keanu who? TPM: the best special effects film of all time

Rating: Null/10 (10 May 2000)

In order to see this film three times the first day it opened, i not only skipped my classes, but also the senior awards night my school put on. i was fortunate enough to get a scholarship that night, but as soon as i was informed it was the last award for me, i left the ceremony for the theater. For graduation, i even broke the school's rules of "no decorations on caps and gowns" and smuggled in my crimson mortarboard, upon which i copied darth maul's facial tattoos. Natalie Portman's image adorns my desktop wallpaper at least 95% of the time, and I have seen the film over a dozen times. But there's a reason behind being so hardcore, and that reason is this: Star Wars/Episode One/The Phantom Menace rocks hard. Very hard. So hard that for a while i couldn't find a single thing wrong with it. After watching it with increasing scrutiny, however, i feel i am now able to give a balanced review. Basically, you'll like this movie for a number of reasons. It is easy to at least appreciate its numerous production teams who worked their hardest to raise the standards of the special effects industry. In other words, see it for this fact alone. If you're a Star Wars fan, by definition you should love this movie. Additionally, this movie contains some excellent acting talent, with such stars as Liam Neeson, Ewan MacGregor, Samuel L. Jackson, Terrence Stamp, and the wonderful Natalie Portman. Although I can't say any of the actors were at their best in this movie, they did make it interesting and foreshadowed a more interesting Episode Two (Sam Jackson + lightsaber >worth my seven bucks) Lastly, from a film student's perspective, the movie was truly inspiring, because it is the perfect example of how far someone can take their dreams. The concept of Star Wars could not have been more of a success, and this movie greatly attests to that fact. On the "bad" side, if you're looking for a more serious film, this is not for you. Much of the dialogue is directed towards children, and i know this proved frustrating for a lot of other hardcore fans. Remember though, this is Lucas' world, and he wrote the screenplay. Additionally, the depth of the characters and situations is shallow. Few meaningful rites of passage occur between the characters, because--like many other S/F films and novels--the best way to progress is by coming out on top of a huge fight (i.e. the upcoming Battlefield Earth). Other low points are mainly just Lucas' excesses: Jake Lloyd's cheesy lines, action before dialogue, and the entire entity of Jar Jar (who's lovely to look at, but was it necessary to have him on so much? oh right--kid's movie; gotta remember that... ;), or the missed opportunities: a gifted cast whose potential was stifled, and the chance to expose more of the Jedi powers (what planet did that midichlorian explanation come from?). Remember what i said before, though! This truly is one of the best films of all time and i loved it tremendously. Since this movie had such an effect on me, i hope to be on board Episode Three as a 3d animator (heck, i'll even deliver the coffee, just SOMETHING!), since i should be out of effects school in time. Until then, may the force be with you!