All that was expected. Nothing more. Whih is good, not great.

Rating: 7/10 (23 March 2000)

Was there any one who wasn't a kid in the 70's who did NOT see any of the original "Star Wars"? When Episode I came, it stirred oh-so-many memories in my mind. But...
I want to make something clear. This is NOT a bad movie, as many of my so-called friends sometimes call it. Au contraire, this movie ROCKS. It follows the story of a young Obi-Wan Kenobi and his mentor, Qui-gon Jinn, to free the planet Naboo from the greedy Trade Federation's blockade, unknowing that a much darker purpose and power is under the blockade. In escaping the planet with the exiled and blumbering gunga Jar Jar Binks, they land in the planet Tatooine, where Qui-gon finds the young Anakin Skywalker, a young boy who shows signs of great Jedi abilities. (Yes, I know this sounds alot like the plot summary published on the page, but hey, I'm not in the creative mood today).
The effects are simply breath-taking, and there are scenes and even major characters that are only CGI (by the way, I am one of the three or five persons who actually find Jar Jar Binks funny). And the main villain, Darth Maul, rapidly took Boba Fett's place in my list of coolest Star Wars character, even though (SPOILER ALERT, SPOILER ALERT) he has the lamest death scene in film history. And here comes the big "but". In "Episode I", the greatest attractive is the origin of the story and the cool effects (which are sure to give "The Matrix" a run for the money at the Academy Awards). In all the other Star Wars, the mythology, story, characters AND special effects are the attractives. There isn't enough character depth or much of a plot line in "Phantom". The movie gives what was promised, but that was it. No surprises. I think the "Newsweek" critic said it best when he said "the movie was everything I expected and nothing I hoped for". I wouldn't go that far, but it's close enough.
Oh, well. Let's see what happens in "Episode II".