Star Wars Episode I: the Phantom Menace [VHS] [1999]: Ewan McGregor, Liam Neeson, Natalie Portman, Jake Lloyd, Ian McDiarmid, Pernilla August, Oliver Ford Davies, Hugh Quarshie, Ahmed Best, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, Frank Oz, David Tattersall, George Lucas, Ben Burtt, Paul Martin Smith, Rick McCallum: Amazon.co.uk: Video

Amazon.co.uk Review

"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 it is 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-breathing 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 Qui-Gon 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 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 sceptics. 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

Amazon.co.uk Review

George Lucas transports audiences back to the future with Star Wars: Episode I, The Phantom Menace, the first instalment of a prequel trilogy in which the director imagines the foundation for the entire six-part saga. Reflecting the symbolic and mythological bases of at least five story arcs, The Phantom Menace wields a newly emerged, youthful vibrancy courtesy of Lucas' invigorating return to the director's chair and his healthy respect for the emotional sources of fantasy. Despite receiving a storm of adverse criticism (notably for Jar Jar Binks) Lucas continually fascinates with his ability to place his characters--some new, some old, some CGI--in the same dramatic situations posed in the original trilogy: whether it be the juxtaposition of primitives with technologically advanced societies or the timeless battle between good and evil, the very familiarity of these recurring scenarios and rhythms galvanises the viewer. Of course, the state-of-the-art visual effects contribute mightily to the final impact. Much has been written about the kinetic Pod Race sequence (compared favourably with the chariot race in Ben Hur) and the War and Peace-style military battles, but even these events are upstaged by the new planetary vistas: consider the Romanesque grandeur of Naboo, the underwater city of Otoh Gunga illuminated by Art Nouveau lamps, the decadent brio of Tatooine, or the dizzying skyscrapers of the city planet Coruscant (imagine Blade Runner in daylight). Despite the beauty of his iridescent images, Lucas exercises discipline, cutting fast within frames filled with rich detail and activity. As a result, The Phantom Menace lends itself to repeated viewings.

On the DVD: This spectacular two-disc DVD set was certainly worth the wait. Simply put, this is the most comprehensive packaging of supplementary materials so far assembled for DVD. Most importantly, Lucas film offers an anamorphic, 2.35:1 film transfer and a highly active Dolby 5.1 audio mix. Disc 1 includes an insightful commentary with Lucas--his first for DVD--and other key personnel, making for a great tour. The bulk of extra treasures can be found on Disc 2, including seven deleted scenes completed just for this set that possess the same quality as the film; in fact, some moments (the "Air Bus Taxi" and "Pod Race Grid" sequences) are so good that Lucas reincorporated them into the film proper. Viewers can also enjoy no less than 12 Web documentaries, five informative featurettes, the popular John Williams music video "Duel of the Fates" and numerous galleries of stills, trailers and television spots. Better yet, Lucas premieres "The Beginning," a 66-minute documentary edited from hundreds of hours of behind-the-scenes footage. This is not your standard-issue studio documentary, instead "The Beginning" is an Oscar-worthy, cinema verityé-style exploration of the creative process behind every aspect of the film's production. One of the most memorable moments involves a late-day visit to the set by Steven Spielberg: watching Lucas and Spielberg behave like kids in a candy store is one more reminder why the Star Wars saga remains enduringly popular. --Kevin Mulhall

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9 of 10 people found the following review helpful

Not so bad after all 27 Dec 2010

By R. Cartwright

Format:DVD

I had second thoughts about this film while watching it with my children. The flaws are obvious: Jar Jar Binks and lack of menace with the exception of Darth Maul.

However, for younger children the weaknesses are actually a plus. The CGI characters which annoy adults are pleasing to the under 10s so I would rate the film in the following way:

As a film for children: 4-5 stars
As a film for adults: 3 stars

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15 of 18 people found the following review helpful

Too many graphics, not enough plot... 9 Aug 2002

By A. P. Ryan

I have to say that Episode I was slightly disappointing...but only slightly. The special effects are amazing, the battle outside Naboo being one of the best, and the lightsaber fight between Obi-Wan Kenobi, Qui-Gon Jinn and Darth Maul is, put simply, AMAZING.

Most people I've spoken to find Jar Jar extremely irritating. I can never understand why: he adds a comic aspect that, given the slightly bad plot, is very welcome. He does get a bit annoying at times, but he's still very funny to watch.

Only one major gripe: THEY CUT SOME OF THE BEST BITS OUT!
When you watch some of the deleted scenes, and read the novel, you'll see what I mean.

The music, as usual, is unfaultable. "Duel of The Fates" has to be one of the best pieces of music in the film.

As for the plot...well, it fades in places that it shouldn't. For example, in the fights involving the Naboo and the Battle Droids...well, they don't really seem that worried about being shot at, especially not Padme Amidala, which is slightly worrying.

Nevertheless, Episode I is a worthy beginning for the Star Wars saga, and well worth viewing.

22 of 27 people found the following review helpful

Disappointing after such a long wait 2 July 2001

By A Customer

What a shame that after such a long wait, George Lucas failed to deliver. It's not that this is a bad film, just that it doesn't live up to the hype and expectation of 20 or so years.

Lucas evidently decided to try and win over a whole new generation of fans, hence the over the top use of CGI, the two dimensional, undeveloped characters and the annoying presence of Jar Jar Binks. Perhaps this has suceeded in winning over new fans, but I suspect he has alienated plenty of his older fans, and will really have to pull something out of the bag in the next two films to make it up to them.

The story itself is really incidental. The point of this film is to set the scene and introduce the key players. Liam Neeson is reasonable and Ewan McGregor pretty wooden as the two jedi. Plus points are the brooding menace of Palpatine and the superb acrobatic skills of Darth Maul.

Worth a view if you are one of the 5 people yet to see this film in the world, but don't expect too much if you enjoyed the first three editions.