Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace review
34 Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
Rewatch
Starring Liam Neilson as Qui-Gon Jinn, Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan Kenobi, Natalie Portman as Padme Naberrie, Jake Lloyd as Anakin Skywalker and Ian McDiarmid as Palpatine. The first film of the Star Wars prequal trilogy, about the story of Anakin Skywalker as a Jedi. It is also about the beginning of Palpatine's rise to power. It is a good movie in it's own right, but not as good as A New Hope. Most of the plot is worthy of being compared to the original triology, however there are other parts that aren't as good.
For example, the Pod Race drags on a little too long. Other elements are a bit grating, like the battle droids, and Jar Jar Binks. Especially Jar Jar Binks. I don't know what Lucas was thinking there. All of those scenes would be better if Jar Jar wasn't in them. (However, the idea of the Gungans as a whole, however, is a different story. It is another worldbuilding detail that makes Naboo believable as a world within the Galaxy Far Far Away.) The story the discovery of Anakin as a result of Queen fleeing from Naboo and having to land on Tatooine is well told (aside from the above caveats).
As are the way that Palpatine's manipulations of the Senate and the Trade Federation are portrayed. Ian McDiarmid sells it very easily. Portman is also good as the young Queen who is fearful for her people and who not at all pleased about the situation in the Senate. A movie well worth the rewatching. 8/10.