Better than the critics say, but not insanely great.

Rating: 7/10 (21 May 1999)

Yes, the special effects are awesome. Yes, there should have been more character development. This is still a very good movie. Loaded with hints for episodes 2 & 3 as well as tie-ins from episodes 4,5 & 6, there is plenty here to make me want to see this flick several more times. It is also unfortunate that arguably the most interesting & engaging character (Jar Jar Binks) is a computerized creation. Overall, though, the force is strong (but widely dispersed) in The Phantom Menace.