My score may be a bit biased for it being my first Star Wars in theaters but I still find it to be a great ride to this very day. The story's pace needed some tweaking but there was some great times where you knew the magic was there although some disappointments hurt the movie as well (Jar Jar isn't the bane of SW but not great either). Many great new characters to see and some old ones with new faces as well. Don't let the critics smearing this movie fool you, Phantom Menace is a great spectacle to behold but it does have a few blaring faults.… Expand

"The Phantom Menace" is a decent movie that I would overall recommend only to those obsessed with the franchise because the film is a explanation film that connects what happened before the age of Luke, not amazing CGI or powerful quotes like the other ones did.

George Lucas's epic masterpiece before the dark times.

Before seating myself in the theatre to watch this highly anticipated prequel, I had already accepted the fact that it wouldn't have the same effect on me as Star Wars did when I was 5 years old. It's simply impossible -- a notion that many die-hard fans (who would later turn out to be the movie's harshest critics) were reluctant to entertain. The Phantom Menace isn't perfect. In some places it's shockingly lax, but it's not the complete disaster that many would have you think. There's a lot going for it -- Liam Neeson steals the show as Qui Gon Jin, the cinematography and special effects are occasionally breathtaking, the sound design is faultless and John Williams is clearly enjoying himself where the score's concerned. The film's major set pieces, particularly the pod race and the three-way Jedi duel are everything that good Star Wars should be. Naturally, there are also problems. Jake Lloyd is terribly miscast as Anakin, Jar Jar is a commendable CGI experiment but a dramatic albatross, the Trade Federation droids are too goofy and the screenplay itself is horribly unbalanced, needlessly overcomplex and in desperate need of a dialogue overhaul. Despite these shortcomings, The Phantom Menace still manages to entertain, expand the Star Wars mythology and set up the characters for the next two movies. It's just a shame that George Lucas wasn't willing to place his trust in another director to help realise his vision (Steven Spielberg was up for it -- with his keen eye for structure, a Darabont script polish and Haley Joel Osment on board as Anakin, this would have been the jaw-dropping, heart-breaking 10 out of 10 spectacular that everyone wanted). The Phantom Menace remains merely an enjoyable hi-tech matinee romp, which is good enough by any other standards, but we can't help but wish George Lucas had turned off his targeting computer and used the Force instead.… Expand

The problem with this one (for me at least) was that jar jar binks charactor. From start to finish he was so annoying I could not enjoy any of the scenes he was in, its to bad mr. Lucas didn't have the sense to kill him off. However, the pod race scene was well done and this star wars has possibly the best lightsaber fight in the history of star wars.

Due to the bad rap this movie has, i'll sequence this review in sections. I'll state a common complain and answer, explaining why this is a great film. ---The dialouge is too formal/proper!---- This is a different time period. It is before the fall of the Rebublic. A different time has a different dialect. (Do really think people are goning to be say fer-shizzle in 30 years?) ----The CGI ruins it!---- This topic angers me! If it had rubber puppets and strings on the ships, than the movie would be laughed out of the theaters. Were in the computer age, get used to it. ----The acting was bad!---- IT IS A MOVIE ABOUT ANOTHER GALAXY! IF YOU ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE ACTING, YOU DONT GET IT!!! ----It was too long!---- And Titanic wasn't? ----Jar Jar is a disgrace!---- Yeah, he should die.… Expand

IMO the best Star Wars film. I thought it was great from start to finish. The acting was good, The story was far more interesting this time around as well.

When people say this movie is good, they can't back themselves up with the story, only with the effects. The movie continuously adds on to the characters character, we always question their decisions, and don't understand why anyone doesn't act like a normal person.

Why George Lucas? Why? Way to completely ruin the backstory to Star Wars with these awful prequel films. Yes, every single one is bad. Each film lacks a decent plot, lacks good characters, and lacks any emotional involvement that made the original films so great. If you think these movies are good, then I suggest you go on to Youtube and type in "Red Letter Media" and watch their in depth reviews of these terrible films.… Expand

A good story told at a slow pace. The stereotypical characters and boring fights don't help it either. Still good fun though.

Usually, if I see a very bad movie a second time, it seems not quite so awful because my expectations are so low. Not so with Phantom Menance: This was such an abomination that, catching it a second time on TV, I was horrified to discover that it stank in many more ways than I had remembered.

This one wasn't very deep, but at least the visuals blow you away. Jar Jar wasn't intolerable to me, but it's irriitating how Lucas misses so many opportunities to explore and develop Anakin Skywalker. His ambition to be a podracer, to rise above his limits, his decision to take flight and fight hte federation battle ships, all those could've been used to develop him, but they weren't. If Lucas focused much more on developing anakin, this film could've been something greater, much greater. Overall, not so much a star wars film as a decent sci-fi film, good to look at, but marred by too many lost opportunities.… Expand

This is a memorable movie. I liked to see the franchise in a new way. Deeper and artisticly perfect. Darth Maul is one of my favorite villain.

Not bad, quite enjoyable, and actually quite a humorous and light movie.

I loved the original Star Wars movies the moment I saw them. As I grew older, I learned to analyze movies for myself and found that they still held up (although Return of the Jedi was a slight letdown) to my good image of them. Since I had heard some bad buzz about the film before I saw it, I tried to keep my expectations at a rational level. Unfortunately, it sill managed to disappoint terribly. The effects, while good in theory, had no life to them, and many looked less real than even the corniest rubber puppet in the Mos Eisley cantina. I really tried to like this movie, I tried to convince myself that I had just bought into the hype machine. However, no matter how I analyzed it, I found it to be a colossal train wreck that shames the good name of Star Wars.… Expand

I cannot BELIVE this got a better Metascore than the wonderful "Attack of the Clones". Horrible acting and JarJar make this at best a decent kiddie movie.

This was an insult to the cinematic experience of the original Star Wars movies. I wanted to like this but c'mon, Jar Jar? What the f*ck is that? really this movie made me cringe. Shame on you George Lucas. Damn shame.

The originals were great but this movie did not come close to them. This movie was somewhat enjoyable with the lightsabre battles and the starfighter fights, but it all looked MORE technologically advanced then 4, 5, 6. But there is the consideration that graphics have come a long way since then. (-1) Then there are main characters coming up everywhere. We are introduced to so many characters we will never see after the movie. (-2) I agree that Darth Maul, Darth Sidious and the Trade federation did not seem as scary as the Galactic Empire and their death star. Darth Maul showed his real evil side during the last lightsaber battle between him, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan. (-1) Lets not forget that Darth SIdious looks 10 times older then and has a different voice then Chancellor Palpatine. We all know that both of them are the same person. (-1)… Expand

This film is what Lord of the Rings would have been if it had been filmed in a parking lot rather than New Zealand.

Great special effects and music. Terrible acting, story, dialogue, characterizations and costumes. Anakin should never have been an enslaved toddler. There is no group cohesion, which is what made the exploits of the original trilogy's cast so entertaining. Despite what may be said of the original acting in the first trilogy, I've always felt that it shined over poorly written lines ... not the case here. A poor work.… Expand

Horrible. It was hard enough to get through the Jar Jar Binks crap. And the kid is the worst actor I have ever seen. George could have done waaaaay better then this.

This is how I rate the new Star Wars movies; The Phantom Menace- I can live with background, overall entertaining. Attack of the clones- still entertaining, starting to go down a little here. Revenge of the Sith- People, what happened! Wake up and start being creative here! And while you're at it re-write the script!

The movie's visual delights more than make up for its shortcomings. Yeah, not the most inspired screenplay and the parting of mother and son is dreadfully downplayed. I liked Neeson as Qui-Gon and I thought the saber battles were wonderfully choregraphed.

A good movie and exciting, but Jar Jar kills the show. Liam Neeson and Ewan MCgregor are good as Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan. But there is no Harrison Ford, a person that gives the movie a more laid back type style movie. It's all too serious (besides Jar Jar but he's just plain gay) for it's own good. The "duel of the fates" fight is the best lightsaber fight in all the movies combined, and the podrace was very exciting, but at the end you feel like they left out something, but you don't know exactly what. Like a foot without a big toe.(hahaha)… Expand

Horrible as sci-fi epic. Passable as self-mocking slapstick comedy. JarJar Binks is annoying but funny. Has some cool sabers duel scenes. Beautiful Portman outshines any expensive CGI effect. The kid is like Dennis the Phantom Menace.

The main problem with this film is that it leads to the better installments that preceded it. If it had actually been the first release in the series, it would have generated a lot of followers. It's benefits from being judged standing alone rather than in established context.

Liam Neeson's performance saved the day! And that baddie Darth Maul is wicked cool!!

Episode I: The Phantom Menace is a grand display of visuals, and the first chapter in which Lucas lost sight of what was great about Star Wars. Episode I is by no means a great film, and now it is almost painful to watch it. Once Jar Jar Binks appears, it just grows annoying. However, the visuals on the screen and the noises of the soundtrack are greatly appealing. While today, Episode I seems fairly mediocre, especially when being compared to the original trilogy. However, I saw it way too many times in theatres and home video not to reccomend it. I don't plan on watching it until it gets a grand 2005 IMAX release, when it can be seen the right way, not analyze with inanities. The film is slightly inferior to Attack of the Clones, which is nearly just as painful. It was fun when it came out, and it's painful now that it's old. The Phantom Edit is much better, I strongly reccomend downloading it in all its shortened glory.… Expand

This is exactly what those Star Wars geeks deserved. A really bad movie to shatter there sad dream that George Lucas is some sort of movie god. The pits.

Just because this movie takes place in another galaxy doesn't mean the acting is allowed to suck. Sorry but the day actors aren't required to act anymore is the day they've all been replaced by special effects and CGI. This film could have worked as something great if not for two elements: Anakin and Jar Jar Binks. How Jake Lloyd got past auditions and onto the silver screen is beyond me. The kid has no talent. And yes, there are kids with acting skills. Haley Joel Osment, Dakota Fanning, and Rory Culkin are all capable child actors. Rory Culkin could've pulled off the "impoverished, disturbed, sad kid" act perfectly. Jake Lloyd comes off as that obnoxious brat you find yourself sitting in front of in buses. The spoiled kind that talks too loud and won't stop kicking the back of your seat when you're trying to sleep. As for Binks, what can I say about him that hasn't already been said? How did a muppet freak get into a Star Wars film as one of the main characters?… Expand

In the middle of the movie i was bored. but after that it was an action pack. this is a true star wars movie!

I'll be brutally honest, this is the worst Star Wars installment of the series. That said, it is still a decent movie. The acting may not be stellar in all respects, but once again, THIS IS STAR WARS. IT IS IN A DIFFERENT TIME AND GALAXY. Besides, Liam Neeson, Ewan Mcgregor, and Natalie Portman did good jobs for what they were required to do. And asking everyone to give a "Castaway" Oscar nominated peformance is absurd. I know that's not what people said specifically, but I'm growing tired of ill-tempered imbociles comparing everything to an overtly critical scale of judgement when reviewing movies that weren't meant to be a typical film. This movie did what it was supposed to do; set up the series for the next episodes. I think it does a decent job of that. And in the end, "Duel of the Fates" is possibly one of the best lightsaber duels of all time.… Expand

A huge disappointment. Really, really bad. Get one of the Phantom Edits instead.

This movie is not the best star wars movie, but the lightsaber duels and overall performance doesn't deserve all the 0's 2's and 3's that this movie is getting, it gets an 8 from me.

I dont think it is the best movie,but i like it very much.

Okay, it wasn't the best, but it did include lots of things which were absent in Episode 3. The droids didn't run away from battle like un-trained civilians, they marched steadily forward, like a droid is supposed to. Also, the pod racing scene wasn't too shabby, either. All of this included with the best lightsaber duel in the series makes this movie very much worth watching.

When I first watched this I was about 16 and I have to admit that it blew me away at the time. It was a completely fresh aproach to the saga with cool enemies and set pieces. Who could forget the pod race, the first time you see the destroyer droids rolling into action and the Darth Maul battle at the end? Yes it isn't as good as the originals but IMO it's more than good enough to sit alongside them.… Expand

Till today I can watch this movie over and over again just like the rest of its family. Thank you George Lucas for this works of art.

Darth Maul and Qui-Gon-Jinn are the BEST Obi-Wan went crazy at the final battle scene That was the best battle scene of the series I hate that Darth Maul died He is so cool Same with Qui-Gon Everything else was okay

I remember the hype for this movie right after the special editions the new amazing character jar jar binks whom ended up hated by fans but whom i liked over the films anakin...other than that the movie was great....way better than attack of the clones..the darth maul is one of the best lightsaber duels in all the movies it was a sin the amount of time he got in the film after all the publicity it was an upset but what we get is great and qui gon was quite possibly the best performance in the whoel prequal trilogy.… Expand

Not a bad movie in and of itself...no worse than "okay"...but not much better either. Neat idea - the fall of the Republic, the rise of the Empire, galaxy tumbling into a World of Sh.t - but poor execution. In fact, such poor execution that I have no idea what's going on. At all. It smacks of extended-toy-advert, with precious little film to hide it, unlike the other three. Especially the pod race: what the hell is the point in spending ten damn minutes on it? And that sub-Disney commentator arsehole! Why didn't someone beat him to death? And what, ANAKIN made C3PO? When he was a kid? Heck as like he did! Still, good preformances from Leeson (I mean Neeson), and Ewan, Portman and McDiarmid. Great design for the senate. Jar Jar Binks isn't really much more irritating than, say, the Ewoks, or those little jabbering desert twats from the first movie. Look, 7 out of ten is about what it deserves. It's got some great bits, but an equal number of crappy bits, and a hefty majority of average bits. It's one of the most average films ever made, and, since it must sit next to three of the best ever made (well, two of the best and a great one) makes it look sh.tty. Cemented George's (undeserved) reputation as a "hack". Hello? A New Hope and Empire Strikes Back (and Jedi) still exist, you damn ingrates!… Expand

I loved the original Star Wars movies the moment I saw them. As I grew older, I learned to analyze movies for myself and found that they still held up (although Return of the Jedi was a slight letdown) to my good image of them. Since I had heard some bad buzz about the film before I saw it, I tried to keep my expectations at a rational level. Unfortunately, it sill managed to disappoint terribly. The effects, while good in theory, had no life to them, and many looked less real than even the corniest rubber puppet in the Mos Eisley cantina. I really tried to like this movie, I tried to convince myself that I had just bought into the hype machine. However, no matter how I analyzed it, I found it to be a colossal train wreck that shames the good name of Star Wars.… Expand

To my surprise, I find that this film improves with each re-watching. OK, I wait to fast forward through the pointless journey from the Gungan city to Naboo's capital every time, but otherwise, this film is fun. It's not profound, or sharp, and Jar Jar is every bit as annoying as ever. But if you can accept this as a film for kids, you can perhaps let your inner kind enjoy it. A great performance by Liam Neeson, a good performance by a young Ewan MacGregor, and some spectacualr action scenes carry viewers through the slow parts. Also of note is John Williams' score, featuring a good deal of original music that serves to enhance the film. Watch this. Bring a kid. Make some popcorn, It's not the origianl Star Wars, but it's not half bad.… Expand

Disappointing. Lucas either lost his touch or just was lucky on Episode IV.

I am astounded that so many people were disappointed by this movie...seriously folks, surely you weren't expecting new re-creations of the first three!?! (Episodes 4-6) By that I mean new stories, of course, but given the same filmmaking treatment and methods as with the early films. For a start, they were made two decades ago - and in those 20 years since, technology (not just filmmaking) has changed dramatically. That alone should suggest that The Phantom Menace was always going to be somewhat unique amongst the Star Wars chronicles. At least until the sequels came out anyway. Secondly, the plot and most of the characters are totally new. This ain't the same time and place that Ep's 4-6 were set - how could the movie possibly feel the same? Anyway, I'm just a little confounded why so many people (including friends of mine) were expecting the impossible. Now, what did I think of this film? I liked it. I liked it a lot! Actually, I don't think Lucas could have done much more in opening the trilogy, than what he's done here. The script is not the strong point, but it never is in these films. It is however typically and appropriately storybook-style and it more than adequately illustrates the story. The characters are fascinating - though I too found Binks more than a little annoying - and the production sets are undeniably Lucas-worthy. It's a magnificent feat this film, and is truly up to Lucas's usual standards. What I like most about it, as is the case with all the Star Wars films, is that it is incessantly replayable. Plus, you will get more out of it each time. That's value for money! The film plays half an hour shorter than its' length and for me that is always a sign of an enjoyable film. And this is an immensely enjoyable one! Bring on the sequels!… Expand

This is the best star wars ever. a terrifc beginning to the saga. a little predictable but u dont even notice it.

I wanted to like this movie, but I couldnt due to the bad bad story and crappy acting. it seems like Lucas wanted to put everything into the movie and its just too much. The only thing going for it, are the special effects. A huge Disappointment.

A huge dissapointment. Lame acting, they kill 2 of the 3 cool characters (Qui-Gon and Darth Maul) and i wish Anakin wasn't Anakin so they could kill the little dorky bastard. However, it's got great action scenes though, and the pod-race was one of the most thrilling star wars scenes ever, but they could've used more of them. I hope Lucas remakes this one and number 2, which rumor has he will, but all he really needed to do was redo the dialouge and acting, that's it. Do it George, do it.… Expand

I can't believe How much this movie is hated so. Granted it is not the best of the Star Wars films. And Jar jar is Annoying,But not as annoying as those pesky ewoks. Once you get pass all of that the movie is a great ride. This is suppose to be the first chapter of a biggier story. It sets everything for the other films. Palpatines plans. The Sith Urge for revenge. And The Relationship of Anakin and wife to be Padme. As well as his Relationship with Obi-wan. The Visual Effects are expectacullar. And the Music Soars when it should.… Expand

What movie did everybody else watch? I dont get how everybody on here didnt like it?? This is the best star wars yet. a lot of people really have no taste in movies.

Its the Star Wars fans will kill for, its action is exciting, the story is excellent. Its a movie at top notch.

By far the weakest of the Star Wars episodes. It only gets a 6 because it is Star Wars. Jar Jar Binks is perhaps the most annoying character ever created. Remove him and cut 80% of that damn pod race and I'd give it 7.5, maybe even an 8.

Excellent film which starts the prequel series of the Star Wars Trilogy.

i loved the original trilogy and was so excited to see the new trilogy. it opens pretty good and i had a good feeling ... and then jar jar binks shows up and the horror starts . he can only be found humorous by 5 year olds any one older then that will be preying dath maul takes his head off ASAP. it only keeps heading down hill after that. then we get to meet a young anikin skywalker and who ever this kid is who did his acting was horrendous and i dont put it all on this kid i give most of the blame to lucas who directed this mess. lucas pretty much abandoned one of the key features that made most of us love star wars so much . that being charicters we liked and rooted for . in this one there is no one outside of maybe obi wan and qui gon who i remotly thought where ok. lucus focases all his energy on special effects and nothing els . which yes do look good when i am not cursing jar jar and aniken.… Expand

As much as Jar Jar Binks is disliked I actually quite liked him. I know I'll probably be killed by most fans for saying this but I did think he was alright. I felt Liam Neeson had a good performance but McGregor needed some serious work. The Pod Race was way to long and the kid playing Anakin kind of annoyed me. A fairly good movie but no classic.

Incoherent, dull. No characterization. clunky dialog. Headache-inducing overly busy CGI. If the original Star Wars movies had never been made this would be a forgotten cult movie watched merely for the lulz.…

Let me say a few things: 1. I love this movie just as much as the other five movies. 2. I actually like Jar Jar Binks. 3. I actually find the concept of midichlorians interesting. 4. I didn't think there was too much CGI, but rather, it was just the right amount. 5. I actually took interest in the Senate scene. 6. I didn't think there was a problem with Anakin being called "Ani" considering he was nine years old in the movie. 7. Acting was just as good as in the original trilogy. You haters offended? Good, because you don't deserve any respect.… Expand

The only reason this movie is not a 3 or lower is simply due to the fact that an interesting character - Darth Maul was introduced. Aside from this there are no good takeaways from this movie.

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This movie is alright, it's not bad, but still it was good. Jar jar binks was kinda annoying but he was funny at the same time. The action sequences were cool and the characters were good.… Expand

This is just as good as the entries in the original trilogy, it has an enjoyable plot and characters, and great actors, and really gives you a feeling of excitement for the rest of the trilogy, a must see for Star Wars fans.

The reboot or return to the widely successful and acclaimed Star Wars saga was disappointing in just about every way. With the exception of the Ewan McGregor and Liam Nesson, the acting was underwhelming, the dialogue made me barf in my mouth, the pacing was awkward and often slow, and the villains were not only unclear and underdeveloped, but lacked the threat and power that Darth Vader and the emperor had in the original trilogy. The ending was a little better, with some solid action, and throughout there were some decent effects, but many of the actions scenes had no real weight to them and felt like they were there just for the sake of being there. Episode I is disappointing, boring, and not worth your time if you are a Star Wars fan.… Expand

This was (regrettably) the first Star Wars film I saw. I was seven at the time and naturally I was enthralled by the undeniably good special effects. Several years on and I have fallen in love with the original trilogy as one should!! What separates the old trilogy from the new one is the distinction between good story telling, and good visual effects; George Lucas relied too much on effects in the prequels and forgot all about character development. Episode I does have some good aspects (Qui-Gon / Darth Maul) but the acting is so bland and the story so dull, not to mention the abomination known as Jar Jar - Lucas' defence is that it's a kid's film too but I think Jar Jar is even an insult to a three year old). The saddest thing about this film is the amount of hype that was created and the subsequent let down which has forever tarnished the Star Wars series. Yes it can be an enjoyable film, but it completely ruins the magic and heart of Star Wars.… Expand

If you loved the original trilogy, prepare to be shocked by the disaster that is 'Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace.' Bad acting and an annoying Jar Jar Binks cause excited Star Wars fans to lose the will to live when watching this film. Despite the messiness of the film, it is not a bad film as such, and I recommend you watch it before judging it by its lack of originality.

I was extremely disappointed. There was too much CGI and not enough story. Although the series was always conceived to have a trilogy prior to the trilogy, you would think it was written, acted and directed just to make some more money.

The film represents a story that didn't need to be told. He could have started the prequel trilogy at Attack of the Clones, given himself greater room to breathe and left this story to the novelists. Unfortunately George Lucas didn't think his charachters needed to develop as long as he sent the audience on a ride, which was something that worked in the 80's but didn't cut the mustard in '99.

It begins as a great film, Liam Neeson is absolutely amazing!! But then comes in jar jar and Annakin, all at once this film becomes a kid's movie. I may be a hippocrit because I watched it when I was 5 and thought that jar jar was my favourite character from the new trilogy (Obi wan still is #1). The beggining and the end are amazing, but other than the car race, Annakin is waaaay too cutesy and jar jar's failed attemps at being funny make me face-palm.… Expand

I was one of the original SW fans who camped outside the multiplex up to a year before The Phantom Menace opened in May 1999. Fair enough this was the Odeon in Manchester, England (and not Sunny California), but hey at least I can say I was there, with the tramps and junkies, in the rain, mud and urine and semen... Yep a great time to be homeless it was. Anyway when the police finally told me the cinemas restraining order against me was no longer enforceable I went straight in to see this movie. And what a movie it was. First off I was really happy it had the original trilogy's opening (and closing) credits. I was also glad it was set in outer space, just like the other films. I was also glad they decided to re-use the original John Williams theme and not go for some rubbish modern pop music. As for the rest of the film, the acting across the board was on the whole cleverly under stated, with occasional moments of over statement. The length of the film was about average. Meanwhile the title of the film proved to be no where near as bad as other potential film titles such as: “The Lurking Presenceâ€�, “The Hidden Threat of a Child's Midichloriansâ€�, or “The Dark Side Creeps Inwardsâ€�. I sat back and gave in to Lucas’s pure vision, a celebration of meandering exposition and stagnant, bloated, lifeless movie magic, all while Millie, an 80 year old alcoholic, lay across the filthy carpet beneath me and slurped on my sweaty sack of nuts. To this day it makes me angry when so-called film experts mock George Lucas' miracle of film wizardry and his team of experts, especially their superb recreation of Yoda as a brown plastic dog turd. I would also point the critics to the clever way George Lucas managed to turn the key villian into an extended cameo of a ninja with children’s face paint splattered all over his head. Jake Lloyd was by far and away the real star of the film. By placing the most evily annoying child actor of all time to play the most evily annoying Sith child of all time was another stroke of genius. And now I hear that George Lucas is going to re-release the film 3D!!! OMG there will be lines around the block when this happens, let me tell you. Boy, I just hope everybody will be armed like I will be.… Expand

The Phantom Menace is an UNDERRATED MASTERPIECE!!!!! "The Phantom Menace" WOW! The audience went ape s-(well you know the rest) every time I saw it. I couldn't get it out of my head, I read the novel 3 times (after I seen the film) that summer, as well as the screenplay. Man I love this film, and the more I see it the more I love it. Qui-Gon, Darth Maul and Watto three of my top ten favorite characters. 8 times between May and Dec. of '99, and every time I seen it the crowd cheered, and at the end erupted in applauds. It was cool, very cool. For me I didn't want to see a rehash of ANH, and what I got was a new twist to and old universe. I was pleasantly surprised by the out come, of all three prequels. To this day I still LOVE this movie. It's just gets better and better!… Expand

Cast your mind back to May 1999. You may remember quite a buzz of excitement in the air. The world was awaiting the release of a new edition to the Star Wars saga, 16 years after it ended. To put it mildly, The Phantom Menace had a lot to live up to. It may yet go down in history as the most divisive film of all time. As often parodied, it split Star Wars fans down the middle. No one could deny that the effects were superb, flawless even. But what bothered many was the clunky dialogue, the wooden acting and the fact that it didn't seem to belong in quite the same world as the series which shares its name. My main problem with the Phantom Menace is that I'm relatively indifferent to it. It's not awful by any means, in fact it has many redeeming features (but no where near enough to make it a great film). The visuals were the best in the world at the time of the film's release, and still hold up today. The realisation of Coruscant, the "capital of the galaxy" in the form of a planet-wide city is an interesting idea, as is the Gungan's underwater "bubble city" and both look sensational. The film also has two stand-out action sequences - the pod-race, a creative, heart-thumping Ben-Hur tribute, and the "duel of the fates" which forms the finale of the film. This three-way lightsabre battle between a young Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) and his master Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson) against the formidable Darth Maul (Ray Park) wielding an iconic double-bladed lightsabre. This has to be among the finest fight scenes of all time - the choreography is extremely creative and the execution flawless - it's a real testement to the stunt crew working on the film. Brilliant visuals and two memorable scenes cannot save a film, however. The story isn't up to much, and you don't have the high stakes of the original films - you know who's going to survive, it being a prequel to the original series. Lucas has never been great at dialogue, but during his Star Wars prequels, he seems to become worse at it over time. In the Phantom Menace you can look forward to such gems as Obi-Wan's "do not defy the council master, not again", young Anakin's "Are you an Angel?" speech, Yoda's classic "how feel you?" and pretty much everything said by Jar-Jar Binks. Ah Jar-Jar Binks - no other three words send shivers down the spine of a Star Wars fan so effectively (accept maybe a debate into who shot first). He's a truly irradeemable character - narratively unnecessary, insulting, and very, very annoying. The other actors and their characters are either unremarkable (MacGregor, Lloyd and Portman) or look thoroughly embarrassed to be on screen (I'm talking about you, Mr Neason). The Phantom Meanace is a disappointment, but in truth, it could never live up to Star Wars fans' high expectations, but it's good for providing the odd cheap thrill. And John Williams' scoring for the series is still great.… Expand

Metachlorines, Jar Jar Binks, Jake Lloyd, under developed characters, over reliance on special effects, awkward story pacing and weak acting - there will never be another movie more anticipated to then be so disappointing. Critics who claim that there isnt some 'entertainment value' in this movie are not being honest but the Phantom Menace is mediocre, is the biggest missed opportunity in movie history, and people who think its a good movie are uncritically minded fan boys. With the privilege of making a movie comes the responsibility of making a good one, a responsibility to which has George failed.… Expand

The Phantom Menace takes away from everything the original Star Wars films were all about. A good story, likable and relatable characters, a universe that drawed you in, and good acting. The Phantom Menace (one of the most hyped and anticipated films of all time) manages to do almost none of these, trying to please our minds with childish humor, bright colors, and silly, ridiculous characters. *Hint* Jar-Jar Binks is one of the worst characters ever created in any movie...ever. The other problems arise with some utterly horrible character development and acting in general. Liam Neeson leads the cast as the strongest but still stumbles and falls here and there. Natalie Portman comes over as likable, but we never get to know her character enough to even care. The same goes for the new villain, Darth Maul, who would have been better if we had learned a bit of his backstory. Obi-Wan is played by Ewan McGregor, who fails on all fronts and just gives a bland impression. Lastly Anakin Skywalker just...well he's a kid, and he's an actor with a decent future but just comes across as though he is reading the script in front of him. Overall Phatnom Menace is a disaster and the worst Star Wars yet.… Expand

This one isn't only my favorite Star Wars film, it is my favorite movie of all time. I know, the story can be boring sometimes, Jar-Jar Binks and Anakin are annoying and many characters are useless, but at the time I watched it, in 1999, I had not seen any Star Wars before. Because of this, I watched every Star Wars the week after and became a great fan until... now. Fans of the first trilogy were disappointed, but I had nothing to be disppointed about. 10.… Expand

I just watched this for the first time since the theatre in 1999 and have to admit to rather enjoying. Back when it was released, I felt the same as nearly everyone else did but now, with 12 years and not a lot of thought about the Star Wars universe until the Bluray edition came out. I can say, this isn't as bad as I remember or as most people say. Its a children's film that a lot of adults spent way to much time getting upset about, take it for what it is and you can enjoy it.… Expand

This film has no tension, drama, suspense, focus, excitement, development, and most importantly, it has no story to tell. For what it is, it's a joyless ride of random nothingness filled with flat, undeveloped, boring stereotypical characters that none of us would care about. Why didn't George Lucas hired others to direct the prequels just like he did in The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi? Why didn't he? If he did, the prequels could have ended up way better. But no, he himself had to direct all the prequels, and for that he has destroyed his godlike reputation.… Expand

Jar-Jar Binks didn't bother me that much. The attempts at comedy were pretty rough though as was the rest of the script. But this movie had some incredible moments. The bad acting couldn't destroy all the genius battles and other entertaining sequences such as the podrace

The Star Wars saga according to many a fan took a lot of hits with this instalment but in my opinion it took more from the Return of the Jedi (a overly long, preachy pile of hogwash). Phantom of the Menace is entertaining to say the least and while it doesn’t hold up against the Empire Strikes Back it is still a decent piece of film. The Phantom Menace sets the scene for a new trilogy, by reintroducing us to Obi Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor), a young arrogant padawan under the tutelage of Qui Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson). These two Jedi’s have been sent to mediate a trade dispute but after a double cross are forced to stop a full blown invasion and save the beautiful planet of Naboo with the help of its Queen Padme Amidala (Natalie Portman) and a Gungan named Jar Jar Binks (Ahmed Best). If anything Phantom Menace has a good plot but is let down by a bad script and one or two annoying characters. If anything was clear from the original trilogy it was that George Lucas was an ideas man and not a writer with the general premise and the look of the film being impeccable. How it is written provided some laughable moments though. Another flaw in the film is that it makes Jar Jar Binks a far too important part of the plot (despite the fact he provides a few funny moments). Despite the fact he is an integral plot point in that he is useful at the end of the film he doesn’t really serve a purpose besides getting the characters into trouble and making a fool out of himself constantly. Finally its looks more than make up for some of the scripting problem because it is a beautiful film with the action being extremely exciting keeping the viewers attention. In particular the final 30 minutes are extremely well put together with the cutting between different sections of action being flawless while looking fantastic. Its a decent Sci-Fi film with some easily ignored flaws (unless you really hate Jar Jar) because of the great visuals and the adventurous story.… Expand

Redlettermedia does a better review than I do, but I just like to say that as a star wars fan, this movie left me disapointed. Many other fans have said it's absolute **** and I don't agree with this. The movie, once again, is just more disapointing rather than terrible. Hear are some things I didn't like about the movie: the story was hard to follow, the characters were completly uninteresting, and the actors just seemed out of it. There are a few things I liked about the movie. Some action sequences were kind of cool, the special effects are pretty good (for the 90's anyway), and that's pretty much it. The big problem is though is that, in the end, the story of this movie does not contibute much to the rest prequels or even the originals so I can't even give it a simpathy pass. In the end I just would recomend seeing this movie. Hope this helps.… Expand

It may feel stretched out too long and the story may not be too powerful compared to episodes IV, V, and VI, but it still does have a strong tale to tell.

You know what's better than this? Starship Troopers. Unfortunately, George Lucas turned this prequel into a part of the Star Wars universe that absolutely fails. Honestly, he should of hired someone else to write the screenplay of The Phantom Menace, because the dialogue isn't well scripted like the originals and the action lead to some plot holes. One of the plot holes was Anakin in the pod-race because he could of survived or he could of died which really put a dangerous plot hole in Anakin's desires to become a Jedi. I liked Qui-Gon Jinn in the comic books set before The Phantom Menace (I read Star Wars books) but he wasn't that well-developed in The Phantom Menace because he was a Jedi Master that failed to be the best mentor. But at least Liam Neeson's performance was pretty good. The rest of the cast, especially, Ewan McGregor and Natalie Portman were also good, but Jake Lloyd (Jingle All the Way) was seriously miscast as young Anakin because he wasn't very firm with his script of his desires to become a Jedi. Darth Maul was also a good villain but he lacked some character development of a Sith. However, I hated Jar Jar Binks because his clumsy actions lead to plot holes and he lacked character development because he was too much of an annoying hindrance to Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon. Many other characters were boring too, including Captain Panaka. In fact, the visual effects were overrated and the action sequences were lame and clumsily directed. The Phantom Menace is the worst of the Star Wars franchise but as a huge Star Wars fan, it helped expand the Star Wars universe, but this stupid-ass prequel has scarred George Lucas's successful career of creating A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi and George Lucas definitely won't get rid of those scars due to poor writing, Jar Jar Binks, Jake Lloyd miscast as young Anakin, and crappy direction. What a painful wound in the force.… Expand

In 99, I didn't much care for Episode 1, but now, after watching it on blu ray in 2011, it's not as bad as I remembered. It's just the first chapter of the saga, and like many character introduction pieces, they can be a little dry. I just think that expectations were very high, and we all had our own version of how this was going to play out in 99. Don't close your mind to it, but just rewatch and judge it removed from the anticipation.… Expand

The lack of story and horrible characters make this into the worst of the saga (although its sequel was not far behind). Jar Jar, medichlorians, and a general lack of any true plot makes for a terrible movie, and the fact that it is Star Wars and has Liam Neeson as the closest thing to a lead role makes it into an average, albeit mediocre adventure.

This film broke my star wars loving heart. I totally agree with this movie critic: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxKtZmQgxrI . The 50 minute long roast of this scar on the star wars universe is by far more enjoyable than the movie. Only redeeming feature was Darth Maul who was without a doubt the most interesting character.

I watched this film years ago and after watching it again (in the 3D re-release), It still lives up to what I thought about it as a kid. The action sequences are good and entertaining, The story is solid as well. However the acting was pretty bad, Definently below average imo and it brought the movie down quite a bit. However, I still enjoy it and I think that it lives up to the original trilogy.

This movie is a train wreck in slow motion. This is easily the worst of the franchise, mainly because Jar Jar and Anikan are insufferable and pollute the film with every uttered line. There are some strong moments. I particularly enjoy Darth Maul and the podracing sequence, but these elements are fleeting, and the film stumbles along at a miserable pace. George Lucas has a wildly creative imagination, and some of his ideas are brilliant beyond measure, but he does not know how to direct or write. This movie could have been something great, but instead it is mediocre.… Expand

Im a Star Wars fan from since the beginning and in my opinion George Lucas should have let Episode I been were it was before ... in a drawer! But we cant go backwards in time so Im writing a review for this. For a movie on its own its a medium done work. The acting is good and for its time the special effects are good as well. The plot is important for the Star Wars Saga but all the rest is rubbish. Its way to much a kids movie - cant even try to mess with the originals.… Expand

Star wars: episode I: the phantom menace is kind of okay. A lot of it is boring politics, but some of it is exciting action. The good: some good action, good music, okay acting (mostly). The bad: boring politics, jar jar binks (I know it's a name and names have capitals at the start of them, but this character doesn't deserve a capital.), not much of Darth maul (he's an alright enemy), it's really cheesy.… Expand

Soy muy joven, pero puedo decir cuando una pelicula es decepcionante. Despues de ver The Phantom Menace vi la trilogia anterior y tengo que decir que comparada con las viejas es desastrosa. Alguna de las cosas que no debieron ser añadidas fueron a un Jar Jar, un master Yoda computadorizado y a un joven Anakin con personalidad de niño aventurero. Hubiese sido mejor un niño con serios problemas de conducta o "raro", pero al final tenemos a un jovencito nada parecido al super-villano que seria...Vader.… Expand

Alongside seething anticipation and mountains of specific expectations for something this movie absolutely wasn't, people hated it. Lucas' problem was in make a movie in a franchise that wasn't comprised of 95% material presented in previous films. Lucas wanted to go beyond what he did before, when people were expecting the same. People wanted a movie that had some happy character development that reinforced their happy little lives, but they got way more than that, and all it did was piss them all off. Episode I has high political commentary including the nature of politics and warfare, nearly unmatched special effects, depth of world and lore that only great sci-fi's have, and much more. Next time you want to not like this movie, really consider if it's based on what your friends say or how you felt while watching the movie.… Expand

Awesome movie, haters gonna hate. Awesome movie, haters gonna hate. Awesome movie, haters gonna hate. Awesome movie, haters gonna hate. Awesome movie, haters gonna hate. Awesome movie, haters gonna hate.