Review of Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999) by Shayan S — 14 Dec 2015

Star Wars Episode 1- The Phantom Menace is universally known from fans of Star Wars and movie buffs as the most disappointing film since Mr. Plinkett's son (whoever got that reference, you are a wonderful person.

) But after 16 years of bashing with this film by fans and critics, is it still as bad? .......Well, yes and no. Now this review is OBVIOUSLY from a movie buff and HUGE Star Wars fan, and also this review should be taken as just an OPINION (meaning i'm not acting like I have a factual and therefore amazing opinion on these PT films,) so take it with a grain of salt.

With that said, after a rewatch of the film, my opinion is sadly what others say that where people who hated the PT and critics who reviewed it have said: the acting is wooden, the story is useless and unneeded to fill in any gaps into newer films, lacks charisma and a sense of wonder, exposition and special effects take up the norm, and Jar-Jar binks is still annoying (even if he is the only one with any form of emotion.

) However, compared to AOTC this looks like the Citizen Kane of the series and also, to my surprise, it did have some decent moments that don't make it the WORST film ever. The action, while tensionless and CGI orientating, had some moments of well done spectacle, when it didn't date of course, Darth Maul was a menacing part just like Boba Fett, and the last sequence with Maul, Jinn, and Kenobi is visually, though tensionless and not gritty like the fight with Vader and Luke, is enjoyable.

In the end, I find this film just 'Average', and for a SW fan such as myself, this film had Lucas exploit his ownership of the series and basically giving a finger to his producer that helped him since the start, Gary Kurtz.