This should never be seen as a bad movie...

Rating: 7/10 (30 June 2013)

'The Phantom Menace' should never be seen as a bad movie. Because it really isn't. There's a lot of merit in it, and it's a great addition to the Star Wars franchise. Well then, why do so many people hate it? I suppose there are a lot of reasons. The die-hard Star Wars fans, ie. most adults who grew up with it, hate it because it's messing with their childhood, ruining the film franchise that they grew up with. I didn't grow up with the original Star Wars trilogy, therefore was viewing this film with a completely open mind when I saw it recently. Is it a terrible film? No.
Let's start with the visuals, because they are really where this film is strongest. It's all pretty stunning, with incredible cityscapes and backdrops to the story. The spaceships are really beautiful and many of the CGI characters look pretty convincing for a film made in 1999. When looking upon the stands at the race, it's hard to believe that there are hundreds of animated characters, as it all looks very real. The race scene itself is one of the best parts of the film. It's exciting and fun, and it's one of the few moments in the whole trilogy when you're rooting for Anakin to win, as he becomes far too annoying for you to care in later instalments.
The overarching plot itself is a bit rubbish, and the whole "trade problems" thing completely passed me by. To me, the plot of the movie is that Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan go to a planet, find a kid with special force powers like them, take him with them, fight off Darth Maul at the end. There were some parts of the plot that I really did enjoy. I love the fact that Chancellor Palpatine is so obviously evil, even if you haven't seen the originals, but nobody seems to notice it. Also, the whole "Padmé is the Queen" twist, despite being really obvious, is quite fun. There were moments early on when I couldn't entirely figure out whether they had switched, but eventually I was certain, and it's a great moment when everyone finally realises.
Now onto the things that I disliked about the film. Firstly, it's a bit dull in places, and you just want them to get on with it and have some cool action. Secondly, and most importantly, is Jar Jar Binks. I've said it before, but he has to be the most irritating character in movie history. I mean, just how much time could they all have saved if Jar Jar wasn't tagging along with them. I'm sure George Lucas must have thought he was endearing or something, but moments like the electrocuted tongue are more annoying than entertaining. While good on a visual side, the battle with the Gungans and droids at the end is also a bit tedious, and runs along for much more time than it should.