IS NOT THE BEST IN TERMS OF STORY, BUT DEFINITEY THE BEST ON TERMS OF TECHNOLOGY, WORLD AND CREATURE DESIGN

Rating: 8/10 (16 July 1999)

Hi. I'm Joan Paolo De Luca, from Venezuela here. I Just saw The Phantom Menace, after more than a month from its release, I've read about a hundred comments, as well as movie critics, and seen all the shows about the movie on E!.
Let me say that all the ones that gave this masterpiece of entertainment ,THE most expected movie in the history of Cinema a bad comment are just f...ing crazy. Some of those comments really suck: they are pointless, untruthful, exaggerated, unsensible, underrated, flat, subjective ... etc, just plain stupid. I don't know what you guys expected from the movie, it is just another Star Wars movie, and that's it.
I couldn't believe when a read a comment from a guy saying that he couldn't stand the whole picture and left the theater before finished; man, I wanted to throw up!!, And HE calls himself a Star Wars Fan.
Some other miss a Han Solo kind of character, but what the hell, this is not a new version of Episode 4 "A New Hope", and for all of you guys, I think that Qui-Gon is a bit like Han Solo: A guy who's always challenging the system, he's a rogue Jedi, he only follows his instinct, not a damn Jedi Counsel.
Ok, I admit it, the movie is not perfect, at the beginning the editing is too anxious to reach Tatooine and find Anakin, traduction: is goes too fast. Jar Jar Binks is cute and sometimes funny, and I understood mostly everything he said, but is true that they focused the camera too much on him, especially at the beginning. I read he will be back in the next movie, but less annoying and more important to the plot.
Despite what people say, I liked that Darth Maul dies, he looks cool, and fights cool, but didn't have much of a personality, he'd only do as the emperor says, I wouldn't like him as a fulltime bad guy, as Darth Vader was, the fact that he dies leaves much ground to plant on account of bad guys. After all, the next two movie will be full with great Jedi Battles, with all the Clone Wars and all. Perhaps Darth Maul will be back as a clone.
The acting is quite good, Not BAD as people say, but after all, Star Wars hard point wasn't precisely in the acting. Liam Neeson is not bored as some guys say, it's just that Qui-Gon is too calm... too focus... too good a Jedi Master, more of a teacher than a fighter, he nevers gets nervous, or sad, or worried, except at the end, when he dies, he's only worried about Anakin's future. Ewan McGregor is acceptable, his character doesn't do much at the beginning but at the end he becomes really important. Jake Lloyd did a great job, after all, he acted as a child, exactly as George Lucas wanted it, his lines are pretty flat sometimes, but after all, kids are never very elocuent when they talk, you always see those movies where kids are so clever, they outsmart the adults, that's not true, George Lucas stopped making movies 15 years ago so he can spend time with his children, so I believe he knows how a kid behaves. I also hate when people say that kids can't act, even acting as yourself is difficult, believe it or not, try it.
I'm IN LOVE with Natalie Portman, she did a great job 'cause she encarnated two characters: the beautiful, charming, and intelligent Padma; and the Queen, a very serious and focused girl, her performance is the best in the whole movie, as well as Pernilla August's, too bad she has few scenes, I know she will be back in Episode 2, when Anakin returns to free the slaves. Ian Mcdiarmid was also great, he steals every scene.
Two great things about the story: Chancellor Palpatine dark scheme, it was not til' the end that I realized HE is THE Emperor and that he used the Queen to get that post, Hey!! I knew that Palpatine is Darth Sidious, but his performance is so good that it still confused me. And R2D2 introduction, I had goosebumps when a saw him saving all the main characters (again) at the begininng of the film when all the R2 units go outside the ship to repair the shields and he alone remains safe and sound, there we get to see (or remind) how important that little droid is for the Star Wars movies.
The movie is full of details, you have to see it at least three times to fully catch all the creatures and little details in every frame. Lucas outdone himself. Every creatures design looks great, the effects are so thoroughly well put together I didn't find any glitches. I think Lucas focused so much on the worlds because he couldn't in the other three because of the technology, here he show us that there is no limit to his imagination.
I'm also a Huge Fan of John Williams, I own almost all of his known soundtracks, and right know "my precioussss" (in gollum's words) is The Phantom Menace, the song "The Duel Of Fates" (The Lightsaber Battle) is a masterpiece, I've hummed it almost every day; The "Anakin's Theme" is simply marvelous, the last four notes are from the Darth Vader Theme, that is really a genius job. All the other music establish a great atmosphere to the movie, many fanfares and marchs, as well as some very nice reprises of the Force Theme. Too bad the CD lacks a big amount of music of the movie: the battle in the desert, the goodbye scene of Anakin with his mother (which is extremely beautiful), the jedi counsel, etc. I applaud his work, again... and again... and again.
People can't expect this one to be the best, it can't, and is NOT. This is just a come-back from Lucas, a movie with thousands of F/X, many new characters and creatures, plots and subplots. And the plot holes are there on purpose, so they can be filled in the next two.
After all, as a story: it IS a prequel; but technically: it IS a sequel. The movie prepare us for the next two, which I think will have less F/X and more story. I can't believe We have to wait for three more years, "it's a sin... it's a sin" (in Alex's Words).
Mark My words IMDB, this movie will be nominated for all these Oscars: Best Sound, Best Sound Effects, Best Costume Design, Best Art Direction, Best Music, Best Special Effects.
I don't know which one will win, I'm sure about Costume Design and Art Direction. The F/X award is going to be battled between this one and The Matrix at those Oscars.