Rating:  -
This movie is bad on all levels.
Acting - D
Casting - D
Dialog - E
Story - E
Characters - E
CG - E (Computer graphics are great when you can't tell that it is CG)
Rating:  -
This movie was sold as 'used-very good condition' I recieved a movie in 'like new-excellent' condition. At a great price. Shipping was fast, it did suprise me that it was shipped FedEx but arrived by US Postal. I would and will do business with this company again. BTW, my 6 year old is a star wars nut and he has watched this movie over and over, with no issues with the dvd.
Rating: -
Showing my age here: when STAR TREK THE MOTION PICTURE finally appeared in 1979, I was among the first in line; I stood in the snow waiting breathlessly for the second show. When the audience for the premiere emptied out, everyone had blank, bewildered faces. Not good. After watching it I understood why. STTMP put the best characters on the sidelines and rehashed "Where No Man Has Gone Before."
Fans develop attachments to characters and themes.
Even the late great Joseph Campbell revered the original STAR WARS trilogy. The original will always remain a classic, and Empire, the immediate sequel, nearly topped it. But by the time we got to Jedi we had cutesy Ewoks running around and a rehash of blow-up-death-star.
Drunk on profits, Lucas was already dumbing down the franchise.
Little did we know just how dumb it would get until PHANTOM MENACE.
We've all seen and suffered through it anyway, so I'm preaching to choirs. But it's still staggering to witness just how childish, simplistic and foolish PHANTOM is - this from a man who could literally film anything he wanted - and he did.
Nobody wanted to say NO to George Lucas.
Jar-Jar Binks: easily the most reviled "character" in film history; that took a lot of work to accomplish.
Darth Vader - a cultural icon - is reduced to a silly child. "Annie! Annie!"
ANNIE??? That's a girl's name, and a rather famous one.
There are so many jaw-droppingly stupid scenes, from the underwater "fish" people prancing around to the idiotic "finale" with Annie running amok as a wannabe pilot.
After suffering through this I have more respect for Mel Brooks' SPACEBALLS. It's about the same - except Lucas was serious.
Rating:  -
The sad truth dawned on all of us watching Phantom Menace that this movie made Return of the Jedi look like Taxi Driver. With nothing but emotionless dialogue, bad acting from star Jake Lloyd and LONG gaps without any action Phantom pushes your patience. Add to that the tornado of annoyance that is Jar Jar Binks, and you have the weakest Star Wars movie in the saga. The menacing presence of Darth Maul is the only saving grace here, and the lightsaber duel is pretty impressive in it's own right. But the rest of the films flaws are just to much to suffer through. Kids will love it and it's great for introducing real young ones to the franchise, but otherwise just stick with the SW movies with Darth Vader on the cover.
Rating: -
I personally popped the DVD out of the player and threw the whole thing in the garbage. This was due to the part where they said the Anakin Skywalker was of virgin birth by his mother Slmi Skywalker (one of many virgin births that had occurred through recent history, according to the Obiwan). I can't think of a greater slap in the face to a Christian than this, which mocks the birth of Christ Our Lord by the Holy Mother Mary.
Another thing I despised, was that the Jedi Knights (the good guys) condomed and approved of the practiced of slavery and indentured servants (both Anakin and his mother were slaves). What kind of message does that send to children who watch this? I have since boycotted all Star War products because of this. And I love science fiction.
I think this is a choice for those of the Christian faith: either stand with God (and boycott Star Wars products, films & books) or join Lucas (who has milked this thing for over 30 years) in his eternal fate. Your choice.
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