Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #4550 in VHS
• Released on: 2000-04-04
• Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Formats: Closed-captioned, Color, THX, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of tapes: 1
• Running time: 133 minutes

Amazon.com
"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-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 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

From The New Yorker
It has been more than twenty years since George Lucas directed a movie. Amid the fuss that has attended his return to the fray, no one seems to have wondered whether he was up to the task. With this film, Lucas demonstrates two facts: one, that he has kept abreast of the recent leaps in special effects, and two, that he hasn't a clue what to do with all the nondigital figures, otherwise known as "people." The movie is the first of three prequels to the original "Star Wars" trilogy, the intention being to explain everything that happened in that slightly dreary galaxy before Harrison Ford turned up. In this opening installment, the clash is between the Federation, which wants to take over the planet Naboo and build condos, and the local residents, who kick up a stink with a little help from the Jedi. Halfway through we meet Anakin Skywalker (Jake Lloyd)-savior of the galaxy, or, from another point of view, a precocious little creep. Three fine actors were lured into this farrago: Ewan McGregor plays the young Obi-Wan Kenobi, Liam Neeson is his Jedi mentor, Natalie Portman plays a teen-age queen, and all of them look as if they were recently abused by robots. Everyone on planet Earth is being encouraged to see this movie; why don't we follow the good citizens of Naboo and mount a spirited resistance? -Anthony Lane
Copyright © 2006 The New Yorker

Customer Reviews

3 1/2 stars
I thought this movie was really good. I liked Darth Maul, I liked the pod race. The thing I didn't like was that they stretched the movie a bit too long. But, just like all SW movies, it was good to say the least.

This Is The Worst of the 6 ... But Still Star Wars Is Still Fantastic
Why have I waited Till August of 2008 to rate the 3 Prequils? Because I am sick and tired of Everyone who THINKS they are a Star Wars Critic or Fan,Bashing Star Wars and George Lucas. Now to the Review.. Ok I admit Episode I was the Weakest of the 6 Films, but for a reason. If you are Looking at each film Individually then you are cheating yourself. George set out to do what he always wanted to do, tell the story of.... Not Darth Vader, But Anakin Skywalker. To do that you have to go to the Beginning. His Youth. AS a Slave Boy, What molded him? What led the Jedi to him? If all you are Looking for is an Action Thriller Movie you are in the Wrong Place. Yes Jar Jar was Silly, Yes In Fact Dumb. But Take Him for what he is "an Idiot" Used Almost Exclusively for Episode I. However The Plot lines and the Story are what were important in the Prequels. Obviously Special Effects are going to rule any Star Wars Movie. as they do in all 6. Darth Maul Everyone Says was so Cool they should have kept him around. All I hear is He was "too cool to Kill Off" and I say " He Really was Cool, But he Served his Purpose. His Character needed to Be killed off ....For the STORY" and as George always says "Story First" Next. Liam Neason as Qui-Gon GIn was Essential and The Overall Story was Pivotal AS a Beginning To (NOt Darth Vader) but Anakin's Origin's . WE See his Incredible ability to Love.(Which Will lead To his Ability to Hate). WE see His Intuition with the Force, the POdrace and the Space battle were all controlled by the force(and Darth Sidious) Nothing will happen to his prize. The Movies make Sense the more you read into them.
Why were they not as successful as the Original Trilogy? People Come up with a Million and one Excuses. The real reason is The Original Trilogy - Nobody EVER saw anything like that before. A Million Movies came out since, each one outdoing the next, people got Spoiled. Now Star Wars When the Bar was set so high- Nothing could have met the expectations people had. So when 3 Great movies came out each one better then the last, people who were already Spoiled weren't getting the Undeliverable Movie they wanted. They were let down."What it isn't better then Perfect?" That is the Reason.

A must see
I love this movie because its a way to make sure you can connect all the dots about the movie. I love how all the Star Wars movies come together and still make sense from the first movies made.