Watchable but a lack of depth

Rating: 7/10 (3 October 2006)

You enjoyment of "the Phantom Menace" will depend on your state of mind. I better appreciated it by following the plot in a somehow passive manner. Again, it's the loose acting behind the characters that make the story lag behind....
The "pairs" are much too polished and similar in temper to be trusted "Padme and "Any" (sic), Qi-gong and Obi Wan, Darth Sidious and his apprentice... And CGIs everywhere my friend, not only in the air and on the planets, but also under the sea (was this scene a advertising for Marinas ?). One thing I hated was the costumes of the Queen soldiers, and their exaggerated non-violent behaviour.
We feel that Qi Gong is being threatened by an invisible menace by his lack of attention : for example in the presence of Anakin, hence the title, I presume.
I would say that the weakness of the whole Star Wars trilogy is its predictability, and its strengh lies in the philosophical, ecological and mystical implications of the concept of "the Force".
So why such a high grade ? Well, because *something* had to be done for the fans back in 1999, and I am sure G. Lucas prequel needed some more time to reach the heights of IV,V,VI in terms of character development and narrative depth.
A last quibble, if I were a kid, I would only buy the plastic characters, 'cause the flying saucers look too futuristic to me. Hey, give us back x-wings, t-fighters and al, so that people spend time building those things with their own hands ! Oh yes, the lightsaber battle that concluded the movie was breathtaking and moving, I fully agree with that.