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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
The core audience for these movies was established 23 years ago. With this movie Lucas is trying to appeal to the next generation, but he's supplying them with inferior product. Summation: kill Jar Jar Binks, up the Darth Maul factor times 10 to make it dark and edgey again, tighten up the plot *A LOT*, cut out the circus/kiddy feel, and focus more on the characters who will be in the forthcoming movies (not Subulba, not JJB, not those weird looking Jedi dudes). Appended to the holy name of Star Wars, this movie is nearly blasphemous.
I'm so glad that by my late 20s, the old thrill had faded, or else I would have been EXTREMELY upset over "Episode I: The Phantom Menace"...perhaps the biggest let-down in film history.
What was with all the fart/"poo-doo" humor? Can anyone clear this up for me? Extremely infantile. Or could anyone have thought of a MORE boring plot device than interplanetary "trade and taxation"?!? I still can't figure out what all that was about. One minute their talking about taxes, the next we're watching some alien animal fart.
Jar Jar. Perhaps the single most despised and insulting single character I've ever had the displeasure of loathing. Every second of screentime made my blood boil.
Oh, and Anakin. Could they have found a WORSE little actor? Did anybody take this kid seriously, EVER?!? Did he ever convey a single believable emotion? Not that I remember. Good thing he wasn't the central character in the entire freaking movie!!!
Folks, the party is over. It's time to shift allegiance to the new great fantasy epic of our time: Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings.
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