Flawed, but worth seeing

Rating: 7/10 (19 May 1999)

I just saw "Phantom Menace" and have to agree with a lot of the basic consensus on the film. The special effects were outstanding, and I was thrilled to see the huge amount of light saber action in this film. The set designs were a wonderful eyeful of imagination and art. Also, the movie held that "Star Wars" kind of magic - irresistibly exciting and eventful.
Some flaws:
1. This episode lacked the ominous sense of evil the others had. The main dark presence, Darth Maul, was barely a character (he seemed more out of WWF or a violent video game).
2. I didn't feel like rooting much for any of the good characters; they simply weren't developed well. For a character who's going to be in the next two, Obi-Wan remains a dull mystery. I side with those who didn't particularly like young Anakin (or at least, Lloyd's acting) - he came off as a cocky kid and his line-delivery was rather strained and whiny. Portman, Neeson, and McGregor were formidable, but boring. I don't even want to go into the annoying inclusion of Jar Jar Binks (I couldn't understand a word he said and just wanted him to go away).
3. The tempo of the movie was very inconsistent. At times, scenes passed too slowly and I couldn't wait until they were over. Although exciting at first, the pod race scene became tedious after a few minutes. At other times, the scenes were too frenetic and fast-paced and I found it difficult to keep up with the action. The political subplot was distracting and confusing, and I craved more scenes with the Jedi Counsel (Yoda!!).
See it, but remember it's an entertaining event movie, not necessarily a "great" one.