Not As Good As The Classic Trilogy But An Entertaining Prologue To The Skywalker Saga.

Rating: Null/10 (19 April 2002)

Two Jedi Knights are sent to bring a peaceful resolution to a galactic trade dispute but it is the beginning of an epic conflict which will bring together a Jedi master & a young slave boy with unusual talents named Anakin Skywalker.
This film is of course the much anticipated & much maligned first chapter in the Star Wars Saga. After a 16 year wait could anything live up to the hype & anticipation of millions of fans? No. If this film had been released only a couple of years after Return Of The Jedi then maybe it would not have got as much of a negative reaction from hardcore fans. Yes the pace seems wrong for the first 20 minutes or so but after that it settles down considerably. Then again all the films in the Saga have had opening action scenes before plot & characterization has been developed so it is in keeping with the Star Wars style.
This film is an entertaining first chapter & the acting is consistent from most if not all involved despite George Lucas' trademark flat dialogue. Who better than Liam Neeson to play the maverick Jedi Knight Qui Gon-Jin? Even Ewan McGregor who can sometimes be found wanting when having to forgo his native accent is good, bringing a youthful vigor to the apprentice Kenobi.
As mentioned The Phantom Menace has some pretty wooden dialogue & some acting to match but this is familiar to any Star Wars afficionado. What is good about this film is that it is a seemingly small event which is the catalyst for the galactic tyranny to come. This film is concerned with unseen manipulation of events & as such the title is perfect, with prior knowledge of what is to come it is enjoyable for the audience, helped by Ian McDairmid who is superb as Senator Palpatine who may not be all that he seems.
Now we come to Jar Jar Binks, a marvel of CGI technology or an embarrassing comedy character? Not quite as annoying as many claim it is the frequency of his appearances rather than his comic nature that is the problem but he doesn't ruin the film. After all the Star Wars movies are kids films, entertaining to a wider audience but aimed at a young market & there is nothing wrong with that.
The Star Wars movies are born out of a love of the old Saturday morning serials such as Flash Gordon & Buck Rogers & The Phantom Menace seems to have the most in common with these entertaining tales of yesteryear. But here are special effects which no one could have dreamt of in the thirties. From breathtaking cities to fully realized alien characters the full pallette of CGI has been used well here as a tool to tell a tale in a way unimaginable even a decade or so before it was made. There are many brilliant set pieces in this film such as the Pod Race but the stand-out has to be the final lightsaber battle which will be remembered as one of the best action-scenes in any Star Wars film to date. This is what fans have wanted to see ever since the prequels were first hinted at. Full on Jedi knights in their prime. Lucas doesn't fail the audience here, although the climactic space battle is not on a par with that in Return Of The Jedi. However, another gem from George is the excellent foreshadowing of future events with many craft, costumes & characters bearing similar designs to their more familiar counterparts in the classic trilogy.

Overall The Phantom Menace is a great if slightly flawed summer blockbuster & whilst it doesn't quite capture the magic of the trilogy fans know & love it is Star Wars & sets in motion the events which will change one mans destiny & the fate of a galaxy!