Thrilling intro

Rating: 10/10 (13 June 1999)

No one could boast that The Phantom Menace was the greatest movie ever created, but did Mr. Lucas ever intend it to be that? Rather, he created a brilliantly imaginative visual display set to entertain rather than enlighten. So why is everyone so critical of the aspects of the film it was never meant to achieve? No one ever said the Godfather was boring because it lacked comic relief. This is a Star Wars film, it's not just a movie, it's a phenomenon. It transcends the basic criteria for a good movie. A Star Wars movie stands out for one reason: ITS EFFECTS!!! Sure character development, dialogue and plot are important, but in this case, these are secondary qualities. The most important is the imagination, the new world it creates for us before our eyes, rather than the psychological messages between the lines. For this reason, this movie delivers. We are dealing with a series, not one installment compacted in a movie. Therefore, the character development, dialogue and plot are meant to unravel extra slowly and tantalizingly for the audience to enjoy them as thoroughly as possible. I ended up liking the movie for what it was, a visually stunning, exciting exhibition of enjoyable scenes and actors. Sure I didn't leave the cinema with any new lessons in life but I came out happy and refreshed. The critics couldn't get it more wrong, or should I say more inappropriate. They judged the movie for all the wrong guidelines, as though they were expecting Braveheart in space. My advice is go in, expecting only a fabulous time. This movie is not just a movie, it is an experience and make it so without looking for flaws in direction, corny dialogue or second-rate acting. Sit back, open your eyes and have fun, and this way you'll actually enjoy it instead of wasting time and money pulling it into pieces. Even if you do find faults, you'll realise that the flaws of this one can be forgiven unlike the 'movie' of some crappy boat which sank in the water to everyone's delight.