Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation | Release Date: May 19, 1999
6.2
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Generally favorable reviews based on 2088 Ratings
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User scoreBy dateMost helpful
4
waronassermanMay 3, 2015
George Lucas dissappointed most of his audiences! this movie was boring and just stupid! I am ashamed to like star wars with this movie being technically the starting point
2 of 6 users found this helpful24
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4
PrivataDec 16, 2016
This is a hard one.
Out of the prequels I find it to be the hardest one to watch.
However on the flip side I think it looks the most like a StarWars movie out of all the prequels. My issues with the movie is mostly the acting and jarjar (IThis is a hard one.
Out of the prequels I find it to be the hardest one to watch.

However on the flip side I think it looks the most like a StarWars movie out of all the prequels.

My issues with the movie is mostly the acting and jarjar (I mean fart jokes , walking in crap and his voice being set 300% louder than anyone else and the fact he acts dumber than anything from the SW universe)
But I like a lot of the visuals (yes the effects can be bad , but the art its self is very nice)

The plot is clever as well , but its told in a very clumsy way.
And the ''romance'' is a bit on the creepy side to me. Anyway , I dont hate it. I dont love it. I dont think I like it , but I do enjoy what it added to the StarWars lore.… Expand
1 of 3 users found this helpful12
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4
YellowKirbyDec 12, 2015
Ugh... this movie basically is all about the visuals. There's absolutely NO story whatsoever. It has too many CGI characters, and no REAL characters. Some of the acting is wooden, Darth Maul is only in it for like, ten seconds and there's aUgh... this movie basically is all about the visuals. There's absolutely NO story whatsoever. It has too many CGI characters, and no REAL characters. Some of the acting is wooden, Darth Maul is only in it for like, ten seconds and there's a really, really, REALLY long and boring race. Absolutely terrible.… Expand
2 of 5 users found this helpful23
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4
FlickFreaks83Dec 11, 2015
Things get off to a cold start with the much parodied credit crawl. Where Episode IV goes for the in media res jugular – “It is a time of civil war!” - problems in Episode I are not quite so pressing. Events are “alarming” perhaps, there’sThings get off to a cold start with the much parodied credit crawl. Where Episode IV goes for the in media res jugular – “It is a time of civil war!” - problems in Episode I are not quite so pressing. Events are “alarming” perhaps, there’s certainly plenty of “turmoil” and we all know “taxation” is a thorny issue but the context is clear: like Anakin, this conflict still has some growing up to do. The menace is still phantom.

An inexcusably lazy establishing shot - the Jedi shuttle cruises past the camera - and lethargic opening sequence hardly help pick up the pace. In A New Hope’s famous opening salvo the bad guys fire first and ask questions later, in The Phantom Menace the Jedi are ushered into a meeting room while the semi-bad guys go into video conference with Darth Sidious about whether an invasion of Naboo is legal or not.

This arse-numbing inactivity recurs throughout The Phantom Menace: because the battles lines are not yet drawn and sides are still being taken there is always much explaining to be done, characters are forever having update meetings or being introduced to one another. The plot machinery lumbers through the gears, hampered further by the strange declarative dialogue and by an apparent disinterest in making these scenes visually interesting.

Critics complained that Lucas had got yet worse at writing for humans in the twenty-two years since Star Wars, in fact it is simply that, beyond Alec Guinness talking about the force, the plot of A New Hope requires no exposition - The Phantom Menace on the other hand is all explanation, much of it, like the midichlorians, unwanted and unnecessary. (To be fair, Lucas waited a generation before spoiling his enigmatic myth with background material, the Wachowski’s jumped that particular shark in film two.)

And yet there is still much pleasure to be had watching our full-blown Jedi guides in action. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan quickly discover that things are mercifully worse than the credit crawl predicted, a robot invasion force is being unpacked, Naboo is under actual threat. Sadly, we never actually see any of the massacres that are apparently taking place, instead we land somewhere that looks suspiciously like the woods near Leavesden and meet one of the galaxy’s more annoying comedy sidekicks (although not as annoying as fans frantically searching for a scapegoat would have you believe). After all, this film has at its hero a small boy – it cannot visit the dark 12A places.

Lucas probably imagined that Anakin’s goodbye would be the real heartbreaker but he couldn’t write it and Jake Lloyd couldn’t act it. The irony is, we don’t need it. Given where he is destined to end up, Anakin doesn’t need to be innocence personified when we meet him. Indeed, we are told that the kid is too old to be trained and that the Jedi council fear him, facts that are utterly lost on an audience who see only a bowl-headed brat.

Despite the unspeakable Yoda puppet, more endless politicking and some iffy CGI, the arrival on Coruscant and the subsequent battle of Naboo provide most of the lasting excuses for forgiving The Phantom Menace. At last there are new worlds to explore, new creatures to encounter and new wrinkles to the Star Wars myth. On Coruscant we are free to marvel at the work of Doug Chiang’s design department - every bit the equal of the original trilogy. And during the saga’s very best lightsaber battle John Williams adds another classic theme (Duel Of The Fates) to his masterpiece. The final act is a mess of conflicting ideas and we are forced to root for a tweenage space pilot but you certainly can’t fault it for pace.

The most disappointing film of all time it remains, but with the galaxy of hype now far, far away Menace seems much less of a public menace than it did in the summer of 1999. Alongside the obvious action highs, the ability to consume the saga in a single.… Expand
1 of 2 users found this helpful11
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4
FLaaVEnAug 11, 2020
A pretty boring start for the prequels but the last act really holds the movie up.
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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4
EpicLadySpongeJan 3, 2017
For every detail that needs to be corrected in this film, it's the way how it focuses on little Anakin's trip to become a Jedi. Nevertheless, George Lucas manages to make his new start to the trilogy before the originals seem off and boring to watch.
1 of 2 users found this helpful11
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4
FilmMasterEdJan 5, 2016
The actors are wallpaper, the jokes are juvenile, there's no romance, and the dialogue lands with the thud of a computer-instruction manual. But it's useless to criticize the visual astonishment that is Star Wars – Episode I: The PhantomThe actors are wallpaper, the jokes are juvenile, there's no romance, and the dialogue lands with the thud of a computer-instruction manual. But it's useless to criticize the visual astonishment that is Star Wars – Episode I: The Phantom Menace. With this epic and the trilogy that preceded it, George Lucas has built a pop-culture monument that packs all of history – war, religion, myth, art, science and those old reliables, good and evil – into a mystical grab bag that plays like a kiddie cartoon. There's a less fancy explanation for why Phantom Menace will inspire fetishistic worship: It's loaded with cool stuff. And reasonable facsimiles thereof are on sale at your local Force emporium.

Episode I is set thirty years earlier than the original saga, Episode IV: A New Hope, but some things never change. A royal babe is in trouble. Not Princess Leia; this time it's Queen Amidala (Natalie Portman). The Trade Federation sends battleships to her planet, Naboo, to persuade her to sign a dodgy treaty. To her rescue come two Jedi knights: old pro Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson) and his apprentice, Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor). You'll recall that Alec Guinness played Obi-Wan the first time, and McGregor does a deft job of matching up with him vocally. ^Vhen Federation types send in droids for the kill, the Jedis link up with Anakin Sky walker (Jake Lloyd), a nine-year-old slave who will grow up to marry the queen, father the twins Luke and Leia, and turn from the Jedi cause to the dark side as Darth Vader. Got that?

Good; here's what else you should know: Phantom Menace, which cost $115 million, lacks the crude freshness that Lucas lavished on the low-budget ($10 million) original in 1977 and the fluid storytelling that director Irvin Kershner brought to The Empire Strikes Back in 1980 – still the best in the series. But Menace is light-years ahead of the uneasy mix of furry Ewoks and Freudian psychology in Richard Marquand's 1983 Return of the Jedi. As for Lucas' directing skills, his work with actors still belongs to the "Don't emote, just stand there" school. But in terms of visual sophistication, already discernible in 1973's American Graffiti, Lucas ranks with the masters. He has always been more articulate with images than with words. Harrison Ford, who played Han Solo in the original, has famously chided Lucas, "You can type this **** George, but you sure can't say it."

McGregor is saddled with lines like, "I have a bad feeling about this." And Neeson must answer, "Be mindful of the living Force, my young Padawan." Ouch! Is it a coincidence that Phantom Menace and James Cameron's Titanic – whose box-office record ($1.8 billion worldwide) Lucas is chasing – were made by men with a poet's eyes and tin ears?

Comic relief – and, boy, does this movie need it – arrives with scene-stealer Jar Jar Binks, a gangly, floppy-eared Gungan, voiced hilariously by Ahmed Best but otherwise a fully digital creation. Jar Jar is an alien amphibian who lives in an underwater city and speaks in a pidgin English that still gets the point across. "Mesa in bombad troubles," says Jar Jar as he nabs food off plates with his long tongue and guides the Jedis in a submarine that gets chewed by a killer fish. Digital marvels abound, along with appearances by old favorites such as Jabba the Hutt and Yoda, who leads the Jedi Council on the planet Cor-uscant, along with Mace Windu (Samuel L. Jackson). Lucas surpasses himself in the creature department. Jar Jar's nemesis, Boss Nass, is a wonderfully odious menace. And Watto, the slave driver, is a fat-slob fly who manages to levitate on tiny hummingbird wings.

The human element is hard put to keep up. Neeson has a natural warmth but too few opportunities for humor. Portman, a beauty and a gifted actress at eighteen, is stuck with an underwritten character – at least Carrie Fisher was allowed to bring her verbal snap to Princess Leia. And McGregor, a live wire in Trainspotting and Velvet Goldmine, spends the film's first half trailing Qui-Gon like a lap dog. Happily, McGregor comes into his own in the final scenes, suggesting that the next two episodes, due in 2002 and 2005, will let him cut loose.

For now, the human focus is on Anakin, and the demands of the role – a messiah and an anti-Christ – put undue pressure on Lloyd, who was eight at the time of filming. You will search Lloyd's face in vain for the Darth Vader to come or for the agony of a boy forced to leave behind his slave mother, Shmi (Pernilla August), to begin his Jedi training. Lloyd shines in the lighter scenes, especially when Anakin enters a Podrace so perilous that ordinary humans can't tolerate the speed. The race is pure exhilaration. "Whoopee!" yells Anakin. Indeed. In this virtual universe – the video game supreme – Lucas is the king.

Still remains the most disappointing films of all time. It's rubbish.… Expand
2 of 3 users found this helpful21
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4
gameguardian21Mar 6, 2016
Why did this happen. George Lucas made the best movie trilogy of all time, how could he screw this up. We had our expectations so high, we thought we were going to have the best movie experience after many years of waiting. But we were all soWhy did this happen. George Lucas made the best movie trilogy of all time, how could he screw this up. We had our expectations so high, we thought we were going to have the best movie experience after many years of waiting. But we were all so disappointed in this mess. The acting was terrible and awkward. The characters are undeveloped. The story sucks, and the cgi is way too much. At least we got on hell of a lightsaber fight, so we could calm down for a few minutes. I was very disappointed in this film.… Expand
1 of 2 users found this helpful11
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4
FuturedirectorMar 11, 2016
While Star Wars: The Phantom Menace doesn't forget any aspect of the classic trilogy, the script is a disaster; characters fail; the direction is flawed; and the conclusion, somehow, awful.
1 of 2 users found this helpful11
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4
ReelViews94Mar 23, 2016
As the most widely anticipated and heavily hyped film of modern times, “Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace” can scarcely help being a letdown on some levels, but it’s too bad that it disappoints on so many. At heart a fanciful and funAs the most widely anticipated and heavily hyped film of modern times, “Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace” can scarcely help being a letdown on some levels, but it’s too bad that it disappoints on so many. At heart a fanciful and fun movie for young boys, the first installment of George Lucas’ three-part prequel to the original “Star Wars” trilogy is always visually diverting thanks to the technical wizardry with which it creates so many imaginative creatures, spaceships and alien worlds. But it is neither captivating nor transporting, for it lacks any emotional pull, as well as the sense of wonder and awe that marks the best works of sci-fi/fantasy.

Nonetheless, even if the film lacks the magic to endear it to audiences in the manner of the first series entries a generation ago, the Force will still be with the picture at the box office; pic will probably gross in the neighborhood of its $120 million budget in its first week of release beginning May 19, and double that by early June. Thereafter, much will depend upon repeat viewing, which will no doubt be frequent among kids but much less so with adults. In other words, though it’s an automatic blockbuster, it will become neither a classic nor the biggest moneymaker of all time — only one of the biggest.

Those most looking forward to the first new “Star Wars” installment in 16 years are mostly people — now in their 30s — who were kids when episodes four through six were released. If anything, Lucas has tilted “Phantom” away from this audience and aimed it directly at a new crop of children, who are familiar with the originals via video or the recent “Special Edition” hardtop reissues. So while the new picture may not deliver everything the original fans have been fantasizing about for most of their lives, Lucas may again assert his status as the shrewdest marketeer among filmmakers, if he can capture the new generation for his fresh trilogy while still taking the old-time fans along for the ride.

The extended layover on Tatooine includes, at roughly the film’s halfway point, what is arguably its action/effects highlight, the pod race, which is the sci-fi equivalent of “Ben-Hur’s” chariot race. Launched from an arena carved out of rock, this consists of a bunch of daredevil pilots, who are suspended in virtual buckets connected to giant jet engines, careening their rickety crafts at low altitudes through craggy landscapes, canyons and narrow spaces, anything to create a powerful visual dynamic. Effect is as comparable to a video game as to a movie sequence, but provides the best ride of the picture, even if the outcome is never in doubt.

As the story, in its maze-like way, zigzags through its second hour, even more characters and creatures are introduced, notably a villain, the red-eyed, red-and-black-faced Darth Maul (Ray Park), who doesn’t say much but proves to be a particularly dexterous opponent of the Jedis with his lightsaber dueling technique. After a series of confrontations and battles, a sense of tentative peace prevails at the end, and the young Anakin, despite some misgivings on the part of Jedi Master Yoda, is accepted as a Jedi apprentice. As the Republic’s Senator Palpatine with a wry sense of portentiouness says to the boy, “We will watch your career with great interest.”

There is certainly enough incident to keep the picture and the viewer going, but the bombardment of elements, names, worlds, creatures and dilemmas may prove somewhat daunting to casual observers unsteeped in “Star Wars” lore. Beyond that, the new CGI characters are notably lacking in charm or interest other than on the design level; they bring nothing new or special to Lucas’ universe, and in a sense overpopulate it.

This is a truly a world of extraterrestrial diversity gone berserk: There are hundreds of droid warriors, all manner of animal-like creatures, and enough spaceships, fighting machines and vehicles to supply an entire toy store. Except for the desert scenes and a few other landscapes, the world of the movie is virtually entirely artificial, and some of the more obviously fake backdrops remind one that this is just a computer-generated version of the sort of ambiance habitually created some 50 to 60 years ago by most Hollywood pictures.

Lucas places no less importance on the sound elements, and his experts in this field, in particular sound designer Ben Burtt and Skywalker Sound director and mixer Gary Rydstrom, have delivered again. John Williams’ score reprises the very familiar themes of the first trilogy while adding some new and complimentary strains.

But while the film hardly lacks for visual creativity, it lacks resonance, freshness and a sense of wonder. In a way, it suffers from there having been so many knock-offs and sci-fi imitators in the intervening years.

“Phantom” is easily consumable eye candy, but it contains no nutrients for the heart or mind.… Expand
1 of 2 users found this helpful11
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4
MovieMasterEddyApr 3, 2016
The lure of "Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace" cannot be explained without cross-referential flow charts establishing connections among bison stampedes, impulse buying, the power of myth and humankind's pathological willingness toThe lure of "Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace" cannot be explained without cross-referential flow charts establishing connections among bison stampedes, impulse buying, the power of myth and humankind's pathological willingness to pitch tents at the slightest hint of hot tickets.
Put more simply: The joy of "Star Wars" is going to see "Star Wars." Which is why no one will – or should – listen to the early buzz that "Phantom Menace" does not illuminate the heavens, eclipse its predecessors or affect global weather patterns as promised.

Moviegoers need to discover for themselves that the film, starring Liam Neeson, Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman and about 15 quadrillion computer creations, is anything but the Second Coming. I'm not saying it's "Ishtar Wars," but it is likely to disappoint more people than creator George Lucas would have liked.

The story line – in which the treacherous Trade Federation's evil agenda becomes increasingly clear – is too complicated to outline. But the overall purpose of "Phantom" is to foreshadow the life of Darth Vader. The heavy breather, we discover, starts off as a sweet 9-year-old boy called Anakin Skywalker (Jake Lloyd), born into slavery on the planet Tatooine.

It is the destiny of Jedi Knights Obi-Wan Kenobi (McGregor) and Qui-Gon Jinn (Neeson), accompanying Queen Amidala (Portman), to discover this space-age Christopher Robin, who will eventually father Luke, Leia and a whole line of armor-plated fashion wear.

Unfortunately, it is also destined that our three wayfarers must be accompanied by Jar Jar Binks, an animatronic, underwater-dwelling, floppy-eared Gungan who functions as official comic relief.

Jar Jar's "funny" business consists of bumping into things and getting caught in the thruster engine of Anakin's air racer.

Picture a computer-created mixture of Dumbo the elephant, an Egyptian Anubis and Calista Flockhart. And imagine a strangled, sputtering patois that sounds goofy and backward.

Lucas has an extremely complex undertaking before him: to show the narrative Big Bang that started Darth Vader, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Luke Skywalker and the whole scary, quippy, fuzzy, Muppety, warp-speeding intergalactic family.

This means much expositional roadwork, as The Creator lays down track for all the themes, plot lines and characters who will appear and reappear throughout his 12-hour symphony.

Lord Lucas has said in press notes for "The Phantom Menace" that he decided to write this movie, the first in the early trilogy, after seeing the computerized possibilities in Steven Spielberg's "Jurassic Park." That is precisely the problem. Lucas is so busy trying to digitally blow everyone's mind that he forgets about his characters. The sacrifice of humanity for special effects creates an unfortunate disturbance in the Force.

"Phantom Menace" is to the original "Star Wars" trilogy what Roger Moore's Bond films were to the Connery originals: a pale imitation loaded down with cutting-edge bells and whistles. And in this industrial glare, the actors are caught like cosmic deer in the headlights.

Jake Lloyd seems more like a directed kid than a force to reckon with. As Queen Amidala, the whiningly ineffective Portman seems to be mimicking Katharine Hepburn. And McGregor – who imitates Alec Guinness's accent to match that of the older Obi-Wan Kenobi – sounds uncomfortably forced and tentative.

As Qui-Gon, Neeson makes a nicely understated mentor, the one who will mistakenly consider Anakin worthy of Jedi training. But "Phantom Menace" gives him little opportunity to do more than interact with computer beings, chase the plot and show off his light saber against a deadly, hooded opponent whose orange-and-black horned face is hard to take seriously.

If there is any magic partnership between Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan – at least, to rival the later link between Yoda (who makes an appearance here) and Luke in "The Empire Strikes Back" – it is in a galaxy far, far away.

The overall look and feel of the picture is always powerful. And the sound effects serenade your ears with palpable crispness. The prime scene – the real thriller, for my money – is an exhilarating spacecraft land race, in which Anakin Skywalker plays a youthful Ben Hur to Sebulba, a tentacled, cheating Messala who tries to destroy his space pod. Now that's a cool scene.

But after the movie's immediate effect has worn off, the shortcomings hover in the air. Obviously, this film will touch the lives and fantasies of millions of people. But I'd be surprised if a majority of "Phantom" fans – after sober reflection in a Jedi monastery, of course – place the movie at the top of the "Star Wars" pantheon. I think even Yoda would back me up on that.… Expand
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4
Aaron_WassermanMay 30, 2016
I don't flat out hate this movie entirely, it does have some awesome stuff to it. The pod race, the saber duel, the score, the planet designs, and the designs in general. But what makes this film weak is its bland one dimensial characters andI don't flat out hate this movie entirely, it does have some awesome stuff to it. The pod race, the saber duel, the score, the planet designs, and the designs in general. But what makes this film weak is its bland one dimensial characters and poorly acted and directed feel to this film. A far cry from the original trilogy.… Expand
1 of 2 users found this helpful11
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4
superbatMay 15, 2020
The Phantom Menace stands out as one of the most disappointing films of all time. The use of CGI is excessive. The story lacks the soul and conviction which made the original films great, due to wordy dialogue and bland characters. TheThe Phantom Menace stands out as one of the most disappointing films of all time. The use of CGI is excessive. The story lacks the soul and conviction which made the original films great, due to wordy dialogue and bland characters. The lengthy space race contributes little to the story. Jar Jar Binks, a comic relief character, drags the movie down and makes it nearly unwatchable. There was a lot of missed potential with this movie.… Expand
0 of 2 users found this helpful02
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4
Roger1718Dec 20, 2017
The overuse of CGI and terrible scripting and acting make this movie laughable at some points. The rest is just plain and simple, and unfortunately all lightsaber fights look terribly planned and choreographed.
1 of 3 users found this helpful12
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4
hassallNov 27, 2016
Honesty when i saw this movie i was very disappointing. the story was okay, just okay, but the very boring race, jar jar binks and the failed tries to be funny just made it a long annoying movie.Im going to give it a 4 because the lightsaberHonesty when i saw this movie i was very disappointing. the story was okay, just okay, but the very boring race, jar jar binks and the failed tries to be funny just made it a long annoying movie.Im going to give it a 4 because the lightsaber duel was good.… Expand
1 of 1 users found this helpful10
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4
Jk9785Feb 23, 2017
A fun but incredibly flawed film, Lucas' first entry in the Star Wars prequel trilogy is a disappointment to say the least, with bland characters, computer generated effects that don't hold up well (with a few exceptions), and a characterA fun but incredibly flawed film, Lucas' first entry in the Star Wars prequel trilogy is a disappointment to say the least, with bland characters, computer generated effects that don't hold up well (with a few exceptions), and a character who, in my opinion, is the most annoying character in cinema history. The one, the only, Jar Jar Binks. Liam Neeson and Ewan McGregor's performances remain the only bright spots in this film for me.… Expand
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4
The_fantastic94May 3, 2017
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Star wars fans had to wait 16 years for another cinematic adventure to the galaxy far far away, unfortunately, the patience did not pay off. However just like with Darth Vader, there remains some good in it.
The predconditions could not have been better though: George Lucas, mastermind behind his big franchise, was back in the directing chair, John Williams composed the score and the cast had some pretty good names to offer.
Unfortunately, the movie is very disappointing. Bad dialogue, an overdose of CGI, a childish, whiny Anakin Skywalker who ought to be Darth Vader one day, and Jar Jar Binks, the probably worst movie character in history, make "The phantom menace" an unsatisfying and frankly rather terrible experience for moviegoers and Star wars fans. A badass Darth Maul, well portrayed Obi-wan Kenobi and the stunning lightsaber duel at the end prevent it to be a complete disaster like its successor, but cannot heal our wounds caused by the major flaws in the film. What a waste!… Expand
1 of 4 users found this helpful13
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4
robertoiglesiasApr 23, 2020
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This film could actually be good if it focused on just 4 things: Anakin and Obi Wan's relationship, Anakin and Padme's romance, Anakin's anger that would eventually lead him to the dark side thanks to Palpatine, and the Clone Wars.

But this film focuses on none of that! Anakin is too young and has more of a friendship with Qui-Gon than Obi-Wan (Obi-Wan barely does anything in this film). Anakin is way too young to be dating Padme. He also doesn't get that much screen time and is a side character. And there's no Clone Wars.

What we get instead is goddamn political talks that go on for way too long and serve no purpose to the story, Jar Jar making me lose my brain cells, as well as pointless moments. This film should've had the story of Attack of the Clones, and Episode 2 could be the Clone Wars!
Lucas really lost his touch with this one. 4/10, just because the sequel trilogy wasn't that good, doesn't mean these first 2 prequels are now good.… Expand
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4
Bugger217Sep 9, 2017
George Lucas helped usher in a new era in filmmaking with The Phantom Menace, but he also lost track of what made Star Wars special to millions of people around the world. Make no mistake, the visual effects here were mind-blowing at the timeGeorge Lucas helped usher in a new era in filmmaking with The Phantom Menace, but he also lost track of what made Star Wars special to millions of people around the world. Make no mistake, the visual effects here were mind-blowing at the time of release, but there are so many issues plaguing the film. Empty dialogue and stilted direction lead to bad performances from actors who are typically very good, and heavy use of CGI in its infancy has result in the film aging poorly. The production design is great, and a few action sequences thrill, but everything else is either shockingly misguided or downright boring.… Expand
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4
Miles_SDec 9, 2017
When it's not grating and incredibly annoying, it's banal. There are somewhat positive aspects, to an extent at least. But there outweighed by all the just below mediocre aspects.
1 of 1 users found this helpful10
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4
LivingTribunalMay 18, 2018
Worst Star Wars Film.... However, it built new universe of Anakin Skywalker well with better graphic. The storyline was so boring and it's one of the biggest mistake that George Lucas had ever made
2 of 5 users found this helpful23
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4
AntonEgoJun 1, 2018
Kind of boring and full of unnecessary humour. Bad acting, but I'm ok with the plot and CGI. I love the new planets and everything we got to know about the star wars universe (the history of the jedi order before the original trilogy)Kind of boring and full of unnecessary humour. Bad acting, but I'm ok with the plot and CGI. I love the new planets and everything we got to know about the star wars universe (the history of the jedi order before the original trilogy) throughout the movie.… Expand
0 of 1 users found this helpful01
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4
TirecexDec 29, 2019
I did a rewatch of this movie some days ago and it is still as bad as it was 10 years ago the last time I saw it. At times at feels more like a comedy then like the Space opera as it is supposed to be. It is a Star Wars movie made for 7 yearI did a rewatch of this movie some days ago and it is still as bad as it was 10 years ago the last time I saw it. At times at feels more like a comedy then like the Space opera as it is supposed to be. It is a Star Wars movie made for 7 year old children.

Jar Jar Binks is easily one of the most unnecessary characters in movie history. Everything he does is talk funny and slip on things. The same goes for Anakin Skywalker. "Hey whats this funny button -> Destroys space station and saves everyone"

At least the fight between Darth Maul, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan in the end is good. And it is still better then The Last Jedi and The Fall of Skywalker.… Expand
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4
NGJ747Mar 19, 2019
The phantom menace uses potty humor annoying characters and weak acting it brings shame to the franchise.
1 of 1 users found this helpful10
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4
Richmond95Oct 5, 2019
How do I review The Phantom Menace? I'd say it's one of those so bad its good kind of films, but the film has plenty of boring elements that really drag things down. Darth Maul is cool no doubt, but his now iconic battle with that great musicHow do I review The Phantom Menace? I'd say it's one of those so bad its good kind of films, but the film has plenty of boring elements that really drag things down. Darth Maul is cool no doubt, but his now iconic battle with that great music score, is not gripping since nothing is going on besides the fight. No drama, no character connections, just there for the spectacle. Just like the speeder race, which made a decent video game, but very dull to watch. Jar Jar Binks is yes beyond annoying, Natalie Portman's weird voice in this is well just weird. The story makes no sense and is not engaging at all. Nowadays your better off watching the Darth Maul battle clips, other than that I can't recommend you take the time to watch this film beginning to end.… Expand
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4
jjarockiMar 24, 2020
There are times where one forgets the things that work in Phantom Menace, simply because we accept them as Star Wars. The production design here is amazing, with some real creativity. John Williams' score shines with some of his best work.There are times where one forgets the things that work in Phantom Menace, simply because we accept them as Star Wars. The production design here is amazing, with some real creativity. John Williams' score shines with some of his best work. However, this is boggled down by some awkward dialogue, mediocre cinematography, and a real lack of direction throughout the whole thing. The actors here are better than this, they just aren't allowed to show it… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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4
JesseDillingerMay 4, 2023
It's just so lifeless and boring. The plot is overly confusing and Jar Jar is the most realistic character. HOW. Qui Gon isn't too bad, but he's still meh. I don't hate the movie, but it's very very weak and not even remotely entertaining
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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3
VincentV.Sep 28, 2008
Dear George, the story was okay, just okay, but the very boring race, jar jar binks and the failed tries to be funny just made it a long annoying movie...
16 of 21 users found this helpful
3
ArkonBladeMar 13, 2011
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 theni 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
4 of 8 users found this helpful44
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3
JacobNov 28, 2015
The Phantom Menace is a great tech demo for what CGI and ILM can accomplish. Some of the worlds created with CGI are stunning. The vehicles all look and sound great. The moments where the visuals and sound take over like in the Podrace andThe Phantom Menace is a great tech demo for what CGI and ILM can accomplish. Some of the worlds created with CGI are stunning. The vehicles all look and sound great. The moments where the visuals and sound take over like in the Podrace and final dull are when the movie is fun and Podrace feels like Star Wars. Unfortunately, once the characters start talking the movie is terrible. The story is weak with poor pacing, low stakes, and no clear threat. None of the characters are interesting ranging from dull to annoying and all of which are underdeveloped given dull/cheesy dialogue. In short the movie is either dull or boring and for the most part doesn’t feel like Star Wars. I loved this film a lot as a kid but that time is long gone. Regardless of how bad The Force Awakens may end up being it can’t be any worse than this.… Expand
2 of 4 users found this helpful22
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3
MoviebuffreviewJun 19, 2011
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 myThe 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
5 of 9 users found this helpful54
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3
CritiqueGirlMar 4, 2011
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.
2 of 6 users found this helpful24
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3
flamed_steakFeb 22, 2011
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 thinkThe 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.… Expand
2 of 4 users found this helpful22
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3
GreatbealloFeb 8, 2012
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 DarthThis 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
2 of 5 users found this helpful23
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3
potatoes351Oct 31, 2012
For the start of a new trilogy in the Star Wars universe The Phantom Menace sure does show people how not to do it. This is the start of a trilogy to highlight the young Anakin and his inevitable journey to the dark side of the force andFor the start of a new trilogy in the Star Wars universe The Phantom Menace sure does show people how not to do it. This is the start of a trilogy to highlight the young Anakin and his inevitable journey to the dark side of the force and become Darth Vader and father to Luke Skywalker. This is Star Wars gone kiddy though, with the kid who plays a child Anakin being annoying as **** and having a stupid sub plot with a race of toad like people called Gungans who make painfully unfunny jokes. Good CGI but poor execution and Liam Neeson being the only saving grace.… Expand
2 of 5 users found this helpful23
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3
PatrykGJun 9, 2016
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. People say that the only way you can hate this movie is if you grew up with the originals and was hyped for The Phantom Menace in 1999...well let me tell you something. I was not even around when that film came out, I watched it for the first time in 2006, a day after seeing the original trilogy for the first time. Then I found out there was three more films, I thought that was weird, like they could have ended the series with three films but they made three more that were prequels. So before seeing Episode 1 for the first time I said to myself "Well this could go either way", so I watched it, with no knowledge of what the movie looks like, I only had a disc without a box, haven't seen any trailer or anything like that. So I'm watching this movie and I swear that I didn't understand a goddamn thing in it. Something about a senator (didn't know what that was) and a taxation (didn't know what that was), basically the only word I recognised from the opening crawl was "Jedi". Then stuff happens...blah blah blah...the Viceroy guy was like "This is impossible" when Qui Gon is cutting through the door (couldn't remember Qui Gon's name until years later) more political talk later, something about some treaty uh signing it will legalise THE INVASION OF AN ENTIRE PLANET?!! Whatever. They meet Jar Jar, who honestly I didn't find that annoying or funny I was just struggling to understand a single word he said...then after like 3 days the Trade Federation finally invade the Naboo...the jedi rescue the Queen, they go to tatooine, i was hoping that this would save the movie and it turns out that Tatooine is the worst part of this movie...nothing happens in it...Anakin was the most annoying character in the movie, and him building C3PO made turn off the movie and leave...but then I came back I had to finish this crap...stupid bet was made between Qui Gon and Watto (I still don't understand it) then the 10 minute race that felt like an hour, it's easily the most boring part of the movie it's not like Anakin used the force for the first time and won the race or anything like when Luke was the last one left to destroy the death star in the first film he was using the force for the first time, it wasn't trivial to the whole movie like the podrace scene was...then the mother just lets her son go just like that with some strangers they just met and yeah...but that's ok because he's eight years old and you don't make any mistakes at that age...then Coruscant...oh god...i can't continue but i will...some senate meeting about something, really do you think i cared anymore at this point? i gave up a long time ago...uh then the queen is like "I move for a vote of no confidence in Chancellor Valorum's leadership", and everyone's like "VOTE NOW VOTE NOW VOTE NOW" even though I was 7 then, I still knew that you can't get rid of someone with just one vote, how does this senate even work? That means anyone can just say this vote of no confidence and then they'll elect another one and that will happen to him and again a new guy and so on...Oh god the jedi scenes where they don't do anything but sit in chairs...whatever, SKIP!!! So then they go back to naboo, something uh happens blah blah then that devil guy shows up, yeah I'm sure he has a name, I'm just calling him devil guy, with the double bladed lightsaber, which i guess is supposed to compensate for his lack of character? So they fight him while like 3 other things are happening...BOOOOOOOOOOOOORIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIING!!! Some other things happen, Anakin blows up the ship by accident when all the naboo pilots couldn't do it...Qui Gon dies because Obi Wan keep up with the fight because some stupid red force shields were closing at any time Lucas wanted them to...uh yeah then Obi Wan kills devil guy and whatever, they burn his body, a parade happens and it's over...I honestly don't know what that was, but it wasn't a Star Wars film!!! I mean holy f*ck how do you not get more than one thing right about this series, it wasn't that difficult...the one good thing was the soundtrack, THAT'S IT!!! 3/10 Awful crap...… Expand
2 of 4 users found this helpful22
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3
NecromusDec 4, 2012
I absolutely loved the original trilogy as a kid. 17 years waiting in anticipation for the prequels (since Star Wars: A New Hope in 1977 stated it was "Chapter 4") raised expectations very high that almost no movie could live up to it. But II absolutely loved the original trilogy as a kid. 17 years waiting in anticipation for the prequels (since Star Wars: A New Hope in 1977 stated it was "Chapter 4") raised expectations very high that almost no movie could live up to it. But I didn't expect something as horrible as Episode I. A poorly rendered and annoying Jar Jar Binks ruins almost every scene with his clumsy antics bordering on racist (he behaves the way African-Americans were portrayed in old racist shows in the past and he's based on a Jamaican Rasta-man type character too!). The acting by Anakin was boring too, but it might not be his fault, after-all George Lucus somehow manages to take amazing actors like Ewen McGregor and Samuel L. Jackson and make them look mediocre. I saw this movie once in the theater and never wanted to see it again. Once it was on TV and I muted it while talking on the phone and noticed the visuals are absolutely beautiful, it is too bad the story and directing sucks so bad. However, there is a version of this movie out there called "The Phantom Edit 1.11" which is an edit of the movie by a Star Wars fan that cuts most of Jar Jar's annoying antics out of the movie along with all of the redundant scenes where the characters are explaining to other characters what you have just witnessed happening in the scene before. The Phantom Edit 1.11 is much more watchable and enjoyable, do yourself a favor and watch that one instead, it is way better than the official version.… Expand
4 of 8 users found this helpful44
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3
Jailhouse_McGeeJan 8, 2013
Okay, let's face it: If episode I would have been the first star wars movie, there would not have been a episode II. If the only (good) thing everybody remembers about a movie are some eye-candy scenes (and I am talking of course about theOkay, let's face it: If episode I would have been the first star wars movie, there would not have been a episode II. If the only (good) thing everybody remembers about a movie are some eye-candy scenes (and I am talking of course about the pod race and the double light sabre duel), you know your movie is in trouble, because it fails on all other levels: storytelling, character development, acting, pacing and tone. This movie feels like a well-calculated commercial product that should deliver to all audiences, but it's all about a shiny surface and nothing beyond that. And let's not forget about Jarjar, the most annoying character ever to be put in a movie.… Expand
13 of 20 users found this helpful137
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3
Jack97Jan 1, 2014
Yes it does have impressive action and visual effects to spare, but Star Wars: The Phantom Menace fails to match the original trilogy's unique blend of characters, moments and scale.
6 of 10 users found this helpful64
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3
jfrotylpe532Dec 4, 2012
And so begins the terror of the prequels. Poorly made, not to mention some of the worst acting on the planet. Lucas could do way better than that. Sadly we need the prequels to know the beloved Star Wars began. Until next time Lucas you suck
4 of 8 users found this helpful44
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3
Sergio2008Jan 3, 2016
This movie is the worst of the Stars Wars franchise. Poor acting, saturation of CGI, lack of character chemistry, and just flat-out boring at times. Phantom Menace was the first Star Wars film I saw, and even as a kid, the movie felt like aThis movie is the worst of the Stars Wars franchise. Poor acting, saturation of CGI, lack of character chemistry, and just flat-out boring at times. Phantom Menace was the first Star Wars film I saw, and even as a kid, the movie felt like a chore to watch.… Expand
2 of 4 users found this helpful22
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3
Longbottom94Apr 27, 2013
The Phantom Menace may be one of the biggest cinematic disappointments of all time. Although it would have been almost impossible for this film to live up to the ridiculously high expectations that the fanboy's had but upon it, the finalThe Phantom Menace may be one of the biggest cinematic disappointments of all time. Although it would have been almost impossible for this film to live up to the ridiculously high expectations that the fanboy's had but upon it, the final product is so monstrously dull it has unearned the dubious honor of one of the worsts films I have seen. Although the pod race and final duel scenes were quite enjoyable, I can't shake the feeling that the only reason they stand out is because of the awfulness that surrounds the picture.… Expand
7 of 14 users found this helpful77
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3
spencieMar 15, 2018
This is why I'm not a huge Star Wars fan, The Phantom Menace is a terrible movie. The visuals are bad, the story is bad, the characters are boring, the story in uninteresting, even the acting is bad. I'm not a big Star Wars fan because halfThis is why I'm not a huge Star Wars fan, The Phantom Menace is a terrible movie. The visuals are bad, the story is bad, the characters are boring, the story in uninteresting, even the acting is bad. I'm not a big Star Wars fan because half of the Star Wars movies suck.… Expand
1 of 4 users found this helpful13
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3
akerr2Oct 20, 2015
This film set the tone and the epic build up to Episode IV however it needed more explanation and perhaps a "movie between movies" as the transition from this one to Episode II was very loose. The underlying sith plot was not shown enoughThis film set the tone and the epic build up to Episode IV however it needed more explanation and perhaps a "movie between movies" as the transition from this one to Episode II was very loose. The underlying sith plot was not shown enough light for some of the audience to properly understand.… Expand
1 of 2 users found this helpful11
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3
YorkManJan 2, 2016
TPM is George Lucas' imagination gone into CGI overdrive. With every single whim unquestioned we get the first part of the original Six episodes of Star Wars delivered to us 16 years after RotJ, and what did we get...?

We got a bloated,TPM is George Lucas' imagination gone into CGI overdrive. With every single whim unquestioned we get the first part of the original Six episodes of Star Wars delivered to us 16 years after RotJ, and what did we get...?

We got a bloated, borderline nonsensical tale of how a Jedi Master, his apprentice, a 14 year old Queen and some obnoxious, CGI abomination of a sentient, bidepal creature end up accidentally finding the one who will bring balance to the Force. The one being a 9 year old kid who has absolutely no charisma.

Political machinations fly left and right as the villain of the piece (who we all know is the dastardly political leader of the planet on which the Queen is the ruler) begins to move his pieces on Lucas' chessboard, culminating in a three-way battle between some fighter craft in space, a CGI robot army vs a CGI bipedal creature army, and the two Jedi squaring off against a nasty Sith Lord.

At the time of the film's release it was praised by audiences (check out the video clips of people coming out of the cinema in 1999!!!), and even most contemporary critics were blown away. It was only in retrospect, relatively quickly afterwards it has to be said, that people began to actually think about the film and what it was about, and the hate and anger lead many to the Dark Side of the Force!!

As a popcorn movie, it's fine. As a piece of pop-culture, it's referenced as the point where George Lucas stopped being revered as the creator of one of cinemas most enduring masterpieces. As the start of a new 'prequel' trilogy, it's piss-poor.

Unfortunately, however bad this film was/is...... Worse was to come.… Expand
2 of 4 users found this helpful22
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3
BarneyOnMTJan 5, 2016
WHAT I LIKED: A prequel to the amazing Star Wars trilogy stands out mainly for it's spectacular final action scene, aided by the new-found modern effects. 'The Phantom Menace' succeeds in the bare bones of it's plot too - and it does creditWHAT I LIKED: A prequel to the amazing Star Wars trilogy stands out mainly for it's spectacular final action scene, aided by the new-found modern effects. 'The Phantom Menace' succeeds in the bare bones of it's plot too - and it does credit the originals thanks to the score and production design.
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE: It was just delivered very badly: it takes ages to get going for a start, and then when you're into the meat of the story it gets bogged down with confusing politics that overwhelm any character development. This clearly isn't helped by the largely dull, monotone acting, plus some of the characters themselves are cringey and laughable too. All this means this is undoubtedly the worst Star Wars adventure of all.
VERDICT: This is a dull film throughout that only gets exciting in the last 20 minutes - sadly a poor effort from Lucas that fails to capture his success with the originals.… Expand
1 of 2 users found this helpful11
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3
nahtan1244Jan 7, 2017
I Love star wars. It's been a crucial part of my childhood and beyond. I fondly remember watching the prequels and thinking they were gods of a movie. It's not so much the case today. The thing about the phantom meance is Geroge lucas is aI Love star wars. It's been a crucial part of my childhood and beyond. I fondly remember watching the prequels and thinking they were gods of a movie. It's not so much the case today. The thing about the phantom meance is Geroge lucas is a great story teller. He has some excellent ideas that made the foundations of the story great but it was just executed very poorly. Too much exposition, Jar Jar, whoever thought he would make a great general? weird stereotyping in the voices, wooden acting all across the board. Seriously queen admadala barley cracks a smile and the way she delivers her lines make me want to go to sleep. The only good thing That makes this a 3 is the lifghsaber fight plus as I mentioned before the great outlying of the story. I think George lucas is a great story teller but he can't put his thoughts into action and make it a great movie. That's why the original trilogy was so good. Even though he inly made one star wars movie he wrote the story for all 3 and they were fantastic. I admire George lucas. I feel bad as he had to prepare for alot of backlash sense episode 1 and even if he is not a perfect director I thank him wholeheartedly for bringing star wars into my life and I am glad he was able to share it with his vision. all I have left to say is thank you lucas for not ruining my childhood but creating it.… Expand
2 of 6 users found this helpful24
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3
BananaCinemaJul 15, 2016
Three words: Jar Jar Binks, he flushed star wars down the drain and ruined both the movie and the prequel trilogy, HE'S JUST SOOOO ANNOYING, he's only there for comic relief, it feels like the movie was made for kids, the movie lacked drama,Three words: Jar Jar Binks, he flushed star wars down the drain and ruined both the movie and the prequel trilogy, HE'S JUST SOOOO ANNOYING, he's only there for comic relief, it feels like the movie was made for kids, the movie lacked drama, suspense and action, characters talked too much and politics, which no one cares about, especially the kids, the pod racing scene SUCKED (though i will admit, it generated an awesome video game), and it RUINED my all time favorite star wars character: darth vader, cause now, i'm supposed to accept the fact that Vader used to be some Blondie kid with a squeaky voice and bowl haircut, and who's so whiny (though the whiny part is only show in the later movies) and only joined the dark side because he didn't get what he wanted.… Expand
2 of 5 users found this helpful23
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3
Thatonenerd2187Dec 11, 2016
Star wars the phantom menace is the worst star wars movie by far in the franchise. With it's boring characters, terrible acting, terrible cgi that does not hold up well, and the fact that is completely boring makes this unwatchable.
2 of 5 users found this helpful23
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3
Tcurran2Dec 23, 2017
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The film that is now synonymous with abject failure, Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, is a monumental misstep from writer/director George Lucas. Though it possesses a great deal of visual imagination, Lucas's once epic space opera franchise is reduced to a complicated mess of a plot of taxation and trade federations. Devoid of any interesting characters, the only respite from this plodding affair comes in a final battle sequence between the horned villain Darth Maul (Ray Park), and our protagonists; Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) and Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson). This sequence is also muddled, as Lucas cuts to three other events happening simultaneously, creating a tonally jarring climax whose execution even if perfect, could not have saved this film.… Expand
2 of 4 users found this helpful22
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3
seanreneauMay 20, 2018
Phantom Menace has a great lightsaber battle and that is about all. Phantom Menace is a boring addition to the Star Wars universe with bad CGI and bad acting.
2 of 5 users found this helpful23
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3
GarethBOct 5, 2018
Darth JarJar is awful, somethings didn't need to be in this... Anakin made C3PO??? Midibloodychlorians?????? so disappointing after star wars being away for so long.
1 of 4 users found this helpful13
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3
notheguyOct 18, 2018
Sort of disappointing, I understand that this was targeted towards kids, but I cannot give it higher than a 4. Definitely by least favorite in the series.
2 of 4 users found this helpful22
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3
YesterJun 10, 2020
It's just a bit too drawn out and it's not a really interesting part of Anakin & The Republic's Fall.
0 of 1 users found this helpful01
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3
SantiagoSantosMay 13, 2020
This movie as a really bad script with really bad acting. The only thing I think this film does well is the pod racing sequence and Darth Maul's battle with Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi.
0 of 1 users found this helpful01
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3
EthanR592Jan 23, 2020
I would write a lot about how terrible this movie is but I think "It's the Phantom Menace" pretty much sums it up alone. There's a reason people say to skip this one when watching all the movies on the Machete Order.
0 of 2 users found this helpful02
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3
CakperDec 30, 2019
ass movie no good man dont see please dont bad it no good is bad very bad ok?
0 of 1 users found this helpful01
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3
Cementer200Sep 29, 2020
Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace is a bad movie. the plot is bad the characters are worse then plot. this movie is an insult to The Star Wars movie series.
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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3
TheTimeProjectMar 24, 2021
The Phantom Menace begins the Star Wars prequel trilogy with an overuse of CGI, an overcomplicated story, flat performances, and messy pacing. No film could have possibly lived up to the insane hype surrounding this, but this film didn't even try.
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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3
sugarniteApr 24, 2022
The first ten minutes are likely to give anybody whiplash as you travel to at least six different locations while getting very little time to catch your breath. There are many things that are mentioned once and never explained as the movieThe first ten minutes are likely to give anybody whiplash as you travel to at least six different locations while getting very little time to catch your breath. There are many things that are mentioned once and never explained as the movie continues moving forward at lightning speed.

The last act is pretty good, as the objectives and key players are established and explained (mostly)- but without getting to understand the characters’ motivations, histories, and relationships, I was not invested.

Doug Chiang’s brilliant concept work coming to life is what will stick with anybody who watches this.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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3
DarkwingSchmuckMar 2, 2022
One of the most infamous disappointments in movie history, The Phantom Menace is filled with forgettable characters, wooden performances, silly dialogue, and a bland story. You know you're in trouble when the only character in your movie withOne of the most infamous disappointments in movie history, The Phantom Menace is filled with forgettable characters, wooden performances, silly dialogue, and a bland story. You know you're in trouble when the only character in your movie with any sort of personality is Jar Jar Binks. But, hey! At least that pod racing scene was sort of neat.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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3
AV-Apr 28, 2022
this movie isnt a 0/10 because liam nesson is in it and the darth maul duel is really good. duel of the fates is a banger
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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3
Passionate_RedJan 17, 2023
Dual of Fates i guess.

At least Qui-Gon Jin is interesting, but that might just be because of clone wars idk.
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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3
thethethe4Jun 1, 2023
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This is the most disappointing StarWars movie, the actors are lack laster and some of the scenes are just plain boring. The racing scene in the movie is boring, the ending of it is predictable and honestly it just makes me sad. The movie also suffers from a crippling reliance on CGI that makes the films visuals look worse than the original three movies. If you are a Star Wars fan than I would watch just to understand Anakin better otherwise avoid this film.… Expand
0 of 1 users found this helpful01
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2
LarsC.Dec 8, 2003
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 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
2 of 4 users found this helpful
2
ReviewerMan44Jul 1, 2011
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 andThe 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
6 of 12 users found this helpful66
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2
CyberPunkFeb 13, 2012
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 theWhy 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
5 of 10 users found this helpful55
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2
ReubenIsAGodDec 16, 2015
Really bad film, probably oneofthe worst films ive ever seen. Bad dialog,annoying chara ters. **** even watch he prequls . dont watch it, tis **** 101
4 of 9 users found this helpful45
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2
epiclucaSep 4, 2014
This film is a travesty. The first Star Wars release for over a decade and after the epic trilogy that is A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of The Jedi, you would expect this movie to be much better. In the age of advancedThis film is a travesty. The first Star Wars release for over a decade and after the epic trilogy that is A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of The Jedi, you would expect this movie to be much better. In the age of advanced special effects and storytelling, it's a shame that this movie turned out how it did. A mixture of bad CGI and unrealistic story points (Such as an 8 year old winning a pod race, after he breaks down and takes about 30 seconds to start up again) just to explain how he can get out of slavery. The writing is lazy, and it comes off more as a childs fantasy film, rife with happy colours and the awful mess that is Jar Jar Binks, a character who mispronounces words and is really the jester of the movie, less funny more sad. Sad that in this age of cinema, a film series as epic as Star Wars has to stoop down and dumb down to appeal to children.… Expand
2 of 4 users found this helpful22
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2
CiaranBohanApr 21, 2014
While living up to the brilliance of the revolutionary original trilogy could not be expected. The first instalment of Lucas's 'Prequel Trilogy' really sets the tone for how low star wars would sink. This tale, unlike the first three,While living up to the brilliance of the revolutionary original trilogy could not be expected. The first instalment of Lucas's 'Prequel Trilogy' really sets the tone for how low star wars would sink. This tale, unlike the first three, contains a story no human could understand and fails at its job to keep even the hardest of fans from shedding a tear at what star wars has become. The only reason I have rated the movie above 1/10 is simply due to John Williams once again incredible score, with 'Dual of the Fates' being a soundtrack masterpiece.… Expand
4 of 7 users found this helpful43
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2
jonrock411Jul 28, 2020
Overall, Phantom Menace is a flawed film. While it isn't the absolute dumpster fire that the early internet fan culture had made it out to be, it is neither the "reclaimed masterwork" that modern one seems to think it is. There are moments ofOverall, Phantom Menace is a flawed film. While it isn't the absolute dumpster fire that the early internet fan culture had made it out to be, it is neither the "reclaimed masterwork" that modern one seems to think it is. There are moments of greatness throughout, and a clear appreciation for good world-building, but it's all just filigree. The actual filmmaking is where the film suffers, leading to a dull confusing mess of a film.… Expand
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2
LilScienceJan 23, 2022
Comecei a maratonar o famoso 'Star Wars' e estou fascinado com a riqueza de detalhes mas não tanto quanto a história que ficou confusa.

No primeiro episódio, em algumas partes fica difícil de se entender o que realmente o filme se trata, sóComecei a maratonar o famoso 'Star Wars' e estou fascinado com a riqueza de detalhes mas não tanto quanto a história que ficou confusa.

No primeiro episódio, em algumas partes fica difícil de se entender o que realmente o filme se trata, só quando chega na parte onde eles encontram a mãe de Luke Skywalker fica mais fácil o compreensão.

A produção nem precisa falar que é bem trabalhada, o bom do Star Wars é que sempre somos transportados a diversos universos e lugares o que para os olhos é vistoso e atraente.

Durante o filme tem a Senadora Padmé que parece bem estática e parada nas cenas, o que torna até seus seus movimentos quase nulos nesse filme.
Como este foi o primeiro episódio acredito que não souberam dar o 'start' com vários elementos jogados e sem conexão entre eles, só entendi o final que é a batalha de Jedi x Sith, é visível que muitas partes são menos sérias para a saga, um exemplo é o uso da linguagem mais boba e tola que no fim foi algo para agradar o público infantil, o que se distância muito da linguagem do Star Wars, mas a tecnologia é incrível.… Expand
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2
Young_NachoDec 30, 2019
As much as everyone hates Jar Jar, he is somehow the only character that shows emotion in the entire film. Everyone else is just a robot spitting out this aimless nonsense for 2 hours, until the fantastic final fight scene occurs, wakingAs much as everyone hates Jar Jar, he is somehow the only character that shows emotion in the entire film. Everyone else is just a robot spitting out this aimless nonsense for 2 hours, until the fantastic final fight scene occurs, waking everyone up from their slumber. There is no main character, all logic goes out the window, and every new thing introduced by Lucas is CHEEKS.… Expand
0 of 1 users found this helpful01
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2
Jota19751138Jan 24, 2018
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Movie with a very loose story and unfortunate characters like Jar Jar binks, after many years of waiting I was very disappointed.… Expand
2 of 5 users found this helpful23
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2
CTHReviewsMar 7, 2018
Look, this isn't the worst movie ever. I wouldn't even say it's... terrible. But this is still a really bad movie. The crappy effects, the dull writing and direction, and the ungodly pace are the main things that make me want to sink TheLook, this isn't the worst movie ever. I wouldn't even say it's... terrible. But this is still a really bad movie. The crappy effects, the dull writing and direction, and the ungodly pace are the main things that make me want to sink The Phantom Menace deep into the Naboo Abyss.… Expand
1 of 3 users found this helpful12
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2
Xolt3cSep 5, 2020
George Lucas was having many brainfarts after the tremendous Original Trilogy. You got trade embargoes, blood tests of the Force, and irritating Gungans. Needless to say more.
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EMcareeApr 29, 2022
Worse than I remember…

Let’s start with the positives. The film feels like classic Star Wars. Moreso than any of the other prequels (and Disney’s sequels) The Phantom Menace embraces the pioneering practical effects that made the originalWorse than I remember…

Let’s start with the positives. The film feels like classic Star Wars. Moreso than any of the other prequels (and Disney’s sequels) The Phantom Menace embraces the pioneering practical effects that made the original Trilogy so ahead of its time while also pushing forward the capabilities of digital effects technology. Every environment, every ship, and (almost) every creature has been lovingly crafted by model makers, designers and makeup artists giving the film that authentic Star Wars feel. I feel like I’m stepping back into that world created in the Original Trilogy, but a world that feels greatly and appropriately expanded upon. The film takes us back in time, to an era free of the grime and dirt of the Galactic Civil War; to an era of prosperity and peace typified with the pure and beautiful architecture of Naboo and the sleek and stylish design of their vehicles.

The production team has also worked overtime to push the envelope of digital effects. Jar Jar Binks, from a special effects perspective, is perhaps the productions single greatest achievement. While the cracks in the affects have started to show with the passing of time, they hold up incredibly well for a film produced over two decades ago. It cannot be overstated how incredible this film looks to this day even after 20 years. And of course, the music is incredible. But this is where my positive feelings towards this film come to a screeching halt…

There’s no other way of putting this, but the plot of this film is atrocious. Darth Sidious wants to force the Queen of Naboo to sign a treaty that would make an evil corporation’s invasion of her planet legal. That’s it in a nutshell. I will admit that, in the context of the full story of the Prequel Trilogy, Sidious’ plan in this film does serve a purpose in his grand scheme to take over the galaxy, but that doesn’t make it any less boring. When I think for Star Wars, the very last thing that springs to mind is a God damn trade dispute. I watch Star Wars for that sense of escapism and excitement. I come to Star Wars to get swept up in a galaxy trotting adventure with compelling heroes and dastardly villains, the fight of good vs evil, beautiful and lush alien worlds and thrilling action. This isn’t to say however that I don’t think the world of Star Wars can’t be used to tell interesting stories about more mature themes and political intrigue (something the latter prequels to a much greater degree of success), but those themes and story beats must be compelling and should never overshadow the core of what makes a captivating Star Wars adventure. Now the characters… There aren’t any. None of the actors have any chemistry with each other. None of the actors seem to try to deliver any of their lines with any emotion. Ewan McGregor and Liam Neesom are both stilted and wooden to the nth degree. We are expected to believe that Obi Wan and Qui Gon have pre-existing relationship, one where the pair work well together. Natalie Portman gives an incredibly stunted performance as both the queen and her handmaid decoy and Ahmed Best does his best given the direction and script, he was given, I guess. Best has received enough criticism for his role as it is and to be honest, it’s hard to blame him for Jar Jar because he gave George Lucas the performance that he asked for. Similarly with Jake Lloyd, he can’t be held accountable for the shoddy writing or for the fact that he clearly wasn’t the right actor for the role; not that we needed to ever meet Anakin as an 8-year-old child. And I don’t really have to say a lot about Darth Maul. He looks the part, but he really does not make for a compelling villain on screen. He’s there to look cool in a fight, that’s it. On the fight scenes, I will say that, personally for me, the lightsaber fights are overrated. I appreciate the idea that these are Jedi and Sith in the prime, so they must appear more efficient and sleeker when duelling, but it just feels over-choreographed; more like they are dancing, trying to hit each other’s lightsabers. It just doesn’t feel like they are fighting to win.

Overall, I think the nostalgia I feel for this film has finally worn off. I found rewatching this film excruciating, and I must confess that I was unable to see it through to its end. The film, from a production and worldbuilding standpoint, manages to embrace the best elements of the OT, it’s just a shame it is all wrapped up in a plot that is both bloated, boring, and mostly pointless. The film is a lesson in the dangers of excess, and not knowing when enough is enough. Lucas clearly had a plan of the story he wanted to tell, but he allowed every idea that popped into his brain cloud that vision, and no one on the production team had the balls to tell him to reign it in. The Phantom Menace is all style and simultaneously too much and not enough substance.… Expand
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HomeCriticMay 23, 2014
An awful mess that shouldn't have been made in the first place...
Great actors wasted, plot that makes no bloody sense, unlikable bland characters that are completely unrelatable and **** JAR JAR. BINKS. Do I need to add more?..
2 of 6 users found this helpful24
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1
LaGuertaFeb 26, 2013
Jar Jar, midi-chlorians, droids, The Trade Federation, C3PO built by Darth Vader are just a few reasons why I have a mirror shatteringly bad feeling about this.
8 of 16 users found this helpful88
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1
MichaelBagamerySep 5, 2014
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I should probably have broken my promise to myself and gotten **** after watching this tripe. 'The Phantom Menace' is easily the worst 'Star Wars' movie, and a terrible film in general. Some lowlights:

Jar Jar. Just the most obvious of this movie's myriad artistic miscalculations, he's unfunny and stupid.

Acting. Liam Neeson and Ewan McGregor are the only two actors in this movie who actually seem to be trying to rise above the material.

Pointless call-forwards. Actually, 'Attack of the Clones' is worst with this, but they're there and visible in 'The Phantom Menace' too.

Characterization. Whiny little Anakin is very true to how most little kids are; I should know, as, to my eternal chagrin, I used to be one. But this movie seems to be promulgating the notion that youthful pettiness makes one evil. No, no, it doesn't. Hopefully, once you turn fifteen or sixteen, you realize 'God, what an **** I've been' and resolve to be better than that.

Pod racing. Um...scratch that, counterproductive padding! From a narrative standpoint, it's obvious Anakin is supposed to win that race and win his freedom from...Watto (is that his name? I don't remember it being mentioned during the movie). From a logical standpoint, however, he should NOT win that race, since he's young and green as a conifer.

Midichlorians. Yes, I gathered from the original trilogy that the Force was an invisible forcefield which Jedi could manipulate to their own ends, but which bound every organism in the GFFA. So they have something in their blood which makes them one with the Force or something? That has either unfortunate implications or it's just an outright contradiction in the plot.

Action. As in, there's not nearly enough of it until the last fifteen minutes or so, and while it is exciting when we get it, by then it's too little too late.

Overall, this is easily the lamest Star Wars movie, never thought-provoking or even accidentally funny, though I will give a point for Darth Maul's double lightsaber. That was literally the only memorable part of the film that was thus for a good reason.… Expand
2 of 4 users found this helpful22
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1
BrakkenApr 28, 2014
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The Phantom Plot!
What was the point? I was concerned about who would slap Ani's face the soonest, but as he turns into Vader anyway, I'm not sure how to care about a loud-mouthed, impudent child that is supposedly a slave. Mitochloreans (sp - I don't give a hoot enough to even check) are not a force, but are cells now: this destroys the whole point of faith and super-human justice: only those with enough correct cells are good enough Jedi. The first three movies established that faith - yeah, FAITH - prooves one's mettle. Oh well.

CGI swamped the movie and were accompanied by cardboard performances. The notion that any of this movie as being part of reality 'long, long ago' evaporated with GPUs. The first three movies still engage me, but this one was devoid of reason and extremely irritating. Ja-Ja say no more. I'm begging you.

Final Verdict: Eiw.… Expand
2 of 4 users found this helpful22
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1
seventhbeaconDec 30, 2015
The only positive thing I can say about this movie is that it's better than "Attack of the Clones". Faint praise, I know, but apart from the terrible writing, ridiculous plot, and failed execution of filmmaking, there are still some amazingThe only positive thing I can say about this movie is that it's better than "Attack of the Clones". Faint praise, I know, but apart from the terrible writing, ridiculous plot, and failed execution of filmmaking, there are still some amazing musical and visual cues to be had. If only there was a way to mute the dialogue.… Expand
4 of 5 users found this helpful41
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1
Prequelhater878May 19, 2015
One of the worst movies I have ever seen. With dull writing, dull characters, and a dull plot this movie makes starring at a wall more fun and exciting
2 of 3 users found this helpful21
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1
HenryKrinkleOct 28, 2015
The bad - The writing, plot, acting, characters, dialogue, overuse of over ambitious CGI, the woeful attempts at humour.
The good - Ummm.... The music?
1 of 2 users found this helpful11
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1
mrdr4gonDec 15, 2017
One of the greatest cinematic blunders of all time. The fact nobody thought to put a stop to this is baffling. Resembles the original films of its parent franchise in name only.
2 of 4 users found this helpful22
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1
Roger_Ebert_IIJan 2, 2021
Oooh! Big Goober Fish!!

OH NO

THEY'VE GONE UP THE VENTILATION SHAFT.

I will make it legal.

*Duel of the Fates intensifies*

Now this is podracing!

The negotiations were short!
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1
MILKHapticAug 14, 2022
A boring, boring, movie. The movie's script is confusing this coupled with the unenthusiastic performance by the actors makes the movie a boring mess which made me want to fall asleep. From a visual standpoint, the movie is still boring withA boring, boring, movie. The movie's script is confusing this coupled with the unenthusiastic performance by the actors makes the movie a boring mess which made me want to fall asleep. From a visual standpoint, the movie is still boring with horrible beige and dead colors it makes sense why the main character's son wanted to leave the planet after tolerating such an ugly planet. Obviously, the movie would look boring in the Tatooine part of the movie because it's known in the Star Wars universe as a boring, nothing planet it doesn't make sense when you go to a beautiful lush planet, Naboo, filled with color and all types of aliens from the entire Star Wars galaxy. The redeeming qualities of this movie are the score by John Williams and the introduction of Darth Maul which would make some of the Star Wars Universe's most beloved stories besides the actual good films.… Expand
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1
NoelTingbergJun 19, 2023
Star Wars: The Phantom Menace is the most disappointing thing since my son.
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0
NeilSApr 7, 2006
This film is what Lord of the Rings would have been if it had been filmed in a parking lot rather than New Zealand.
2 of 4 users found this helpful
0
KatherineFeb 25, 2007
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.
2 of 4 users found this helpful
0
tonyGreenJun 17, 2011
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.
5 of 11 users found this helpful56
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dellamorteMay 10, 2011
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 wasI 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: â… Expand
3 of 8 users found this helpful35
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heloheApr 20, 2015
Utterly and completely disappointing. So much CGI has been crammed into this movie that it makes your eyes hurt from watching it. Everything looks fake. There is no charm no emotions as they have been to the original trilogy. The plot is justUtterly and completely disappointing. So much CGI has been crammed into this movie that it makes your eyes hurt from watching it. Everything looks fake. There is no charm no emotions as they have been to the original trilogy. The plot is just boring and lame, all characters are annoying and forgettable. The boy playing Anakin is just an awfully terrible actor. If you compare it to other young actors (see Game of Thrones) you will notice that at least with a somehow decent acting choice some part of the movie could have still been saved.
But then there is this terrible terrible Jar-Jar CGI abomination. It fails at everything, it fails at humor, it fails at having any benefit to the movie.
While the old trilogy had a clear story line, some very memorable scenes and characters. This has nothing. I can't remember a single scene that was interesting or that I liked.
George Lucas should have better listened to his advisors instead of trying to do everything himself.
I know he is a big fan of modern computer imagery / CGI and so on. It does not really make the movie any better. It actually makes it much worse. The carefully crafted models used in the old trilogy look way more realistic and better even after many many years.… Expand
5 of 11 users found this helpful56
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CottleJan 19, 2012
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.
OnlyThis 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.… Expand
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MetanarMay 21, 2012
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Far from being a successor to the original trilogy, 'The Phantom Menace' (what were they thinking?) is boring, nonsensical and would, in fact, have been better if they had just gone all out with it being a child's cartoon so there was no implication that adults who enjoyed the original films were meant to enjoy this trash. It's clear this is meant to appeal to kids; you've got Jar Jar providing unfunny slapstick, an annoying brat who has no idea what's going on and somehow magically figures out how to pilot a ship in the end to save the day and simple one dimensional characters that any adult would recognise as cardboard cut outs of people. I don't think there's a single likeable character in this film. Obi-wan is whiny and does nothing for the whole film, Qui-Gon is just a flat boring character, Padme is similarly devoid of character, Jar Jar is a cartoon character and Anakin is just an annoying kid. The sure-fire best way to ruin the character of the fearsome Darth Vader was to make a new film that showed him to be a stupid kid who says "BOOM- they blow you UP!".

The plot doesn't make any damn sense, the characters are just awful and after watching this I'm left feeling like I just banged my head against a wall for half an hour because I feel about 50 IQ points dumber.… Expand
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AwesomeguyRApr 12, 2014
Worst movie of all time. It is so bad that I went back in time and shot myself to not see it. Na i'm just kidding the word is tone. It sucks like your mom last night.
3 of 9 users found this helpful36
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igorgaviDec 27, 2015
"Star Wars: The Phantom Menace was the most disappointing thing since my son[...]And while my son eventually hanged himself in the bathroom of a gas station, the unfortunate reality of the Star Wars prequels is that they'll be around."Star Wars: The Phantom Menace was the most disappointing thing since my son[...]And while my son eventually hanged himself in the bathroom of a gas station, the unfortunate reality of the Star Wars prequels is that they'll be around. Forever." - Plinkett, Harry… Expand
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cjohnson596Dec 27, 2013
George Lucas dumped all over this travesty of a movie. How can you not compare it to the original Star Wars episodes 4, 5, and 6? And in comparison I cannot sit through this entire movie and watch the painful train-wreck that it is. LikeGeorge Lucas dumped all over this travesty of a movie. How can you not compare it to the original Star Wars episodes 4, 5, and 6? And in comparison I cannot sit through this entire movie and watch the painful train-wreck that it is. Like watching a computer generated video game that frequently throws miserable one-liner humor at you.… Expand
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AkashVijayJan 19, 2015
Star Wars I: the Phantom Menace is abysmally structured. I'm honestly having a very very hard time figuring out where all three Acts begin and end. Perhaps, it was meant to be that way. One can ask, is that ambitious or flawed? I vote forStar Wars I: the Phantom Menace is abysmally structured. I'm honestly having a very very hard time figuring out where all three Acts begin and end. Perhaps, it was meant to be that way. One can ask, is that ambitious or flawed? I vote for flawed. Not simply because I feel Lucas severely lacks the writing capabilities to write an abstract narrative but also because it's nothing like an abstract narrative. The problems start right from the opening shots and this is a problem in all the Star Wars movies. It starts off with backstory, with lines of narrative, scrolling up as John Williams' soundtrack plays along, serving as exposition for the upcoming events. Why couldn't they create a quick montage - a series of rapidly edited shots or just a basic sequence of still photos or simply start off before that. The entire purpose of film is to convey a story through the wonderful language of images. And when Lucas throws narrative at us, just as it appears in the script, let's just say it's a very underwhelming opening. Terrence Malick was able to briefly portray evolutionary progression and natural selection from the most elementary to the most multiplex of creatures, all in about 20 minutes in the Tree of Life. Lucas was asked to carry no such burden.Ewan McGregor is a decent actor but his role is so poorly written in the movie. For the most part, his job consists of 3 basic exercises. He walks alongside Liam Neeson stating the obvious, he looks up when he enters rooms and he keeps questioning Liam Neeson's "high intellectual Jedi converse" so that Liam Neeson can start explaining the plot. The entire Jedi counsel exists so that Lucas' characters can sit around and explain the plot to the audience. Jar Jar Binks may be the most annoying character I've ever had to witness on screen. But there are so many versions of him in this movie. It's intolerable.
Since, all of us have already seen Lucas' pantomime 1977 original, we should all agree that he's the master of oversimplification. The characters are all so black and white. There's not a single character even remotely leaning towards the second dimension. And in fact, this is a problem with all the Star Wars movies. They all show us distinctly, which characters are good and which characters are evil but none of them tell us why. In fact several movies like Apocalypse Now, Rashomon, Taxi Driver and in more recent years, Pans Labyrinth and the Dark Knight, have explored this idea of the relativity of morality so brilliantly. But of course Lucas doesn't bother with interesting objectives of that sort. The entire "dark side of the force should rule the galaxy" is as cliched as it gets. How many movies have been made where the bad guys want to take over the world? Too many to count.
But the part where I began to despise it, was the last 45 mins, which was literally jam-packed with mind-numbing CGI action. I found it amusing that Lucas thought he had the ability to juggle multiple story lines (rather I should just use action sequences instead of storyline) from the "epic" battle between the droids and Jar Jar's, to Anakin's random "attempts" to destroy the "what-ever the hell that was" all accompanied by a triumvirate lightsaber dual between Liam Neeson and Ewan McGregor with the man with the double ended light sabre. And then on top of all that, we have the dialogue. Now this is something that I am infuriated by. Lucas' writing skills are pre-school. A 10 year old could write better lines of dialogue and convey more emotion. Greeting Cards have exuded more passion than Lucas' raw use of words. It's as bad as I've ever seen (and that's not in any way an exaggerated statement).
The Phantom Menace is a disgrace to everything that contributed to the world of cinema and it opened the door for several other mindless action movies. It's over-filled with computer imagery and is completely hollow within. There's no psychology, no philosophy, basically no ideas in it whatsoever. It's the work of a machine rather than an artist and it was as entertaining as filling out your Income Tax forms. It may be appealing to adolescent boys who grew up with those characters but to me this is just a sad money making practice targeted at a series run out of control.… Expand
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IntroduceJun 15, 2014
Everyone knows it,
Anyone who pardons e1PM is simply in server denial,
It will always be known as one of the great
disasters in cinematic history.
Sad but oh so true.
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