Worth the wait.

Rating: 8/10 (23 May 1999)

First off, I have to say, it's been too long. I was 15 when the original "Star Wars" first came out, 21 when "Revenge of the Jedi" premiered, but now I'm 37 for "The Phantom Menace." The wait was too long...
But it was worth it. This movie is vintage Star Wars. It's got all the required elements: space battles, light saber duels, big monsters, tons o' aliens, beautiful women, and visits to three planets. There were also a number of old friends in the movie: R2-D2, C-3PO, Jabba the Hutt and, of course, a young Obi-Wan Kenobi. The Anakin Skywalker--C-3PO connection was interesting. One wishes it had been foreshadowed in the earlier trilogy.
Perhaps the biggest disappointment is the "Darth Maul" character. For all the publicity shots of Ray Park's devilish head, one had hoped for a character equal to that of Darth Vader. But Darth Maul rarely speaks, other than the occasional "Yes, Master." He's completely two-dimensional. (But, boy, can Ray Park move!)
Compared to the three earlier movies, I'd rank "The Phantom Menace" closest to the original. It's not quite as good as "The Empire Strikes Back," but it's much better than "Return of the Jedi."
Overall, I'd give "The Phantom Menace" four out of five stars.