The Problem With One

Rating: 3/10 (27 May 1999)

I think part of the problem with Phantom Menace was that there was far too much explication--not only of the backstory that leads to Episodes 4-6, but also of the characters. Instead of showing the emotions/sensations of fear, foreboding, exhilaration, and joy through the acting or choice of words, the movie told us that this or that was what the character was feeling. It's as though Lucas is completely at a loss when he has to show something that isn't renderable on a computer; as a result, all the characters--live action *and* 3D rendered--just come across as flat.
Then there's the haphazard plot that starts and stops, with one beautifully rendered scene jumping to the next. Instead of a sequence of causal events building up to some kind of climax, it's just a series of happenings. It might have helped to have had a central character to focus on, with captivating supporting characters filling out the group. As it was, the film was very vague and meandering, and the action sequences resulted only in one letdown after another.
The Matrix kicked more ass.