Review of Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999) by Joey T — 20 Sep 2015

This movie has good visuals with the Naboo world, the Shiny, earth-tone Trade Federation armies, pod racing, and three great new characters: Darth Maul, Mace Windu, and Qui-Gon Jinn. Sadly this was not enough to save this movie from the darkside.

In The Empire strikes Back, it was explicitly stated that Yoda trained Obi-Wan in the Force, but in this movie Qui-Gon Jinn is the trainer, dismissing the original and authoritative trilogy. The introduction of the Midi-Chlorian concept de-mystified the Force, robbing the prequel film of much of its fantasy element: Darth Maul, the best part of the film, (SPOILER) died too young in the franchise. Jake Loyd is more annoying than Dennis the Menace, and Jar Jar Binks is an insult to the plot. The dialogue is flat and unemotive.

This movie is a fail.