Mixed feelings

Rating: Null/10 (10 December 1999)

I guess I'm required by international law to immediately state how let down I was by this film, and to some large extent, I was, but there were things about it I liked. I think a problem with this film is that it had some great individual parts, but they never came together as a whole. I also got the feeling the film was just focused-grouped and test-marketed to death, in a vain attempt to be all things to all people. In the back of my mind, I could never shake the thought that the main purpose of this film was to sell toys. I would enjoy the Star Wars films a lot more if it wasn't so big of a franchise. I found Luc Besson's film The Fifth Element to be a more satisfying and honest sci-fi adventure, and I like the fact that it will most likely be sequal-less. I also liked the fact that it took itself much less seriously, and didn't have the weight of an entire franchise on it's shoulders, which I think was a major problem with The Phantom Menace.
I think a big problem was the casting. I didn't like the performance from the kid who played Anakin (let me state that I do feel a little uncomfortable criticizing child actors, even when a lot of them just aren't very good, which is understandable. It seems like good child actors are often non-American). Natalie Portman, best known from Luc Besson's film Leon, gives a passable performance, given what little she had to work with. Liam Nesson had a "what am I doing here?" look throughout the film. I never really bought Ewan MacGregor as Obi-Wan Kenobi.
On the other hand, a lot the visuals are pretty stunning, like the "New York City planet" Corsucant, and the light saber duel at the end was pretty cool; but overall, I got the feeling I was basically watching the original Star Wars re-tooled and test-marketed for late-90s consumption, and a lot of the things I liked about Star Wars were missing.