A Mess, But A Spectacular One

Rating: 6/10 (1 June 2017)

Next to the special editions, the Star Wars prequels are perhaps the most hated part of the saga. In a way, it makes sense as to why. Each of the three films, released between 1999 and 2005, are filled with their share of issues, ranging from corny dialogue, stilted acting, over-reliance on CGI, and inconsistencies and plot holes when compared to the original trilogy. Many people hate the Star Wars prequels, but I must say that I am not one of them. In fact, I enjoy the prequels for what they are, and even though they aren't perfect, they still work in the overall story of the series as a whole.
Having said that, it's no secret that The Phantom Menace, the first Star Wars film in the prequel trilogy and the start of the story chronologically, is a mess of a movie. From a story standpoint, it tries very hard to incorporate so much, jumping from one planet to another, having so many different characters and plot threads all going on at once. Granted, I understand why: this film not only has to be the start to a trilogy, but also the series as a whole. However, it's clear that after not directing or writing a film since the 1970s, George Lucas struggled to get the story together in a consistent and fluent way.
This does not mean, however, that The Phantom Menace is without its positive moments. The visual effects still look pretty incredible almost twenty years later. The action sequences are exciting and the lightsaber battles, particularly the final three-way battle between Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon, and Darth Maul, are well choreographed. They definitely make the movie watchable throughout the 130 minute runtime. However, the weak script is really what bogs this story down. The dialogue is atrocious in this movie, and there are so many lines that are achingly bad. Even the acting can be pretty stilted at time, delivered as if they are reading their lines from a cue card.
That said, there are some decent performances in the film as well. Liam Neeson gives a spectacular performance as Qui-Gon Jinn, Obi- Wan's master. He was able to keep my attention anytime he was on screen, and was able to get through most of the film's dialogue without any problems. Ewan McGregor also shines as young Obi-Wan. Though he has a line or two that is pretty corny, he does a fine job in the role and continues to get better as the movies go along. Ian McDairmid reprises his role as Palpatine, a senator in this movie, and works very well in his brief but important role in the story.
Sadly, many of the other performances and/or characters aren't as good. I know it has been said many times, but Jar Jar Binks is an annoying character. When I first saw this movie, I didn't mind him as much, but in recent years I've come to understand why there is so much hate towards him. He's a bumbling idiot that almost adds nothing to the story except in the final battle. And as much I hate to put Jake Lloyd down as he was only a kid when the film came out, he wasn't that great as little Anakin Skywalker.
I know it sounds like I'm bagging on this movie for its flaws, but that is only because they truly hinder what could be a great film. The concept behind the prequels and their overall story is not bad; in fact, this movie does what it was setting out to do: create a beginning for the series that would set up not only what happens in the rest of the trilogy but in the entire saga as a whole. It just didn't do it as well as it could have. That being said, the reason why I don't give it any lower than a 6/10 is because I can still watch this movie, flaws and all, and still get enjoyment out of it. I still love the visual effects. I still love the action sequences. I still think that it has a lot of great moments sprinkled throughout the film. That is why I don't think that this is a bad film, but rather a film that is both spectacular and messy all at the same time.