Skip the critics and just go see it. D.A.R.E. to think for yourself...

Rating: Null/10 (19 May 1999)

My buddy Dave and I were two of several hundred people waiting in line at Phipps Plaza last night around midnight, and among several thousand nuts, night-owls, and geeks around the nation hanging out in local movie theatres in anticipation of "The Phantom Menace". We became the first few of what will likely be millions of people to see "Episode I", the latest George Lucas (who shares the same birthday as I do) "Star Wars" film. I could not help but remember that summer when I was 7, also waiting in these same lines (though in Knoxville, Tennessee) to see "Star Wars" for the up-teenth time, just so I could go home and brag that I was one-up on my good buddy Chris Leonard on how many times we had seen the movie (bet I am one-up on him again). Anyway, they let us in last night 45 minutes early and the crowd did not stop buzzing until a roar went up when we all saw the words "Star Wars" flash on the screen, and then start it's slow descent off in space, followed by "Episode I" and then a short description of where we were and what was going on in the 'present time' of the movie (known for that trapezoidal text-crawl). I must say that the first half was somewhat slow and often flat, but the film really picked up speed (in many ways) in the second half. There were many shouts from the audience when we first saw a young Obi-Wan, or when R2-D2 meets C-3PO, or when we first heard the name "Skywalker". Like it or not, this is probably the most anticipated film in history and will eventually become part of our culture just as the 3 earlier movies did and just as the next 2 will. "The Phantom Menace" was certainly not the best film I had ever seen, but I did not go into it thinking it would be. The effects were what you would expect and though the acting was sometimes dull, "Menace" does not disappoint. Like me, you will most certainly leave the theatre pleased, waiting for "Episode II"...