A fulfilling movie, as well as great eye candy.

Rating: 9/10 (24 May 1999)

Okay, let's get one thing out of the way quickly. Jar Jar Binks is a very annoying character. He is obnoxious, he interrupts the story flow and he's virtually unintelligible. However, he's the only comic relief in the entire film. Without him, this would have been a depressing movie, so I appreciate his appearance for the light-heartedness it brought to THE PHANTOM MENACE.
TPM has a very deep, very complex plot; and it moves like a rabid hare. Blink, or worse, forget to listen, and you'll have missed something important. Following the plot also requires that you know a great deal of the back story from the previous trilogy. In other words, you need to already have some idea of what this film is about before you see it; otherwise, you will be totally lost. I was fortunate to have a Sunday matinee audience. We were all silent, enthralled by the spectacle unfolding before us.
A great spectacle, indeed. Much has been made of the grand special effects in this film. They are spectacular, and I admit I was expecting them to overshadow the human actors. I am happy to say that I was quite disappointed in that regard. Liam Neeson (Qui-Gon Jinn), in particular, is a forceful presence--a hyperdrive generator of energy just waiting to explode. In fact, during the climactic sequence, there is a perfect metaphor for his acting. He is at rest, biding his time in a meditative position while those around him stalk and leer, until opportunity presents itself and he leaps into action.
He stalks through TPM. His outward countenance is cool. He shows calm, but you can sense his desperation, his drive to save the dying Republic. He knows the Republic is growing complacent, even the Jedi Council has become lazy, unaware of what is happening right in front of them. Neeson conveys all this to us, while hardly changing expression. It is, perhaps, the single best acting performance in any of the SW films.
The remaining cast is serviceable. Ewan McGregor is wasted as Obi-Wan Kenobi. Obi-Wan, despite the prominence of his visage in the publicity, is little more than a sidekick with little chance to do more than say, "Yes, Master" to Qui-Gon. Jake Lloyd (Anakin Skywalker) accurately plays a young child with a head full of dreams, but a few scenes requiring some emotional depth are beyond his abilities. Natalie Portman (Queen Amidala) is mechanical and monotonal when trying to portray regality; however, when she lets her hairpiece down, she is a convincing teen troubled by the weight of her responsibilities. She is also utterly charming, and a believable object of Anakin's nascent infatuation.
Having read the reviews and seen much of the publicity, I was expecting to be blown away by the pod race. I wasn't. True, it was a thrilling virtual ride, but it is not the sequence that sent chills running down my spine. That happened very early in the film, during the first sequence, when Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan cut their way through a horde of soldier droids. Here, at last, are real Jedi. This is not the half-trained Luke Skywalker, nor the half-machine Darth Vader. These two, and Darth Maul later in the film, move gracefully through a balletic dance of destruction.
Interspersing wicked swordplay with superhuman leaps, they show why the very word "Jedi" once struck fear into the hearts of strong men. This sequence also defines the film. Like the Jedi cutting their way through their enemies, this film cuts through the fluff. There is a load of information here, almost an overload. The title, The Phantom Menace, is apropos in at least two ways, and it is key to remember that while trying to determine what is happening.
I have a problem with only two minor points. One is Lucas' continued use of transitional wipes. While there is a sense of familiarity and continuity from the previous films, they are also very jarring. I never failed to actually notice them. Of course, it may be that they are the best way to transitioning between such a variety of scenes.
The other flaw is Lucas' explanation for Anakin's birth. I believe Lucas has started to believe too much of his own press and thinks he really is creating a modern religious myth. He tries too hard to draw on various religious icons, including the manner of Anakin's birth. Then, Lucas backtracks and attempts some scientific mumbo-jumbo to explain everything. It's jarring and out of place. Credit Neeson for getting through the scene with a straight face.
Overall, I found TPM to be a fulfilling movie, but I know that less-than-dedicated SW fans will find it confusing and too quickly paced. There is a great deal to mull over for the next several years while we wait for Chapter II.
Cavebear's Ranking for The Phantom Menace:
Quality - 5: Superb film, FX, directing and acting overshadow a few minor flaws.
Appeal - 4: Will buzz right over the head of non SW fans, but will still draw crowds for the eye candy alone.
Final Ranking (Q + A) - 9