The Phantom Menace

Rating: 10/10 (16 May 1999)

What can you say, with all those highly critical reviews, I held out little hope for the the phantom menace, but it seems now that it was all blockbuster backlash. I should have had more faith in Lucas. The special effects reaffirm ILM's holding on the market while the plot is thick enough to satisfy even the most die hard of Star Wars fan. Although predictable, the Phantom Menace does not fail to succeed all expectations and sets up the two following prequels beautifully. Darth Maul wasn't the Darth vader replacement I was hoping for, but who else could personify evil as well as Mr Skywalker Senior, even the devil has trouble. People will look back on this movie, not for the billions that it will rake in the box office, but as a legendary conception, and one we've come to expect from George Lucas, especially in his directorial swan song. A special mention should go to Rick Macallum who worked tirelessly throughout the film and should be praised justly. The acting is superb and although it is not a tense drama, you as the audience become intertwined with the story which unfolds. Jar jar is also a humorous addition to the somewhat ill used R2-D2 and C-3PO, and will be welcome in the next two films. The sense of grandeur is also there with the land tanks sounding incredibly dominating in THX, and are as good as any of the vehicles of war demonstrated in Star Wars IV-VI. John Williams produces another beautifully somewhat simply rehashed score, but it still manages to conjure up the spirit of what has become a religion to some.
The movie is not without its faults, with the pod race seemingly added for the excuse for ILM to flex their SFX muscle, but on the whole the film is a worthy addition to a well established film tradition. Lucas remarked that the film would and could not live up to the expectations generated through the mass media hype, and there will be those who come away from the movie feeling a little aggrieved but that is to be expected of such a hotly anticipated movie. I expect Lucas' only regret is that it took him sixteen years to do. The other trio have stood the test of time, and this bares no exception, and will like wise be seen as IV-VI ave been in another twenty years time.
Disney would do well to screen this at their various parks, along with seat belts as the audience feels like they are rattling through a two hour plus rollercoaster of modern cinema.
In the past few years the modern blockbuster has been replaced by the cult movie, with Quentin Tarantino taking center stage. The Phatom Menace sees a swing back to the family affair and proves that films do not have to be inherintly violent or abusive to be a success, both in and out of the box office.
Go see it, get the books, the mugs and all the other memorabilia and you won't be disappointed, and one for all the family to experience, and I'm sure it will open the Star Wars saga to many younger fans also.