Well... (a few spoilers, but nothing HUGE)

Rating: Null/10 (26 July 2002)

In the vacation time between "Return of the Jedi" and "Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace," George Lucas managed to come up with two very novel ideas: A pod race and a double-edged light saber. The pod race and the light saber battle are pure magic. But Lucas seems almost indifferent to the rest of the film. Because of this, the film is only sporadically exhilarating. You'll probably like some parts and dislike others, depending upon your own cinematic tastes and preferences.
A few tidbits:
1. The first half-hour of the film is poorly plotted and really quite a mess.
2. It kicks into gear once the team reaches Tattooine.
3. Jar-Jar isn't THAT bad. I mean, he's not Bogart, but it's mostly the flat writing and poor plotting that harms the film, not Jar-Jar.

4. That said, the breezy, whimsical nature of the film makes for an at-times-enjoyable ride.
Most people trash this film, and the minority praises it. As always, the truth lies somewhere in between. "Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace" is, at times, both vastly overrated and underrated. It doesn't hold a candle to any of the first three (or last three, depending upon...oh never mind), but it isn't nearly as bad as its recently-released follow up (which I've also reviewed at IMDB). It does have life, it does have energy, and it even has a vaguely-"Star Wars" feel to it - all of which Episode II dearly lacks. I'd give this one a borderline B-/C+.