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Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999)
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Reviews Counted: 153
Fresh: 97
Rotten:56
Average Rating: 6/10
Consensus: Lucas needs to improve on the plot and character development, but there's plenty of eye candy to behold.
Rated: PG [See Full Rating] for sci-fi action/violence.
Runtime: 2 hrs 16 mins
Genre: Science-Fiction/Fantasy
Theatrical Release:May 19, 1999 Wide
Synopsis: The first of three prequels to George Lucas's celebrated STAR WARS films, EPISODE I: THE PHANTOM MENACE is set some 30 years before the original STAR WARS EPISODE IV: A NEW HOPE in the era of the... The first of three prequels to George Lucas's celebrated STAR WARS films, EPISODE I: THE PHANTOM MENACE is set some 30 years before the original STAR WARS EPISODE IV: A NEW HOPE in the era of the Republic. Naboo, a peaceful planet governed by the young but wise Queen Amidala (Natalie Portman), is being threatened by the corrupt Trade Federation, puppets of an evil Sith lord and his terrifying apprentice, Darth Maul (Ray Park). Jedi knights Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson) and Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor, performing an amazing vocal imitation of Alec Guinness, the older Obi-Wan) are called on to intervene in the trade disputes. Along the way, they acquire an apprentice of their own in the form of young prodigy Anakin Skywalker (Jake Lloyd), or as STAR WARS fans know him, the future Darth Vader. They also encounter Jar Jar Binks (Ahmed Best), a goofy, lizardlike creature who has been banished from his underwater world for clumsiness. When the Trade Federation launches an attack on Naboo, the queen and her allies must battle hordes of robot troopers while Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan face off against the sinister Darth Maul. One of the most anticipated films of all time, THE PHANTOM MENACE sets the stage for the tumultuous events to come. Lucas fills the screen with detailed sci-fi creatures and locations, revealing the most creative and exquisite sets, costumes, and character designs to hit the screen since the original trilogy. [More]
Starring: Liam Neeson, Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, Jake Lloyd
Starring: Liam Neeson, Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, Jake Lloyd, Ian McDiarmid, Samuel L. Jackson, Oliver Ford Davies, Terence Stamp, Pernilla August, Frank Oz, Ahmed Best, Adrian Dunbar, Hugh Quarshie, Kenny Baker, Warwick Davis, Brian Blessed, Ray Park, Ralph Brown, Anthony Daniels, Silas Carson, Keira Knightley
Director: George Lucas
Director: George Lucas
Screenwriter: George Lucas
Producer: Rick McCallum
Composer: John Williams
Studio: 20th Century Fox
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Reviews for Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
Clearly there is something wrong with a film, when the loudest applause occurs as the curtain goes up, in anticipation of, rather than response to, what is being seen.
The visuals are indeed eye-popping, but I was left with no vested emotional tie to either story or characters.
The horror of Jar Jar Binks aside, there's plenty in Episode I to keep us entertained.
It's still a galaxy far, far away, and it still looks like nothing we've ever seen before.
Charmless, sexless, passionless and robot-humoured, it's preposterously uninvolving.
It's good to have Star Wars -- any Star Wars -- back after such a long time; and it's worth seeing.
Despite a shaky start and the presence of questionable elements throughout, by the time it arrives at its finale The Phantom Menace has won its place alongside the original Star Wars trilogy.
Lucas has protected his multibillion-dollar franchise by making a film targeted at children. It gives them exactly what they want--eye candy that moves at light speed.
What’s important to remember is that the better moments don’t merely balance out the weaker ones - they topple them.
What is most striking about Lucas' movies -- all his movies, including THX 1138 and American Graffiti -- is a sort of startling obviousness.
I must take issue with the intense backlash from other critics against the film.
No film made could measure up to the avalanche of buzz and craziness surrounding this release. There is plenty of both good and bad news here.
I enjoyed the film and feel that it established the foundation for many story elements that were curiously unexplained in the previous trilogy.
Film franchises come and go all the time in Hollywood, particularly in science-fiction circles, but the Force is still strong in this one.
There are no romance, no humor, ultimately nobody to care about in this oddly sterile movie.
Lucas' films might not be very deep, but they're very complex and involving in a comic book kind of way.
Latest News for Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
May 29, 2009:
10 Years of Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
Ten years ago this month, excitement reached fever pitch ahead of the release of Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace. After 16 years without a Star Wars film in cinemas,... More...
May 18, 2009:
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Ten years ago tomorrow, "Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace" arrived in theaters -- and to commemorate the occasion, author Matt Springer has released a free e-book... More...
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