The Fantastic Beginning of the Saga

Rating: 9/10 (9 December 2015)

When the Trade Federation organize a blockade around the planet Naboo, the Supreme Chancellor Valorum (Terence Stamp) sends the Jedis Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson) and Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) to negotiate the end of the blockade. However the evil Viceroy Nute Gunray (Silas Carson) is ordered to kill the Jedis and invade Naboo. However the Jedis escape and Qui-Gon saves the life of the clumsy Gungan Jar Jar Binks (Ahmed Best). The outcast native takes the Jedis to his submerged city and the Gungan leader gives transportation to them. The Jedis head to the capital to warn Queen Amidala about the invasion. However she has been captured by the Federation droids but the Jedis rescue the queen and her court and they flee in a spacecraft that is damaged when they cross the blockade. They land in a desert planet and Qui-Gon Jinn goes to the town with Jar Jar, the droid R2-D2 and the queen's assistant Padmé (Natalie Portman) to seek the necessary part for the spacecraft. When they find the component, they do not have money to buy it. But the slave boy Anakin Skywalker (Jake Lloyd) offers to dispute a race with his pod to raise the necessary money. Qui-Gon feels the Force in the boy and accepts his offer. Will the boy win the race? What will happen to Naboo/? Will Queen Amidala be capable to convince the politicians to release her planet from the Federation Trade?
"Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace" is the fantastic beginning of the Star Wars saga. Even when the viewer sees this film many times, it is still engaging. Good and complex story, great cast and top-notch special effects in THX. My vote is nine.
Title (Brazil): "Star Wars: Episódio I - A Ameaça Fantasma" ("Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace")
Note: Last time I saw this film was on 17 December 2002.