Good start to a great legend

Rating: 8/10 (24 May 1999)

"A Long Time Ago, In A Galaxy Far, Far Away......."
These words, which ushered in a new era of movie making and storytelling, signaled the beginning of something special for the 2100 rabid fans packed into the Arlington Theatre in Santa Barbara, and they knew it. The applause was deafening,exceeded only by that heard when the words 'Star Wars' appeared on screen in the next frame. And so the journey began.
This fan's review: George Lucas has done it again. He has successfully laid the foundation for what we know Star Wars to be. It is truly a beginning. We see the first stirrings of what will become the Galactic Empire, we see the Jedi Knights at the height of their power, we see the Emperor as a humble senator in the Republic. As such, there is less attention given to action in this film, and more given to storytelling. It is the story of Anakin Skywalker, an eight year-old boy, and by necessity there are a lot of "little boy" scenes which are slow, but essential in understanding how Anakin became what he did. Make no mistake, there is definately a lot of action in this film, but while the other movies built up to grand, action-filled finales, this film is building to something that has yet to happen, and so while the battle scenes are impressive, they are hardly climactic. This is but the first chapter.
The characters are well written and multi-dimensional. Liam Neeson as Qui-Gon is a classic Jedi warrior; strong, noble if a bit headstrong for the Jedi council. Ewan McGregor does a fine job of making us believe he will become the Obi-Wan we know and love. The villain in this film is Darth Maul, and though he has but a few lines, he brings a lot to the story.he brings to the story. Without ruining anything, let me say that the epic lightsaber duel involving the two Jedi and Darth Maul is one of the most spectacular and stirring sequences in the history of this franchise.
The film is not perfect. As I said, there are some slow scenes involving Anakin and this mother. And there is one character I did not care for, Jar Jar Binks, a digital creation, added solely, it seems, for comic relief. His is apparently geared towards younger moviegoers. In addition to being just plain annoying at times, his speech is very difficult to understand.
But these missteps only serve to highlight the greatness of what George Lucas has created. Star Wars fans will forgive these in light of what the film has brought us; the true beginning of the legend we grew up with. Enjoy it in good health.