A worthy addition

Rating: 8/10 (21 May 1999)

Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace was released in the theaters on May 19, 1999. I saw it in the theaters 12:01 AM on May 19. And since I lived on the east coast, I was among the first ones EVER to see this movie in the theaters.
This movie is great.
Someone once said, "You don't watch Star Wars movies, you experience it." This was an experience. The visual mastery of the first three movies, the raw human emotions flowing through the futuristic machine world, and wonderful characters with subtle complexities; they are all faithfully represented in this latest edition, or addition to the legendary obsession.
Qui-Gon Jinn, a Jedi master played by Liam Neeson, is fantastic, projecting an image of imposing aura filled with a hint of rebellious wisdom. He's one of the central characters in this movie and a fantastic addition to the Star Wars crew.
Anakin Skywalker, the other central character played by a 10 year-old actor Jake Lloyd, was so lovable and plucky that I almost forget about Anakin's future. He also showed the ambition and genius that foreshadowed his impending fate as the Dark Lord of the Sith.
The real star of the story, of course, was the visual experience, ranging from mystical underwater world, gigantic sea monsters, a palace eloquently crafted out of Italian marble, an epic battle made entire out of computer graphics, a battle involving swarming spacecrafts, and of course, a light-saber duel. They were shot with the George Lucas's wonderful vision and direction, resulting in the best looking film EVER.
Like I said, this movie is great.