Unquestionably the low point of the series

Rating: 6/10 (18 December 2015)

The original Star Wars trilogy was ground-breaking in its day and attracted millions of loyal fans worldwide. So, expectations were understandably high for the first entry in the prequel trilogy. Unfortunately, rather than witnessing a new benchmark in cinematic greatness, moviegoers were instead subjected the debacle that is "The Phantom Menace".
Where to begin with the film's problems? For starters, most of the blame rests on the shoulders of George Lucas. Taking over the series' directorial duties for the first time since the original film, he also wrote the script & acted as executive producer. Arguably spreading himself too thin, this also put him in a position where there was no-one to seriously challenge his sometimes questionable choices for the film.
Most infamously, the presence of supposedly humorous character Jar Jar Binks was a sore spot for the vast majority of viewers. Reminiscent of a bygone racist caricature, practically everything the character says or does is a source of annoyance. As an attempt at replicating the kind of comic relief supplied by C-3PO & R2-D2 in the original films, Jar Jar Binks is a spectacular failure.
Binks is also a prime example of computer generated imagery run amok. Prefiguring some of today's most elaborate special effects extravaganzas, the movie is plastered with often garish CGI environments & characters. Rudimentary as they sometimes were, the special effects of the original trilogy nevertheless felt more real than these more technologically ambitious visuals.
The issues with the acting & the script go hand in hand. Apart from the always dependable Liam Neeson, the acting is wooden and unconvincing. Nothing much could reasonably be expected from 10-year old Jake Lloyd but talented co-stars Natalie Portman & Ewan McGregor were hamstrung by uninteresting characterizations and stilted dialogue. Fortunately, both actors turned in better performances in the later movies. Another point of contention, for me at least, is that Jake Lloyd seems absolutely nothing like the older portrayal of Anakin in the 2nd & 3rd movies, courtesy of Hayden Christensen.
Despite being critically maligned, the movie still managed to snag three Oscar nominations; for sound, sound effects editing & visual effects, all difficult to argue with on their own merits. Also on the bright side, the movie sported a score from John Williams which elaborated on his iconic themes from the earlier movies. However, it's telling that almost all of the movie's strengths lie in technical areas as opposed to crucial elements like acting & story.
Is "The Phantom Menace" one of the worst films ever made? Not quite. Is it a colossal disappointment, particularly considering its pedigree? Certainly. The prequel trilogy did get progressively better as it went along but this initial entry is almost painful to watch. Kids will probably be much more receptive to it but fans of the original trilogy should only see it for the sake of completeness.