Disappointing; too much computer generated imagery

Rating: 6/10 (21 May 1999)

When Star Wars first came out 22 years ago, it was visually stunning in that it was unlike anything we had seen in the theaters before, with the possible exception of parts of 2001. The story was fun, the characters were fun, but what brought me back was the "experience" of watching and hearing it.
Phantom Menace just doesn't measure up. The story is okay, but slow moving. The characters are uninspiring, and with the notable exception of Natalie Portman (Beautiful Girls), really without passion.
What bothered me the most, though, was that waaaaay too much of the movie is computer generated. Maybe I'm an old poop, but optical special effects with models just look better (more "real"). Don't get me wrong, backdrops, tiny characters, a fleet of spaceships all are suitable for CG rendering. But too much of this movie must have been Neeson and MacGregor standing in front of a blue screen. Visually sterile. Richly detailed to be sure, but sterile.
Final comment: a movie I have no desire to see a second time -- there's just not enough to appreciate a second viewing.