Luke and Leia they are not......

Rating: 10/10 (21 May 1999)

....but Anakin and Amidala are extremely fun to watch. Their relationship thus far has been limited to the fact that Anakin is only in his pre-teens, but it will grow and become an integral part of the next two prequels. George Lucas needs to be commended in bringing this BEAUTIFUL world of his to life in a manner that no one has ever seen before. Do yourself a favor and check out the wonderful vistas that are presented here. Under water cities and vast desert scapes are all alive with an array of different species that have become a trademark of the Star Wars Saga. Liam and Ewan are great Jedi knights that are believable and absolutely fun to watch. The Jedi reign is in full force here. Oh, let's not forget the music!! John William's score from beginning to end adds so much more to the action, that we are pulled into this universe which makes this movie so much more. Bravo. And Darth Maul.....what a EVIL villain. His mere presence would make anyone want to run and find the nearest Jedi, so he could kick his butt. The one dude that really annoyed me was(say it with me now), Jar-Jar Binks. His speech is at times so incomprehensible, it can become distracting. I'm sure the young ones will want to have a Jar-Jar all their own, and that is because he is completely a "living" cartoon. In that respect, he is a success. Let's not forget the phantom menace itself. What a great setup for the next two films. Finally, I would like to say that it is not up to snuff with the existing trilogy, but it is an EXTREMELY welcomed addition to the whole saga. Just sit and get ready to be blown away by the "STAR WARS" emblem and the famous John William's score; it's definitely worth the price of admission. Every saga has a beginning and what a beginning it is. Very well done, Mr.Lucas. ***1/2.