Brilliant despite critics attempted assassination

Rating: 10/10 (19 May 1999)

Star Wars: The Phantom Menace succeeds in so many areas that it makes up for the place in where it falters. Let us first deal with the scenery. Contrary to what critics have said, the costume design and use of special effects are glorious and do not detract one inch from great acting performances given by all of the main cast members. In fact, I felt as a whole the acting clearly outmatched the original movie. The original musical score by John Williams was excellent and carried along the story very effectively.
Now, as for the argument that the plot was hard to follow and that the characters are stale, and so-called prisoners of their surroundings, I will dispel any such argument by simply pointing out how good the acting was. Natalie Portman as Queen Amidala was exceptional, and showed herself to be a strong and inflexible character in disputing her people's rights. Regardless of what the critics may feel, Portman turns in yet another excellent performance and conveys her message well as the Queen. Liam Neeson as Qui-Gon Jinn steals the show, for as a Jedi Master, he was a calming presence which helped hold the story together for a majority of the movie. Ewan McGregor turned in a good performance as Obi-Wan Kenobi, an ambitious but focused young Jedi. And young Jake Lloyd as Anakin Skywalker is very impressive, regardless of what critics say. Some say he was flat and showed no signs of evil. Well of course he doesn't, he is a young kid who has yet to learn of the force, or to be swayed by the dark side. I am limited in what I say due to the twists in the movie's plot, but rest assured, Jake Lloyd adds youthful energy to the movie. And Ray Park, who plays Darth Maul, is great, and provides us with a few excellent fight sequences in the movie. Whether you Episodes 4,5, and 6 or not, this movie can be enjoyed as it delivers an entertaining plot which does have some unexpected results, and is well crafted.
Some of the movie's detractors argue that the inclusion of Jar-Jar Binks and the lightness of the film make it pale in comparison to the ominous setting for Episodes 4,5, and 6. I agree that Binks was annoying at first, but after a while, his character was toned down and he fit in well with the story that was being told. Well these critics are misunderstanding the movie's intentions. As the first movie of three, we should not expect to learn everything, and what we do learn definitely convinces us that young Anakin is one to keep close watch on. Many characters from the original movie pop up, and also add continuity to the Star Wars saga. Rest assured, the movie does not disappoint, and helps set the stage for the next film, which promises to be even better considering the foundation laid in the Phantom Menace.