A Disappointing Prequel That Can't Deliver the Thrills of the Original Trilogy

Rating: 4/10 (22 October 2019)

One of the main reasons that The Phantom Menace feels so disappointing is the fact that it had so much potential to be great. The movie tries to do something different and not merely be a rehash of the original. While it is still a space adventure, it is set in a different era, with an all-new set of characters, except for one or two familiar faces.
The film attempts to introduce the audience to several visually stunning new worlds, like Naboo, Coruscant and the Gungan Underwater City. While these new worlds are fresh and original, the overuse of CGI to bring these environments to life makes it very hard to buy into the believability of them as real places.
Not only are the worlds difficult to believe in, but some characters also, most notably Jar Jar Binks. He is an extremely irritating individual, which is an issue given his large amount of screen time. Having a fully CGI character in 1999 was a poor decision that hasn't aged well at all. It is impossible to invest in the character in the same way you can with a practical character like Chewbacca, from the original trilogy. Jar Jar is only one of many CGI characters who take you out of the movie every time they appear on the screen. Even Yoda from the original trilogy is a digital creation in the film, replacing the practical puppet from the previous instalments.
The film, in general, has dated CGI from start to finish, with the final battle involving the Gungan army looking like scenes from an early 2000's video game. While poor special effects usually are something I can overlook, they were so prominent throughout the entire movie that it was a constant distraction
The acting in the film was pretty average, with several wooden performances. Liam Neeson as Qui Gon Jin was the most likeable character in the movie although this is faint praise as the rest of the cast were very forgettable. Ewan McGregor was poor as Obi-Wan Kenobi. He seemed to be doing an Alec Guinness impersonation throughout the movie, instead of making the character his own.
What makes the movie worth watching, however, is a couple of outstanding action sequences. The pod race sequence has aged much better than most sections of the film. It is still thrilling to this day and features some genuinely incredible sound design. The final lightsaber battle between Darth Maul, Qui Gon Jin and Obi-Wan is fantastic, and it may be the best lightsabre fight in the series. John Williams theme "Duel of the Fates" which plays throughout the sequence is epic and is some of his best work. This movie also features Darth Maul, who instantly became an iconic Star Wars villain, and is the most memorable character in the film. Unfortunately, he doesn't get much to do besides looking cool with his amazing double-sided lightsabre.