Six years from now, its critics will love it!

Rating: 7/10 (1 September 2000)

The Phantom Menace has probably received more unwarranted insults than any other film in the history of cinema. The reasons for this are complicated, but basically the only thing you need to know is that ten years from now the critics of the Phantom Menace will look very silly and very ignorant.
Any of you ever read the original reviews of Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi? They're good for a laugh. Variety basically called Empire a plotless retread of Star Wars. Hmm. Now, of course, it is considered a masterpiece. Some people didn't have vision then and some people have no vision now.
George Lucas has vision. He is in control of HIS Star Wars universe and he knows where he wants it to go. Trust the guy. He has big plans for Episodes 2 and 3. Sure, Phantom Menace has flaws, but it is still a very good movie. Not a classic on its own, but definatly not the dumb, effects-laden monster its critics call it. For those that have no vision, I have compiled the following list of things to consider when viewing The Phantom Menace. They're spoilers, so look out.
1. Darth Maul is not the Phantom Menace. He is NOT the central villain. That is why he has so little screen time. Darth Sidious is. Sidious is the cloaked Sith who gives Darth Maul his orders. Sidious is also Senator Palpatine, the slimy politician from the Queen's home planet.
2. Sidious is a grand puppetmaster. He manipulates both The Republic and the Trade Federation to get what he wants, which is to be elected as Grand Chancellor. The Federation, The Queen, The Jedi and the Republic are merely puppets that he moves around. The happy ending at the end isn't a happy ending at all- it's the beginning of the end.
3. Midiclorians- those little bugs inside you that communicate with the force. These things don't discredit the power of the force. Their introduction is a plot-point that will play out over the next two films. There's probably a reason why they aren't mentioned in the original trilogy. The jedi's belief in these things will help lead to their own downfall and cause the Clone Wars.
4. Anakin is supposed to be a happy go lucky child in this film. If he were portrayed as an evil child, his downfall during the next two films would mean nothing. Anakin is not born evil; he will turn to evil for reasons we will soon know.
5. All the characters, except Yoda, Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Palpatine will be dead by the end of Episode three. Think about that when you cringe at Jar's Jar's antics. After you witness him die in Episode three, you'll think fondly upon his foolishness you first saw six years ago.
It's a grand story that Georgie-boy is telling and Phantom Menace is just the beginning.