The Tradition of Star Wars Continues in Magnificent Style

Rating: 10/10 (17 July 1999)

Star Wars: Episode 1- The Phantom Menace is one of the most thrilling, exhilarating cinematic experiences I've had the pleasure to take part in. Like its legendary Star Wars predecessors, The Phantom Menace is fantastic, well crafted entertainment that appeals to audience members of all ages. It's creativity and imagination outshine anything done in the films of recent years. There is much to like about the film, the superior art direction, elaborate costumes, the complex sets, the superior visual effects, the rousing musical score, and so on. The complex, multi-layered plot is both interesting and thought provoking, telling a series of stories tied together well with the central plot.
How does TPM fare in comparison to the original Star Wars trilogy? Very well, I think. Episode 1 is an introductory episode. It's function is to introduce the characters and settings, and to set the stage for what is to follow, much like the first chapter of the book. Therefore, by its very nature, TPM is simplistic and incredibly fun. You could also compare it to Act 1 of a play. As the future chapters in the prequel trilogy progress, they will get more in-depth and serious. This is the same three-part storytelling arc we see in the original trilogy. My personal favorite of the Star Wars film remains to be The Empire Strikes Back, but Phantom is a close second. TPM exceeds the original films in a number of areas, yet the similar flaws of those films are also apparent in Phantom. There's room for improvement in the dialogue department, and the editing as well. But such things never bothered me with the original films, neither do they with this one.
In a day in which Hollywood is filled with downright repulsive and destructive material, and personal moral values are at an all-time low, we can continue to look to Star Wars to provide us with superior entertainment, and remind us of the values and truths we live by. The Phantom Menace is a grand testament to the wonder of the human imagination, and it carries on the age-old art of storytelling in magnificent fashion.