ThiefHott Too much of everything

Ensofter Overrated and overhyped

Matrixiole Simple and well acted, it has tension enough to knot the stomach.

Deanna There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.

salmanalfarisi-81574 In this first episode, Star Wars narrates straight to the conflict between the Empire and the rebels alliance who set the background of the main story and the struggles of all the characters, the beginning of Anakin, Obi-Wan, and others. But, there is nothing to compare with the trilogy. The plot is shallow which so many plots holes such as the background characters that never explain. Who is Qui-Gon Jinn? Who is Darth Maul? Why is everything like a coincidence? There is no obvious reason why the rebel army wants to control the Empire.In The Phantom Menace, most of the scenes don't bear with the fruit and connections between characters and stories which in the trilogy are never discussed in. This film does have a lot of debate since the beginning of its premiere, since the internet hasn't existed, and the overhyped is outrageous. Critics adored this film even more than the three sequels. Several years have passed since this time, for some reason this film is nothing compared to other films. Just like The Shining or other Stanley Kubrick's works where it took several decades for the critic and audience to understand his mind.The visual is great but another thing that feels weird is there are some visual effects which are not rendered where it feels the visual didn't exist in there. If it differentiates it from the previous trilogy, I think they deserve the best. Sure, the visual effect is able to make viewers who watch at the time feels overwhelming because of the enjoyment. One of them is the pod race scene which I found that the most brilliant but again, the cinematography feels superficial regardless of POV. The Phantom Menace also seems to bring something right because it took a few years to be able to use the technology that existed at the time and George Lucas was able to represent the universe which existed in the Star Wars trilogy.The Phantom Menace seems to fail in showing the potential of the story and not in accordance with the various expectations. The introduction of the characters which just appear without any backgrounds and such, the conflicts that never explained and didn't have various connections with the previous trilogy and the scenes that feel repetitive and have no relationship whatsoever. I also don't know who "is" the main characters in this episode. Most importantly, I also don't know why many people love Darth Maul and hate Jar Jar Binks. Darth Maul, I admit his character recognition was great without any scripts he got but just like any other character, it just fails at the point. There are so many various fan theories about Jar Jar Binks that he is the Sith Lord and one of the interesting where I find it feels awkward but it's worth to be analyzed and the actor and the director are rumored that theory is true. But, the theory is just a theory because it's ridiculous when thinking about it one more time.All of the actors in this movie feel like not having any emotions either when they see the underwater world, are negotiating, or are having a conversation. I watched behind the scene footage showing the set location in one location which is just kinda that way that George Lucas used the blue screen. I just don't know what the obstacle is when it's in either Liam Neeson performance as well as the other actors and actresses. The story also seems like a comic or cartoon that feels absurd and not much to enjoy besides the fight between Jedi. The rest of it, it's just about conversations, conversations, and conversations which some feel like monotonous and dull. Sure, The Phantom Menace has a brilliant visual effect at the time but the movie will never be spelled out good just because of it. It fails at the place and never improves at least until the end of the story.The Phantom Menace becomes a point that holds a lot of potential from the story and a great beginning to tell the background of each character. But, the character is like only filling the role of their story that has no connection at all. The acting from all the actors although some of it feel emotionless without any sympathy or empathy. The goofy storytelling seems like a cartoon style with an antagonist plot that wants to rule the world without any obvious reason. The execution of the story only lies and focuses on the Empire and the rebel forces but it seems that everything is closed with many pointless scenes. Despite the complex visual effects, The Phantom Menace is a failing at the beginning and must be set in the sequel.

rogerhwerner I've reviewed much of this film's coomentary and it never ceases to amaze me that non-professionals try to evaluate films like professional film critics. As a member of the movie-going public the only issue that matters to me is rather simply stated: Is a film worth spending the time and money to see. Is it fun, entertaining, or otherwise rewarding. Phantom Menace was certainly entertaining and fun and even interesting. That the film earned over a billion dollars gross income stringly suggests that an awful lot of folks agree with me.

valimar-88352 It seems almost cruel to pan a film which has been universally panned, like kicking someone when they're down, but this film deserves it and I say that as a lifelong Star Wars fan. I very much wanted to like the movie when it came out, and it took me a long time to accept that it is indeed a turkey.The good:1. Darth Maul...coolest star wars villain ever? He's certainly up there, just amazing presence and the double-bladed lightsaber is totally awesome.2. The Maul, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan lightsaber battle - absolutely iconic, visually stunning, suspenseful and probably the best in the entire series. In fact it is the only part of this movie that really makes it an absolute must see at all. 3. Palpatine's political manipulations - lot's of people didn't like the political plot of the Prequels, but i loved it. Watching Palpatine the master manipulator at work is a pleasure and he is the other main reason the movie is worth watching.The indifferent:1. Anakin Skywalker - people say this poor kid is a bad actor. I don't agree, he is a kid playing a kid. It is not his fault that he was cast too young for the role. Anakin should have been 12/13 years old, at the transition from childhood to young adulthood, and so the perfect time to leave his mother and his home behind and begin his galactic adventure with the Jedi, as well as his budding romance with Padme. At 8 years old, none of that made any sense, especially not his borderline creepy crush on 14 year old Padme. The bad:1. Jar Jar Binks...what is there to say. I feel sorry for the actor who portrayed him because he is the victim of some bad decisions by George Lucas. Suffice to say one or two goofy hi-jinks from Jar Jar and the droids would have been fine. But Jar Jar should have been an incidental character like the droids, there for occasional comic relief. There was just way too much juvenile humour from Jar Jar in a transparently obvious attempt to appeal to five-year olds. This ties into....2. Battle of Naboo - are we supposed to take this seriously? Because of Jar Jar's antics, it is like a Warner Brothers cartoon, not a Star Wars battle. Ridiculous and embarrassing.3. The lack of Darth Maul...why is such a cool character not front and centre? We should have seen more of this villain, he should have had much more screen time and that would have made the final confrontation with him even more climactic. 20 minutes of filler in this movie easily could have been cut out (like most or all of the pod race and some slow scenes on Coruscant) to get proper use of this character. Ironically you have to watch The Clone Wars and Rebels to see Darth Maul handled properly and do him justice.The film was the worst in the Star Wars saga until that dubious honour was assumed by the disgraceful The Last Jedi. Even so, it would definitely be a crime to show this film first to anyone who had never seen a Star Wars movie before.

pekotski Almost impossible to watch this garbage. No acting, annoying characters, poor dialogs, incomprehensible and blatantly stupid story that destroys minute by minute what George Lucas achieved in original trilogy. Almost feels as the story was written by an imbecile. And for imbeciles. The entire enterprise shows perfectly what happens, when the only goal of production is to maximize profit. And sell of overpriced toys. For me, it is mind blowing, how people can fall for this plastic toys advertising campaign. This isn't even a B-movie. It would be seriously unfair to B-movies - put this rubbish in the same category. On the positive side? Well... Lucas no longer directs or writes - saving us from similar experiences.