Lacks in Character Development, but Still Highly Imaginative

Rating: Null/10 (23 February 2000)

The special effects that can be found throughout The Phantom Menace sets an example of its high imagination. While it ultimately gets to a point where it more than ever feels like an exhibition for the special effects, they're top notch never the less. The same really can't be said about the story itself. First of all, the character development is lacking. For the most part, the characters are presented in an one-dimensional fashion (especially several characters who play a pivotal role in the story but are ultimately giving fairly little to do) and it could have gone deeper with the background of the planet Naboo. The restricted character development seems more apparent based on the fact the there's other film that's going follow up on The Phantom Menace. Also, there's a feeling that the movie is trying too hard in the comic relief department at times (i.e. Jar Jar Binks who's dialog can be pretty incomprehensible on certain occasions). In spite of this, there are about two points in the story that is able to generate the most excitement (a quickly paced race, and a light-saber duel). The light-saber duel (with the music aiding things) starts out on a quick pace but then stops in the middle of the whole sequence and eventually goes back into a quick pace.