Movie Reviews for Star Wars - Episode I, The Phantom Menace (Widescreen Edition)

Star Wars - Episode I, The Phantom Menace (Widescreen Edition)

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Movie Reviews of Star Wars - Episode I, The Phantom Menace (Widescreen Edition)

Movie Review: Frustratingly flawed
Summary: 2 Stars

Any film awaited with the kind of hyped eagerness as THE PHANTOM MENACE, George Lucas' first STAR WARS installment in sixteen years, would have had a hard time convincing audiences and critics. However, even given that, the film is a miscalculation on George Lucas' part. Clearly, Lucas wanted to start his saga on a lighter note as a contrast with the dark deeds he had waiting in the wings for the next two "prequels." The problem is that he went too far. MENACE plays like an expensive Saturday morning kids' TV program. I can't help notice that many users have the same comment: "my five-year-old loved it." As a childrens' film, it may be successful--though I can't imagine kids following all the political goings-on or not being disturbed by the image of the slave-child Anakin being torn from his enslaved mother--a motive that is never resolved satisfactorily. For adults, MENACE doesn't hold together. The comedy is too prevalent and juvenile--including bits of "poo-poo humor" and the most hackneyed of slapstick gags--for any of the serious elements to work. It is typical to regard the CGI creation Jar Jar Binks as emblematic of the problems. But really, Jar Jar, however irritating he is, sets the tone of the film--a kids' movie--more than anything else. It is the tone itself that is the problem: it is unsuitable for the beginning of a monumental saga whose last three chapters (the first filmed: STAR WARS, EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, and RETURN OF THE JEDI) are iconic and have long been part of our common cultural language.

The core of the prequel trilogy is the rise and fall of Anakin/Darth Vader, but the Anakin we see in MENACE, as weakly played by Jake Lloyd, is far too young, even if some lines convey a certain awareness. Moreover, the age difference between him and Padme (Natalie Portman) makes an attraction troubling if he's eight when she's about sixteen in MENACE. Of course, in the next film, they reduce the difference: she only seems about twenty to Anakin's nineteen, so the issue disappears.

Lucas also introduces an idea which is very unfortunate indeed, in that it demystifies the Force as something which, as Alec Guiness's Obi-Wan describes it in STAR WARS (1977), "surrounds us and penetrates us, binding the universe together." In MENACE, it is reduced to the overabundance of "midi-chlorians" in the blood, making Jedi status a superior race, reminiscent of the horrible, crackpot, racist (and Nazi) eugenics theories of the early 20th century.

In short, THE PHANTOM MENACE could have been far superior with certain elements corrected, re-balanced, or eliminated. But Lucas didn't see it. As it stands, it would have been better as a half-hour introductory short to ATTACK OF THE CLONES.

Movie Review: In the Beginning, there was The Phantom Menace!
Summary: 5 Stars

This is the film that people who are new to the Star Wars Saga should view first, after all, it is Episode I. Those familar with history, and have a passion for science fiction, should find The Phantom Menace as George Lucas' masterpiece, as it truly is. And the good part is that it keeps getting better, as there are five more chapters in Lucas' Epic that add on to this piece. A true Triumph!

Movie Review: Star Wars Episode I, The Phantom Menace
Summary: 4 Stars

Though it is not the first Star Wars film in many peoples minds, it is in mine. Here's my review for Star Wars Episode I, The Phantom Menace.

The Phantom Menace does not try to be anything it isn't, the film is overshadowed by the creepy, elusive, and demonically tattooed Darth Maul, that will scare the crap out of kids who have come to see something along the lines of Harry Potter. The ending battle is not overblown, and it also ends up being fairly fun to watch.

Besides some weak acting the only prominent error in the film resides in one name.

Jar Jar Binks

This stupid and irritating characters next to destroys every scene he's in, with his crontroversial manner of doing things (which some seem to believe is a Jamaican steretype, which might very well be true), his stupid way of talking and his clownish appearance he succeeds in irritating the audience to death.

Besides this major flaw, this is a fun movie that I recommend, and a good start to a very good sci-fi epic.

Movie Review: What was the point of this, George?
Summary: 1 Stars

I remember when this film came out, I kept putting off seeing it. And putting it off, and off. Then it came out on video, and I finally rented it. I think I was putting it off because I instinctively knew it was going to be awful, and I was right. It is one of the dullest, most atrociously acted films I've ever seen. The acting was stody and boring, and considering the acting talent involved (Liam Neeson, Ewan McGregor, and Samuel L. Jackson), you'd think Lucas could have done something spectacular with them. Alas, no. Lucas has said numerous times that he detests directing (this was the first film he's directed in over 20 years since the original Star Wars film), and his contempt for directing shows. It feels like a sonambulistic exercise, intent on putting us to sleep, and it has an overall lackadasical feel that really irks the viewer. Many who saw this were extremely disappointed because they loved the originals so much (the original 3 are far superior than this tripe). They more than likely felt a sense of obligation and loyalty to see this film and the progressively worse prequels. They grew up with the original Star Wars films, and they went away disappointed and angry at the fact the prequels were inferior in every way to the originals...

Lucas's dialogue is wretched, his pacing is totally off, and he seems to be killing time here. There's no real enthusiasm here, in front of the camera or in back of it. Perhaps the actors picked up on the fact that Lucas didn't give a damn about his own film, so why should they? I sometimes think Lucas purposely made bad prequels so he wouldn't have to film the final 3 chapters. And why did he decide to make the prequels? If he made the 3 films that were supposed to take place after Return of the Jedi, he would have had no real creative restraints. Who knows why George Lucas does what he does? I haven't a clue, other than I really disliked this film.