It's incredible, it's fun, and by God, it's STAR WARS!

Rating: 10/10 (19 May 1999)

Despite what you may hear, The Phantom Menace is truly, without a doubt a worthy successor to its epic predecessors. In fact, even in its own right, it's an incredible film. There is only one thing to you must do to enjoy it, sit back and enjoy the ride. Remember that Lucas has never professed a desire to create anything more than "a Saturday afternoon serial for kids," and approach it the same way you would any of the Star Wars films. The special effects are light years beyond anything that's been seen on film. Yet, at the same time, amid all of the CGI marvels, there is a healthy dose of "guys in rubber suits" aliens whom we know and love from the first three films. Yoda himself is the same puppet used in the first films, with some minor age adjustments. That split is a perfect characterization of this first Star Wars film in 16 years. With all the power at his fingertips, Lucas is still able to create that spirit of awe and wonder that is the real force behind Star Wars.
Some will complain about the acting, that the characters are upstaged by their sets or undermined by their dialogue. But again, acting is not what these movies were about. Mark Hamill was never the achem greatest of actors, but he, as much as anyone else, made Star Wars what it was and is. As far as dialogue is concerned, no one complains when Luke whines about going to pick up some power converters ("you can waste time with your friends later..."), because it's meant to be light and fun. The same respect is due here. Furthermore, just as Harrison Ford's always-superb performance was a touchstone in the first films, so Liam Neeson's is in this one. He is an excellent actor, who has proved himself on stage and screen, those who are seeking acting prowess need search no further.
The Phantom Menace definitely has a different look than the first films. It's somehow cleaner, shinier. That feeling is a testament to Lucas' skill as a filmmaker. Menace takes place in a time where the galaxy was still ruled by a Republic, no evil empire has yet taken control. The movie gives you a real sense of that, and at the same time a palpable sense of underlying distress and corruption appears.
Menace is everything it needed to be. As Episode I, it elegantly sets the stage for the next two films and for the entire saga. For the knowing fan, little nudges and snippets of dialogue that evoke characters future identities and relationships abound. Most enjoyable of these scenes is a brief encounter between Senator (future Emperor...) Palpatine and young Anakin. Palpatine's remark to the effect of, you show great promise "young Skywalker," is wonderfully, ominously loaded with foreshadowing for the future of the saga. Menace is also very much a children's film at heart, perhaps more so than the first three. This is partially because the crucial character in the story is a 9-year-old. Also, its kid-friendly nature is important, especially in light of the fact that the subject matter of the next two films is decidedly more adult oriented, dealing, respectively, with Anakin's love story and the collapse of a republic under a cruel and heartless empire.
Which brings us to the most significant and enjoyable revelation of The Phantom Menace, which is that the entire saga is truly the story of Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vadar. It is his journey from innocence to his fall from grace to his eventual redemption that makes up the heart of the Star Wars saga. It makes one approach the first films with new eyes, and it makes waiting for the final two installments that much more difficult.