Of kids and Gungans

Rating: 6/10 (27 May 2007)

I will say this in defence of The Phantom Menace: it is better than Attack of the Clones. This is the first act of Lucas' take on a reverse hero's journey, a fascinating idea with a deeply flawed execution.
Acting is a mixed bag. Neeson's portrayal of Qui-Gon as a wise mentor works. McGregor is also decent, although his performance improved throughout the trilogy. Unfortunately, the reverse is true for lovely and talented Portman, who is passable here and becomes unwatchable in the next films. Throughout the movie, Lloyd's performance ranges from decent to poor. Pernilla August does well as Anakin's mother.
Enough has been written about obnoxious comic relief sidekick Jar-Jar, who makes the galaxy-saving teddy bears Ewoks look positively Shakespearian by comparison. However, even his absence wouldn't have saved the movie. Dialogues are clunky, pacing weak: the Tatooine section *drags*. Also, the idea of introducing Anakin as a child doesn't work; when we met him in Clones he is essentially a different character, making this movie redudant. Another misstep is the introduction of Midichlorians, an unnecessary effort to give the once Zen-like "Force" an inappropriate pseudo-scientific component.
The Phantom Menace's highlight is the "Duel of the Fates" lightsaber duel. It's a thrilling set-piece with a great score by Williams. Sadly, this powerful sequence is intercut with Jar-Jar's antics , mixing compelling action with juvenile material.
6/10