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Picture
Two Jedi Knights attempt to help a peaceful planet overcome a trade blockade by a warring alien race, while a Sith Lord begins to rise again.
ACTION/SCI-FI

Star Wars Episode I: 
​The Phantom Menace
 
(1999)

Written and Directed by George Lucas

Starring Liam Neeson, Ewan McGregor, Jake Lloyd, Natalie Portman, Ian McDiarmid, Ahmed Best, Samuel L. Jackson,
​Anthony Daniels, Frank Oz, Kenny Baker, Ray Park


Prequel to 1977's Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope

Oscar Nominations - Best Sound Mixing, ​​Best Sound Editing,
​Best Visual Effects

Connor Eyzaguirre
January 4, 2015
6/10
Star Wars Episode I gets a lot hate for being a bad movie, but I really don't think it deserves most of it. Sure, Jar Jar Binks is a terrible character and sucks a lot of the excitement out of the film. But apart from that, there are a lot of things to like about it.

For example, Liam Neeson's portrayal of Qui-Gon Jinn is easily one of the best parts of the prequel trilogy. I must also praise Ewan McGregor for his flawless portrayal of a young Obi-Wan Kenobi. Then of course, there's Jake Lloyd, who is so bad even for a child actor. While his performance suffers, it's not as bad as Hayden Christensen.

Darth Maul is arguably the coolest Star Wars villain since Darth Vader and it's cool to see the seeds being planted for the Galactic Empire. While there are some very poor additions to the franchise in this one, overall it isn't that bad.
Caleb Leger
January 9, 2016
5/10
Well, it's safe to say that The Phantom Menace is the worst in the ever popular Star Wars saga. While it does have some redeeming qualities to it, it's mostly a massive misfire from writer, and director, George Lucas. Instead of delivering the epic beginning to iconic villain, Darth Vader, we're instead treated to exposition and trade negotiations. Not the most exciting thing to watch. 

Before I rip into this movie, I'll start with the good. The first major thing is Liam Neeson as Qui-Gon Jinn. He is a great addition to the franchise, believably creating a Jedi wise beyond his years. The second good thing is Sith villain Darth Maul. He is one of the franchise's better villains, proving to be a formidable foe for the protagonists. The final saving grace is the pod racing segment, which is a generally thrilling moment in the movie. As for the bad, let's begin with everyone's least favorite character, Jar Jar Binks. He is a terrible character who is completely useless to the plot. I'm also fairly certain he's a racist stereotype. The film also indulges in long, and I mean long, segments of exposition and trade negotiations, creating for a very boring viewing experience. Finally, while I totally didn't hate Jake Lloyd's performance as a young Anakin Skywalker, he wasn't all that great either. 

The Phantom Menace is not a good start to the, at the time, highly anticipated prequel trilogy. The film suffers greatly from many of Lucas's creative decisions. While there are some redeeming qualities, this is still a wasted opportunity and a massive disappointment. 

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