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DVD Star Wars - Episode I, The Phantom Menace (Full Screen Edition)
"I have a bad feeling about this," says the young Obi-Wan Kenobi (played by Ewan McGregor) in Star Wars: Episode I, The Phantom Menace as he steps off a spaceship and into the most anticipated cinematic event... well, ever. He might as well be speaking for the legions of fans of the original episodes in the Star Wars saga who can't help but secretly ask themselves: Sure, this is Star Wars, but is it my Star Wars? The original elevated moviegoers' expectations so high that it would have been impossible for any subsequent film to meet them. And as with all the Star Wars movies, The Phantom Menace features inexplicable plot twists, a fistful of loose threads, and some cheek-chewing dialogue. Han Solo's swagger is sorely missed, as is the pervading menace of heavy-breather Darth Vader. There is still way too much quasi-mystical mumbo jumbo, and some of what was fresh about Star Wars 22 years earlier feels formulaic. Yet there's much to admire. The special effects are stupendous; three worlds are populated with a mélange of creatures, flora, and horizons rendered in absolute detail. The action and battle scenes are breathtaking in their complexity. And one particular sequence of the film--the adrenaline-infused pod race through the Tatooine desert--makes the chariot race in Ben-Hur look like a Sunday stroll through the park.
Among the host of new characters, there are a few familiar walk-ons. We witness the first meeting between R2-D2 and C-3PO, Jabba the Hutt looks younger and slimmer (but not young and slim), and Yoda is as crabby as ever. Natalie Portman's stately Queen Amidala sports hairdos that make Princess Leia look dowdy and wields a mean laser. We never bond with Jedi Knight Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson), and Obi-Wan's day is yet to come. Jar Jar Binks, a cross between a Muppet, a frog, and a hippie, provides many of the movie's lighter moments, while Sith Lord Darth Maul is a formidable force. Baby-faced Anakin Skywalker (Jake Lloyd) looks too young and innocent to command the powers of the Force or wield a lightsaber (much less transmute into the future Darth Vader), but his boyish exuberance wins over skeptics.
Near the end of the movie, Palpatine, the new leader of the Republic, may be speaking for fans eagerly awaiting Episode II when he pats young Anakin on the head and says, "We will watch your career with great interest." Indeed! --Tod Nelson
Review(s): DVD Star Wars - Episode I, The Phantom Menace (Full Screen Edition)
another awesome movie from george lucas
i have been a die hard star wars fan sense i saw the first one
when i was five years old and i am still a die hard fan. when i
heard that there was another star wars movie coming out i was
estatic, i thought it was going to be about luke and leia and when i saw it i was a little disappointed but after watching it
for a while i began to like it. the little boy playing anakin
skywalker was so cute and he was wonderful in it. natalie portman was great as the queen, and ewan mcgregor wasn't bad either.
i loved the pod race and the laser fights,and the battles in space were amazing, some of the boys i grew up with thought that
only guys could love star wars but they are wrong because girls could love it too.
i still wish that mark hamill was in it because i always loved
him as luke skywalker but i know that this episode was about anakin skywalker and him becoming a jedi knight. i have to admite i didn't think i could ever like any other star wars movie especially if it didn't have mark hamill in it but i was wrong. i love this star wars movie and i'm sure every one else will too.
Best lightsaber duel of the six movies
I avoided watching this movie for a long time because of all the negative press. However, when I finally did watch it I thought it was pretty good.
I do agree that Jar-Jar has to be one of the worst characters in the Star Wars universe and that the kid who plays Anakin wasn't very good either. If George Lucas ever re-releases these as special editions perhaps he'll remove the boy and replace him with a digital surrogate and get new voice talent for Jar Jar or just edit him out completely.
The two Jedi (Qui-gon and Obi-wan) are great. I think the the lightsaber duel with Maul is perhaps the best choreographed and exciting of all six films.
An Unbiased Review of Star Wars Part 1
Star Wars 1: The Phantom Menace
An even longer time ago in a galaxy (that seems to have infinite planets); we witness the beginning of the collapse of a democracy and the rise of an empire, in addition to, the development of a villain of legendary proportions.
Unfortunately, the movie stands on special effects. The story has stuff that is never explained in the rest of the series, and what is explained sounds too Eastern Religion.
Unfortuetly childish creatures come again in the form of big talking frogs. Again trying to appeal to children.
Although the actors were very good, the writing they were given was bad. George Lucas wrote it himself, big mistake.
Overall, the movie suffers from bad writing and another childish creature. The special effects are the only thing holding the story together; also, it spends too much time dilly-dallying around exotic environments. The worst out of the Star Wars 3/5 Stars.
Note: See the other three parts of Unbiased Reviews of Star Wars.
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