Star Wars I: The Phantom Menace [Region 2] dvd movie.|
Star Wars I: The Phantom Menace [Region 2] buy bestselling dvd movies, videos find reviews, ratings, prices |
![Star Wars I: The Phantom Menace [Region 2]](/pictures/Star-Wars-Phantom-Menace-o.jpg) |
Features • PAL In Theaters : 19 May, 1999 |
| [ + Zoom ] [ Buy Now ] | DVD : This item is currently not available. |
|
Star Wars I: The Phantom Menace [Region 2] description "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-breather 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 |
|
|
| ♥♥♥♥♥ | One of the most disappointing films of all time! |
| I was one of the thousands of fans who stood in line on opening night, having waited for 16 years for another Star Wars film. I can still recall the optimistic mood and loud chatter of the crowd as we waited, and then finally filed into the theatre. I can also recall the loud remarks of disappointment within the theatre as the movie ended, followed by near silence and murmurs of disappointment as we all filed out.
This film was one of the most anticipated releases of ALL TIME. It can also be considered one of the greatest disappointments of all time. It's probably the only film ever to have achieved HUGE box office profits while actually being HATED by the majority of viewers who paid to see it. The huge box office gross was basically GUARANTEED, and does not represent HAPPY VIEWERS. I could go into all the details as to why this film basically destroyed everything that the original TWO, and a portion of the third, had accomplished.... but then, if you're an original Star Wars fan, you already know exactly what I would write. To sum up; One of the most hated and disappointing films in history, that also just happens to be a huge commercial success, for no other reason than 16 years of built-up anticipation. If they had offered a "money back, satisfaction guarantee", I imagine the true box office figures would have been a few thousand dollars profit :) I would also imagine that most people who purchase this film on DVD only do so to complete their collection. Then probably half of them regret the decision. JM |
|
|