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• Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
• Average Customer Rating: 3.5 / 5
• Amazon's Price: USD $19.98
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Customer Reviews

The Beginning...

Rating: 4/5

I like this movie.
Am I objective? Of course not! I was 8 yrs old in '77 when that first Star Destroyer lumbered overhead and changed my life. The rest is history.
I will say this though - as huge a fan as I was I didn't find myself particularly fascinated by the idea of the prequels at first. For me all the big questions had been answered by ROTJ. It was all pretty simple - Obi Wan enlisted young Tatooine farmer Anakin in a `Clone War' (whatever that was) to the dismay of Anakin's brother Owen. Anakin turned evil at some point (if a Jedi gets angry enough that's what happens y'know) so Obi had a big duel with him, disabling him to the point of needing a life-support suit. Obi took off and hid Anakin's kids and then waited in the desert for Luke to reach maturity. What's to know?
This all changed when I saw a trailer for Episode 1. The whole thing had been busted wide open. Anakin was this little kid who was apparently the pivotal factor in some enormous cosmic scheme. There were giant cities, bustling spaceports, shiny starships, exotic aliens, and Samuel Jackson in Jedi robes intoning "you refer to the prophecy of the one who will bring balance to the Force..." I almost teared up! Star Wars was back and suddenly I gave a damn!
Lucas cops flack for making things up as he goes along, but this is precisely what made the saga great. `Empire' threw the first movie into disarray. The simple `good guys/bad guys' formula copped a monkey wrench, Luke didn't get the girl, righteous Obi Wan turned out to be a liar, Luke's noble heritage turned out to be a sham and so on. `Jedi' did the same thing - flipping things on their head so that consequent viewings of the original Star Wars would be changed forever by the ongoing revelations ie Leia's true parentage, Obi's desire to see Anakin and Vader as separate entities (hence his `version' of the truth) and the reality that kindly old Sebastian Shaw was under that mask the whole time.
Episode 1 does the same thing in spades. Forget your preconceptions! At the end of the movie many questions are answered - who was Anakin Skywalker, why was he so important, why did Obi Wan take him on against Yoda's advice, why do Skywalkers have an inclination towards Force-sensitivity worth waiting 20 years for, why did Luke `have to' face Vader to be a Jedi (see `trials'), why was it so important to rescue Anakin in ROTJ (rather than let him just blow up with the Death Star), what exactly is this `civilized day' Obi Wan refers to in EP 4 etc etc. But it leaves just as many questions unanswered too - how does Owen Lars fit into all this, why does such a sweet little kid turn evil, what happens to all that great technology etc etc.
Episode 1 serves many purposes. It's supposed to be the first movie of six, yet serve as a fourth movie at the same time. It's meant to introduce ideas on a `first-time' basis, yet cater to an already familiar and expectant fanbase who demand an expansion on existing themes. I think it pulls all of this off really well.
Episode 1 has a completely different tone to the OT and I like it for that reason. Every Star Wars film has its own particular `feel' (something a tad diluted by the Special Editions in my opinion) and this Episode is certainly unique - playing on the idea of Obi Wan's `more civilized day' and acting as a self-contained introductory tale with tiny hints of what's to come.
Many folks complained that the movie was too childish and, in the same breath, complained about the politics. I had no issue with Jar Jar at all (I found him a fascinating parallel to young Anakin - `regular dude swept up in giant scheme' type thing) and the politics were necessary in establishing a grander scope than the more introspective OT. So I had a great time! Wary of child heroes I thought Jake was wonderful in the role and really don't understand the criticism levelled at him (I really think it's because fans wanted Anakin to be some wise-cracking Tatooine farmer guy!)
My only criticisms are two - I think the pace is a little sluggish at times (slightly lacking that typical `roller-coaster' vibe of the other 5 episodes) and I also wish George had kept the original title "The Beginning" rather than `Phantom Menace'. I know this goes against the hokey `matinee serials' formula but in this instance I think people would've been much more forgiving of the film as an establishing set piece. (BTW I hate the title `A New Hope' as well!).
With this film (and its following episodes) George Lucas managed to take an already established backstory and give it a real depth and twist. I think people are so busy wishing it were 1977 again that they fail to give the man due credit for his meticulous and imaginative expansion of the Star Wars manifesto. So here's my best shot. Enjoy!

George's time off shows in this one

Rating: 3/5

George Lucas was rusty for the first installment of the Star Wars prequel trilogy. From 1984 to 1998, there were no Star Wars movies. Was it because George was waiting for technology to catch up, so he could make the type of movie that he envisioned in the early 70's? Whatever the case, Episode I has many frustrating moments, and some cool and relevant sequences that tell the story well. First, the bad: Starting with the script.....this movie isn't one that the average person is going to memorize, because it isn't simplistic like episodes 4, 5, and 6. Did George deliberately make the script a sophisticated one, to go with the high tech environment? With so much sophistication in the environment, as well as all of the high-tech gadgets, etc., could one really say, "Can someone get this big walking carpet out of my way?" Sure, life was simpler and more tangible a few decades ago, and movies were a reflection of it. The problem with The Phantom Menace is that there's too much emphasis on certain scenes, such as the pod races, and droid battles. A large chunk of the movie is spent highlighting Anakin's talents, but nothing in the form of depicting any hint of forthcoming evil that would contribute to his downfall in the next two films. I found myself getting bored during the pod race sequence, because too much time was spent on the special effects. I believe in telling a part of a story in a much shorter format, and not dwell on it, such as the Jabba the Hutt sequence in Return of the Jedi. Phantom Menace doesn't move along as efficiently as episodes 4-6, and boredom is the result. Boredom also stems from not initially following the sophisticated (and somewhat complicated) script. Like I mentioned, it isn't as tangible as one would want when it comes to the Star Wars franchise, which I think is a reflection of the times, as well as George's vision. It's very interesting that this movie (despite its complexities) is more or less a kid's movie. Now, the good: I certainly like the much higher level of skill that the jedi knights and sith lords display in lightsaber duels. Darth Maul is spectacular, and it is the duel with Qui-Gon that actually saves this movie from plunging into the abyss. I can't help but laugh when seeing the lightsaber duel between Obi-Wan and Darth Vader in Episode 4--It was absolutely PATHETIC in terms of skill level. I know that Darth and Obi-Wan are older then, but their skill level is very inferior to what we see in 1,2,3,5, and 6. But George gets away with these things, and the loyal fans don't mind. I like the fact that he built the jedis and siths into skilled warriors, but it represents one of several things that don't transition well in subsequent films. Again, we give George a free pass. It's too bad that Yoda is a puppet in this one, and looks so different from the Yoda in the rest of the movies. This movie lacks attitude, for the most part, but it's understandable in a way, because it features a child, and the story has to be built around that. The musical score is fantastic as usual, as John Williams turns out another masterpiece that's a lot different from the the first 3 movies. I particularly like the music during the lightsaber battles. The Phantom Menace is a movie that I've come to appreciate a little more in the past few years, after the next two movies were completed. I expect its popularity to grow a little in the coming years. 5.75/10

Really not the worst

Rating: 3/5

Star Wars Episode 1. The biggest box office smash since the 1989 Batman. Widely considered to be the biggest disappointment in the history of cinema. In 1999, George Lucas finally released the first of a prequel trilogy, which had been in development for sixteen years, since the release of Return of the Jedi in 1983. Lucas had sixteen years to write this thing. And this was the best he could do? I still don't hate this movie, but couldn't it have been a lot better? But as I said, I don't think this is anywhere near as bad as the second and third episode.

The movie starts off with the following information. The Galactic Republic is in a period of decline, with its economy corrupt and deteriorating. In response to a taxation on trade routes, the Trade Federation organizes a blockade of battleships around the peaceful planet of Naboo. No one gets in, and no one gets out. Hoping to resolve the matter, the Supreme Chancellor has sent two Jedi, Qui-Gon Jinn and his Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi, to negotiate with Trade Federation Viceroy Nute Gunray. So, what is the Trade Federation doing? They're unhappy with some taxes, so now they decided to become terrorists? It is revealed later that they're working with Darth Sidious, a Sith Lord, whatever that is. But still, they decide to become full-blown terrorists just because they're frustrated with some taxes? And if they're terrorists, why didn't the Chancellor send an army to take out the battleships? And why is a Jedi-in-training suddenly called a Padawan? In the old movies, Yoda never called Luke that, and neither did Obi-Wan. Anyway, Darth Sidious orders the Viceroy to kill the Jedi. Even though he has to know how hard it is to kill Jedi. Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon escape, and discover that the Federation is planning to invade Naboo. They head down to the planet to warn the people. It is there that they meet Jar Jar Binks, the most despised character in the franchise. The thing is, he didn't really bother me that much. He's supposed to be the comic relief, which he actually is, occasionally. I understand the point of view of people who hate him, but I didn't really feel that way about him. I didn't love him, but I didn't hate him.

So then the Jedi go to the Naboo capital city and find that the invasion has already taken place. The planet has been taken over. The Trade Federation wants the Queen to sign a treaty so their invasion will be made legal. The Jedi rescue the Queen (why is there a Queen in a Democratic system of government?) and escape the planet. They want to head for Coruscant, but they are too low on fuel. They have to stop at the nearby planet of Tatooine, a planet that is not a part of the Federation. They meet a young Anakin Skywalker here. Here's another thing I have a problem with. At the end of Return of the Jedi, when Darth Vader is unmasked, he looks to be about at least sixty years old. And since they decided to set this movie tirty years before "A New Hope", he would be at least in his late twenties at this point. Anakin is a young nine-year-old slave kid. When Qui-Gon hears that, he isn't shocked that there is still slavery in the Galaaxy. He doesn't call Coruscant and have them send over a huge relief effort to free the slaves. See, Jedi only help when there are trade or border disputes. Not with stuff that actually matters, like this. Qui-Gon can't get the parts for the ship that they need. He doesn't have the correct money he needs on this world, so they are stuck for the time being. Anakin then offers a solution. He does Podracing, a sport than humans are not usually able to do. He can enter the race, win, and give them the winnings. They make a convoluted deal with Anakin's owner, Watto. Qui-Gon has deduced that Anakin has Jedi reflexes. He also makes a side bet with Watto. If Anakin wins, the race, he is free.

Now, I have to say, even though this race was just a CGI version of the chariot race from Ben-Hur, I thought it was very good. I don't know why so may people hate it so much. After the race, Anakin is free. They now have money for the parts they need. Anakin has to leave his mother, and tells her that he will come back and free her one day. As Anakin and Qui-Gon are about to leave, they are attacked by Darth Maul, who is a Sith, whatever that is. After a short fight, they manage to escape unharmed. Qui-Gon deduces that the Sith have returned. When he returns to Coruscant, he reports this to the Jedi Coucil. He also tells them about Anakin, and how he has a lot of iron in his blood, or something like that. He thinks that Anakin is the chosen one, the one who was prophesied to bring balance to the force. The same prophecy which , in the old movies, was never mentioned by Obi-Wan, Darth Vader, Yoda, or the Emperor. Qui-Gon requests that the council agree to Anakin's training, but they refuse, claiming that he is too old. Even though Luke Skywalker is later trained at about age twenty. Meanwhile, the Queen cannot get the senate to act quickly enough. Acting on advice from Palpatine, the Naboo senator, Amidala calls out the Chancellor as a weak leader who needs to be replaced. In the meantime, she decides to go back to Naboo to try to help her people herself. The Jedi council sends Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan with her to assist her and to try to meet Darth Maul again. Instead, of, say, sending a few hundred Jedi Kights to assist the Queen.

The last half hour was the highlight for me. They weren't really up to coherent storytelling in this movie, but they could at least do decent action scenes. Padme, a handmaiden who befriended Anakin but is really the Queen in disguise, but who cares since she wasn't really developed a whole lot, devises an elaborate plan to capture the Viceroy. When did she become such a great military strategist? I thought Naboo was a peaceful planet. Anyway, the ending battle was visually stunning. It would have been a lot better if there had been an interesting story leading up to it. Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon battle Darth Maul. Qui-Gon is killed, but Obi-Wan is able to defeat Maul. Before dying, Qui-Gon makes Obi-Wan promise that he will train Anakin. This completely disarms what Obi-Wan told Luke in the old movies. In Return of the Jedi, Obi-Wan told Luke that he wanted to train Anakin because he saw a potentially great Jedi Knight. Not because Anakin was some chosen one or something. And not because his old master asked him to do it. Making this Obi-Wan's primary motivation for training Anakin makes his relationship with Anakin less meaningful, and doesn't establish the father/son-like relationship that they were supposed to have. What they should have done is have Obi-Wan be the one arguing with the council that Anakin should be trained. So Naboo is liberated, Obi-Wan becomes Anakin's master, Palpatine becomes Chancellor, and the movie ends.

This is no where near the worst thing to carry the name Star Wars. It's certainly not the best, but it did have a few things going for it that puts it above the other two in this trilogy. First of all, Qui-Gon is awesome. Liam Neeson plays the fatherly mentor very well, and it was a shame that he could only be in one movie. He could have possibly played Obi-Wan, even though Ewan Mcgreggor did a phenomenal job in that role. Ewan wasn't too great in this movie, though. He just seemed kind of wooden. But maybe he was just playing the role he was given. Another positive thing about this movie was the utter lack of Hayden Christensen. Granted, Jake Lloyd wasn't a good actor either, but I have more sympathy for him. He's just a kid, wheras Christensen is a grown man. And Lloyd didn't whine nearly as much as Christensen. Another thing I liked about the movie was Darth Maul. Some people complain that he wasn't developed enough. The thing is, that's what made him so interesting. He's scary and mysterious. Unfortunately, we never really learn what a Sith is. I guess it's just a Jedi who turned to the dark side, but why didn't they call them that in the old trilogy? For this prequel trilogy, they made up a bunch of names for thing that had different names in the old trilogy. The Phantom Menace suffers from a lack of coherent plotlines, and the fact that it disarms what was supposed to happen based on the classic series. However, there is some great CGI work done here. I like to pretend that this prequel trilogy never was made, but this is the one movie from that trilogy that I can actually stand.

Fun Action Sci-Fi, But Lousy Star Wars

Rating: 3/5

So my girlfriend had me watch this movie for the first time since I saw it in the theatre, and I realize, it's actually not a bad sci-fi adventure flick. It has an interesting premise, fun chase and combat scenes, and some interesting if underdeveloped characters. The problem, I now see, is not that it's a poor film. It's just a poor Star Wars film.

The success of Star Wars Episode IV was in no small part its harkening back to the classic Flash Gordon serials of the 1940's and 50's. This movie only harkens back to Star Wars. It starts with no Act One and drops us into an ill-defined conflict, depending on our familiarity with the original trilogy to stay abreast of events. It's confusing.

More than that, it's unnecessary. The point of this movie is to introduce Obi-Wan Kenobi to Anakin Skywalker. The kid is the biggest drag on the film, always squealing and giggling like a punch-drunk teenybopper. Everybody wants more of Darth Maul chasing the Jedi up and down the galaxy; that stuff is fun. The kid just gets in the way.

And the characters can be called mixed. Though Qui-Gon Jinn is interesting, Jar-Jar Binks is inarguably one of the biggest miscalculations in movie history. The other Jedi hang around dragging their heels. And Samuel L. Jackson as Mace Windu, potentially the most interesting new character, is wasted sitting in a beanbag chair, nodding like Solomon.

If Lucas had started the prequel trilogy with Episode II, nothing important would be lost. Of course, we'd miss the slick fight scenes where the Jedi and Darth Maul kicked each other up and down the galaxy, and that stuff is okay. But we don't need it. This is a fun sci-fi action movie. But as a Star Wars film it's a wash.

Star wars, episode 1

Rating: 5/5

I am a huge fan of star wars. My top movies are the movies one through six. Mr. Lucas could have not done better in making all these great movies, such as "Indiana Jones" and "American Graffiti" and most importantly "Star Wars" Right now, I am kind of upset about Lucas leaving his movies with Dave Filloni. I personally think Filloni is ruining everything Lucas set out to do.

But enough about that. MOVIE TIME!!! Although this movie is far from the six (A new hope my favoite and The fantom mennace is 3rd) but still even though it seems it belongs with two and three, I like to think of it as a median bettween the first three and the last two. In graphics for example; they are far beyond four five and six. But inferrior to two and three. Also how they made the movie is a similar situation.

The plot is hard to follow, which is a good thing, if you did not see the last two this one sets up Darth Vaders past but it sets you wondering and craving for the next movie. In fact in my oppinon it is the hardest untill two came around. I was four years old when this magnificent movie came out, but I did not understand the whole plot once I was twelve. But don't worry, if you think about it after the movie is over, there is allot more going on than it appears.

The trade Federation is blockaded by the greedy nemodians and the Suppreme chanselor of the glactic republic sends two Jedi's (obi-wan kenobi and Qui-Gon Jinn) to investigate the matter and hopefully come to a diplomatic end. That is as far as I go. But there is much more to come. Lucas did a phenominal job.

As for the disc itself, it comes with a bonus disc with at least three hours of bonus material. Both discs came in without a scratch. There is an easter egg as well. When you hit "play movie" the twentieth century fox logo comes right away. There, hit the skip button (not fast forward) twice in a row. Then it has blopers of the movie. This trick works as well for the other two newer movies.

May the force be with you.