumsiness was a clumsy attempt at comedy thatturned away fans the way Wicket never could. As a stand alone, mostpeople would not come back to the Phantom Menace. The highlyadvertised Darth Maul (who's part was to small for me to be impressedby him) has little to do... Unlike the on going war in the OriginalTrilogy, the galaxy is basically at peace and (absent of the OT) wedon't know that Palapatine is the "Evil figure" that willbring it all down. But the Oiginals do exsist, this is a prequel -- weknow the story --- which is part of the problem. The plot issketchy at best and the characters had bad dialogue espciallyAnakin. Lloyd can't help being a cute kid --that's what he was supposeto be. How many ways can you read "yipee" or exclaim"wizard", without coming off bubble gum cute when you ARE acute kid. As a part of the whole Saga, this was actuallyintresting. Anakin was just some kid, like any kid, meaning all of usare prone to darkness. Call me a sucker for a good romance, but hiscrush on the Queen (which we all know will turn to mutual love)actually appealed to me and I am very intrested in the future of thisromance. However, they could have dropped the "choosen one"- the force is his daddy - Jedi christ child angle and themidio-vermine count. Tho force was better before they made itdependant on the vermine. Qui-Gon's exsistance made Obi-Wan out tobe a bigger (well more creative) liar than the Original Trilogy did.Despite this, I liked seeing Obi-Wan's simple beginings and Qui-Gonwas the most intresting character in the entire film. And his request...for Obi-Wan to train Anakin actually makes his commitment to thefamily all the more solid and important. Whatever appeal it lacks asa stand alone "Star Wars" film, it's a great set up for astory we already know.
Rating: 
Summary: The worst Stars Wars movie yet...
Review: and that's saying quite a lot, considering just how bad the first three really were. Anyone who can find a plot in this monstrosity deserves the Nobel Prize for his feat. If you thought the ending of "2001" was incomprehensible, just wait 'til you see the beginning of "Phantom Menace". From the opening words,"...the taxation on trade routes is in dispute..." [who wrote this script - Pat Buchanan?] to an end featuring the least convincing fight scene since "Rocky IV", you'll be treated to dialogue and acting which would embarass first-graders putting on a school play. In the interests of self-preservation try not to see this film on an airplane since you'll experience an overwhelming desire to walk out on it. But shouldn't I be fair enough to mention its redeeming qualities? Okay. To properly enjoy Phantom Menace take these three steps: 1.Fast forward to the pod race scene. 2.Watch the pod race scene. 3.Rewind. Trust me, that's all you want to see.
Rating:
Summary: Where Is The Story?
Review: Perhaps this is the best way to begin. Movies like "The Lion In the Winter," Mel Gibson's "Hamlet," and Neeson's "Ethan Frome" are stories that require little IF ANY effects. (The stories are powerful enough to carry their own weight.) This movie is quite the opposite. Effects are everywhere. BUT WHERE IS THE STORY??? I understand that it can be difficult to go backwards from the previous movies and provide earlier information, but this can push even an understanding man's patience. For the most part, the pace is sluggish and even annoying at times. Darth Maul (the main villain) speaks twice in the whole movie. There is too much hindsight involving Anakin. (I understand that there should be some indications of his eventual fate, but it should have been more subtle and ambiguous.) Liam Neeson carries over 90 % of this movie. He is the only person who saves this from being a complete disaster. (He seems to be the only one in the cast who realizes the importance of acting and character development.) Senator Palpatine and Obi Wan share the other 10 %. I will say the fight between Qui Jon, Obi Wan, and Darth Maul is well done. (But a few moments of quality can not carry a whole movie.) I can not say I am holding my breath for part 2.
Rating:
Summary: boom boom boom
Review: That's about all you'll get out of this movie. No story, stupid dialogue, just special effects. Nothing else happens. Not enough to sustain this movie for more than a minute.
Rating:
Summary: Virtually Unwatchable
Review: This movie is so unbelievably bad, it is almost unwatchable. The characters were forgettable, the plot ridiculous, and I *hate* movies where some Whiz Kid is the hero. My friend brought his 2 children, aged 4 and 5, which was good, since the entire movie was aimed toward them. Almost all of the special effects money went to creating aliens who were virtually unconnected to the plot. When the Jedi was killed near the end I thought, "who cares" since I couldn't even remember his NAME at that point. On the drive home, I realized that I couldn't name the alien with the big ears, or the Queen or Princess or whoever she was. And I had just seen the movie! If all of them had been killed, I would have just shrugged. The plot, along with the ridiculously bad writing and acting, made it impossible to care about them. A truly pathetic successor to the brilliant original trilogy.
Rating:
Summary: It doesn¿t make you cool to dislike this movie
Review: If you genuinely don't like this movie, I understand. If you are saying that you don't like it but claim to be a Star Wars fan, I don't buy it. It was fashionable to be 27+ years old and claim to have seen the Trilogy a hundred times but bash this movie in the same breath last summer. Get over yourself and knock it off. I am a fan. I like the first installments, and I like this movie too. I have seen this movie a dozen times on the screen and a few times on the TV at home. True the big screen is the best forum for viewing and DVD would be the ultimate medium for the home viewer, but this is the only option at this time. I accept this. I choose not to complain. When the DVD is released, I will rejoice. In the meantime I will sit on the couch, pop some popcorn and enjoy the ride.
Rating:
Summary: A new classic! A great installment to the legenday series!
Review: I have to admit there are some things in this movie they make sorta dumb, primarily Jar Jar Binks. But I just put that factor out of my mind and enjoy the ride. I believe this movie is just as classic as the original triligoy. As we all know this is a prequel to the original trilogy, taking place 30 or so years before the orignal Star Wars, Episode 4. This is of course episode 1 which features young Anakin Skywalker(Jake Lloyd) and a planet in danger with a trade federation situation. Among our cast we have Jedi master Qui-Gon Jin(Liam Neeson), Obi-Wan Kenobi(Ewan MacGregor), Princess Amidala/Padme(Natalie Portman), Yoda, and Mace Window(Samuel L. Jackson). People who appear younger who are older in the later episodes include Anakin who later is Darth Vader, Darth Sidous/Senator Palpatine who later becomes the evil emporer, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Jabba The Hut just to point out a few. Its a great movie and I can't wait for Episode II due sometime in 2002! Rated PG(suprisingly not PG-13)for violence.
Rating:
Summary: Really liked it, but...
Review: I really liked this movie, but there are a lot of things that could have been added if it came in DVD format. Like director/actor commentaries, Web links, image slides and all those fun stuff that you can squeeze in a DVD disc. Don't take this in a negative way, but if only people did not buy the VHS version and demanded for a DVD, they will surely come up with one.
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