A worthy addition to the saga

Rating: 8/10 (19 May 1999)

My first impulse, of course, is to compare it to the rest of the Wars movies. This movie does live up to it's name, but I must say that the first three were overall slightly better.
The story of The Phantom Menace is quite good, but nothing more. The Tatooine part, for example, contributes nothing much to the overall story (except for Anakin himself) and drags a bit (although it is overly enjoyable).
The effects of Phantom Menace, however, far surpass those of the earlier films. Simply put, they are breath-taking. The audience is treated to wondrous vista after wondrous vista.
I have nothing to reproach on the acting; it was good all over, except for the Queen, who seemed a little shallow at times.
All in all, a very good movie. If you weren't sure whether the hype was worth it, well, it is.