Those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it...

Rating: 6/10 (19 May 1999)

It is clear to me now, after viewing The Phantom Menace, that George Lucas has completely and utterly lost touch with the magic that made A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back so special. I did not like Return of the Jedi, because it was oriented too much toward slapstick and general cuteness, and hoped that George Lucas would have gotten it out of his system by now. Not so. The Phantom Menace is a shallow, special effects extravaganza without an ounce of spirit. There is so little dramatic impact in this film that I could barely muster enough interest in what was going on to even care. Not that it mattered, really, because you could sleep through a quarter of this film without missing anything important. There are way, way ,way too many scenes that exist simply to showcase alien creatures doing silly things. Return of the Jedi was criticized for lacking substance and being cartoonish for over a decade, yet Lucas didn't seem to pay attention. He should have. By the time the big duel takes place between Darth Maul and the two Jedi Knights, I had to really force myself to be emotionally involved. Though the fight is quite impressive, maybe even dazzling, the characters weren't developed enough for me to care. I am vehement in my disappointment, and will gladly share it with anyone who is going to see this empty spectacle. I hope this movie fails, though I know it won't, so George Lucas might finally get the point.