A letdown, even with diminished expectations.

Rating: 2/10 (27 April 2000)

There's a very simple reason why the acting was "bad" in Phantom Menace. It's not because the actors involved are poor or without talent -- just look at the people involved. Liam Neeson. Ewan McGregor. Natalie Portman.
All three of them are extremely talented individuals, who have a tendency to put everything they've got into a movie. No, the true blame for how bad this movie is lies with one person: George Lucas.
You can see it in his other movies -- everything which he's directed, the acting is poor. This is because the man has no directing talent. His ideas are solid and imaginative, but his execution of them is lousy.
I only hope that the second and third episodes return to the quality of the first two movies... and yes, I'm excluding RotJ for a reason. It simply wasn't as good. Maybe if we're lucky, someone else will direct. Doubtful, with Lucas's overinflated ego, but possible.
My rating: 2/10. And that only for the impressive duels, generally impressive costuming, and raw potential (however unused) in the movie.
And remember, genocide of Gungans is not a bad thing.