Star Wars Episode 1 An Okay Sci -Fi Film But Not Great

Rating: 6/10 (9 June 2009)

Star Wars Episode 1 is an okay sci-film but from writer/director George Lucas who is admirable in making this movie but there are flaws that weigh it down. Episode 1 is a prequel to the other Star Wars trilogy which is set 30 years before the events of A New Hope where audiences get to meet a younger Obi-Wan Kenobi as a Jedi Knight and a gifted young boy named Anakin Skywalker who will eventually become the feared Dark Lord Of The Sith Darth Vader. The cast for the most part are good in their roles including Liam Neeson as Qui-Gon Jinn (Obi-Wan's Master), Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan Kenobi (played by Alec Guiness in the original), Natalie Portman as Queen Padme Amidala, and Jake Lloyd as the young Anakin Skywalker. Ian McDiarmid as Senator Palpatine (The Emperor) and Ray Park as one of the villains Darth Maul make the best of their brief appearances in the movie. Ray Park does lack screen time, development, and dialogue but he makes for a solid villain as the evil Darth Maul. McDiarmid does a decent enough job with his small part as the deceitful Senator Palapatine also known as Darth Sidious and later the Emperor. Samuel L. Jackson shows up in a cameo as Jedi Knight Mace Windu who does a good job in his small role. Yoda the one Luke meets in the previous films also makes a brief appearance. The action/fight sequences are well executed but the two sequels that followed had more of them. The only two to stand out sort of was the climatic showdown with Obi Wan and Quinn Gon against Darth Maul and the pod race at Tatooine with Anakin. The special effects were cool but you can tell it's CG. The pacing between the action was a little slow at times making it drag and the dialogue wasn't the best at times either. The one character to weigh this film down for me was Jar Jar Binks. I found him annoying and the movie could've done without his character. Despite its flaws though Star Wars Episode 1 is decent maybe not the greatest but it does reveal some unanswered questions from the previous films which was interesting. Episode 1 is a somewhat entertaining sci adventure with intense action, some humor, character development, and solid performances by most of the cast that make the film enjoyable.