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Star Wars: The Phantom Menace
PG (SINGAPORE)
1999
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Star Wars: The Phantom Menace
Positive Reviews
76
Negative reviews
23
Average Rating
3.5
/5
ridiculous
interesting
exciting
original
amazing
All
Positive
Negative
4.5
More to the point, its a Star Wars movie, so it brings with it all the strengths and weaknesses of its predecessors, only more of both.
Av Club
1.5
This is just another 3D cash grab by George Lucas. If you didnt like the film before, you wont like the film now.
We Got This Covered
3.5
Drowning amidst the oceans of hype, marketing, and fan worship, there is a movie, and unfortunately its not a terribly good one.
Austin Chronicle
4.4
And its a lot of fun.The film has correctly been given the PG rating; its suitable for younger viewers and doesnt depend on violence for its effects.
Rogerebert
5.0
The Star Wars film series created by George Lucas has become one of the most successful franchises in the history of cinema, and the latest film, Star ..
Telegraph
5.0
But if youve seen enough terrible 3D conversions, you might want to check this out as an example of it done pretty well.
Cinema Blend
3.1
In these few minutes, Phantom captures the essence of the series appeal, its combination of human emotion and visual wizardry.It will have audiences c ..
Ny Daily News
4.0
This movie is a perfect example of why the word eye candy was invented.
JoBlo
2.5
Us too! approach of the 2012 re release, the combination of fan favorite characters as well as exciting set pieces (which dont benefit much from the 3 ..
Screen Rant
5.0
Lucas has fashioned a fascinating pluriverse of outer space works filled with strange and amazing computer generated and special effects enhanced crea ..
Spirituality And Practice
5.0
As each character in The Phantom Menace has been designed with a molded plastic collectible in mind, almost every sequence suggests either Mr. Toads W ..
Village Voice
3.5
All these space landscapes gave the film all the color and spectacle it could ever need, making it a most entertaining and enjoyable movie experience, ..
Sover
2.5
Theres plenty to look at: The movies crammed with goofball aliens, futuristic hardware and elaborate costumes, some of them truly stunning in their in ..
Tv Guide
3.8
Ittries to overwhelm us with its sound and fury in a vain attempt to cover up thedistinct lack of decent writing.
Combust Ible Celluloid
2.0
The digital effects help him realize this sincere aim, but the campy whiffs of pseudoprofundity are strictly analogical and exclusively the writer dir ..
Chicago Reader
2.0
Ker ching!.The 3 D conversion of Star Wars Episode 1 The Phantom Menace from 1999 will be a nice little earner.
The Times
3.8
The story is a little weak, and there really arent any interesting characters, but the sheer spectacle of the film will probably be enough to satisfy ..
Lariat
3.5
Let the movie speak to the child inside you the child that is still optimistic and that still believes in magic.
Eric Ds Nider
2.0
They rescue the royal lady with help from amphibious Jar Jar Binks and befriend the immaculately conceived 9 year old slave boy Anakin Skywalker (Jake ..
News Review
3.0
Marvel instead at the state of the art technical wizardry and fizzing action thats just enough to keep nostalgic wistfulness at bay.
Radio Times
4.5
I dont know what I would do without it.It is well worth the membership.
Screen It
1.0
From the ridiculous title, with those two Ms gummily stuck together in the middle, to the uniformly atrocious performances, from the incomprehensible ..
Independent
3.5
The actors are wallpaper, the jokes are juvenile, theres no romance, and the dialogue lands with the thud of a computer instruction manual.
Rolling Stone
1.9
The kind of film that will have kids fidgeting in their seats, Star Wars: Episode 1 The Phantom Menace got dismissive reviews in 1999, and it deserves ..
News Day
2.5
Its full of adventure for the eye, but beneath its glitzy surface youll find little heart and no real soul at all.
Cs Monitor
2.0
You keep looking for the emotional center of the movie and never find it.
Film Journal
2.5
Its its own giant exercise in product placement.Its hard to believe that McGregors Obi Wan and Portmans Amidala wont be given juicier material in epis ..
Boston
4.0
Now enhanced, if that is the word, by 3D, this film originally appeared in 1999, two decades after the first (and best) Stars Wars picture and is in r ..
Guardian
2.0
Watched again now, Phantom Menace seems flat rather than actually objectionable: there is something almost exotic in its intricate dullness, and chara ..
Guardian
5.0
Its like a three ring circus, and I never knew where to look for the most exciting action.
Reel Talk Reviews
4.4
A lot of the beats are a bit too familiar from previous entries in the series, which isnt surprising given that this is the fifth film to play off the ..
Q Network
3.2
Tersely commanding, he gives the film its only hints of emotional dynamism.
Ew
3.0
Episode 1 lacks a lot of the heart the original series embraced.The plot is very very dull and extremely slow.
Cinema Crazed
1.5
Sometimes, a directors craziness can provide a unifying excitement to films that have a shaky narrative.
Salon
5.0
Look, I wanted to love The Phantom Menace, too. I was an adolescent boy and would enjoy being one again for a couple of hours. But the movie has a way ..
Slate
2.0
With its 8 year old lead character, bright and imaginative design, and never lets up plotting, this prequel is perfectly suited to kids attention span ..
Common Sense Media
2.5
From richly imagined new computer generated characters that interact uncannily with the human actors to a strategically paced bonanza of extended, hug ..
Sf Gate
4.0
Its an often deliriously exciting adventure, hitting the target audience of 10 year olds and satisfying long time fans, providing the pop culture anal ..
Bbc
0.0
What should be exciting feels incoherent and sloppy as a result, a mess of noise and light spewing from all directions.
Slant Magazine
3.8
The numerous slow patches ultimately just makes one more appreciative of the pure visceral excitement of the slam bang third act.
Mr Brown Movies
3.1
The original trilogy somehow captured viewers imaginations like no other movie possibly could, taking them on a wild ride through never before seen pl ..
The Movie Boy
3.5
Production is the actors should have been issued sunglasses.Pretty routine filmmaking on many levels.
Reeling Reviews
3.0
But theres no beating the sense of hope and adventure and honest to goodness wonder that shines through.
Flickfilosopher
4.4
He will amuse children but annoy adults.Finally, well respected actors Terrence Stamp and Samuel L. Jackson have welcome cameos.
ReelViews
5.0
Lucas, directing his first effort since the original Star Wars, has delivered a brilliant technical achievement, light years ahead of its forerunners ..
Hollywood Reporter
3.5
Its messy and works a bit more than half the time, but the highs ultimately triumph over its weaker moments.
Lyles Movie Files
2.5
Some genuinely enjoyed it.Some tried their best to feign a smile, harboring their despair for years.
Hollywood
4.5
On May 19, 1999, Star Wars fans prepared to finally see another chapter of their beloved franchise.
Birth Movies Death
2.0
Never mind, the special effects are something to see in 3D, but dont listen too closely to the screenplay or try to work out who is who.
Standard
4.5
Benedict Cumberbatch Wants You To Know He *Is* The Motherf*cking Grinch The Grinch star takes Mike Ryan through the final scenes of Avengers: Infinity ..
Hit Fix
2.0
The special effects here are spectacular and the overall production design is breathtaking.
Cnn
3.1
Still, you have to see it, dont you I know I did, and Im glad I did. But I can honestly say I was never really entertained.
Spliced Wire
2.0
The film itself remains as chunky and clunky an origin story as you will ever encounter.
Herald Sun
3.1
Ranking high on the films list of positive attributes is its myriad of affable performances, with Hamills effective (and affecting) turn as the sympat ..
Reel Film
2.5
You realize how much humor Harrison Ford brought to things; without him, at times the movie itself feels frozen in Carbonite.
Nj
3.8
This entry into the Star Wars saga does the originals justice in terms of heart, action, and fun.The box office lines arent as bad as even I had feare ..
Movie Habit
4.0
At times this science fiction adventure is thrilling, and it is also touching and even has its share of silly moments.
Deseret News
4.5
Overall, it is a remarkable film for its bravura and its inventiveness.
Urban Cine File
4.5
I warn you, Im gonna continue whining about the movie. Just keep in mind that I liked it.
La Weekly
5.0
But even this couldnt shake what I felt about the Star Wars films.
La Weekly
2.5
I could still have enjoyed it if only there were actors or characters strong enough to stand out against this computer enhanced backdrop.
Three Movie Buffs
4.4
The movie does resonate with its predecessors in interesting and touching ways.
New York Post
2.5
Theres a stirring race between what look like jet propelled go carts, and an exciting climactic sword fight.But you know exactly how both will end, be ..
New York Post
2.5
Everything grumpy cineastes have always said about the Star Wars movies that they substitute special effects bombast for actual storytelling is thorou ..
New York Post
3.1
Whats missing from George Lucas heralded return to the screen is . . . sex.
New York Post
3.5
Finally someone has crossed the line where reality and fantasy are indistinguishable.
Contact Music
3.1
Quite uninteresting in its stale moments, the Menace soars from time to time.
Ross Anthony
2.5
M y inner child went with me to see Star Wars: Episode 1 The Phantom Menace.
Wsj
3.5
Its a spectacle certainly populated with cartoon asides, but nothing that demands an immediate regurgitation of popcorn.
Brian Or Ndorf
3.1
But this is a Star Wars movie and the above complaints could just as easily be applied to the film that started it all back in 1977.
Big Picture Big Sound
3.8
Lucas films might not be very deep, but theyre very complex and involving in a comic book kind of way.
Montreal Film Journal
3.0
Its just enough to remind us what all the fuss was about in the first place.Keep up with this story and more by subscribing now
News Week
5.0
Star Wars fans should love it.But even they may be divided, especially after the buildup.
Chron
3.1
This isnt a film that will change history the way the first Star Wars did 22 years ago.
Mercury News
5.0
I hate its insufferable logic, its conspicuous schema; the simple matinee character focused action, full of jeopardy and excitement.
The Ooh Tray
4.5
I enjoyed the film and feel that it established the foundation for many story elements that were curiously unexplained in the previous trilogy.
Film Quips Online
2.0
Movie Review The Prequel Has Landed The Phantom Menace, aimed at younger audiences, delivers lots of spectacle but is noticeably lacking in warmth and ..
La Times
3.2
The films greatest strength remains the imaginative force of its fantasy worlds and the technical virtuosity with which it realizes them.
Decent Films
3.8
Lets face up to it: the Star Wars films were designed to be Saturday matinee shows and watching it I felt ten years old again.The Phantom Menace is an ..
Scifi Movie Page
3.8
Taken as one chapter in a larger story, it brings out subtle nuances that didnt exist before.For that and for many other reasons it deserves our admir ..
Flip Side Archive
4.0
The 3D conversion on this film is one of the best Ive ever seen... and thats what makes it worth paying some extra money to see it again in the theate ..
Fat Guys At The Movies
4.4
A twisted family saga of mock Elizabethan sweep and a gigantic video game full of zaps and zowies.A dreamland voyage through lands of cockeyed marvels ..
Articles Chicago Tribune
2.0
Yet the movie falls far short of its predecessors because it hasnt wedded its cutting edge technology to a good old fashioned story that involves your ..
Articles Chicago Tribune
2.5
Perhaps Lucas has become too lost in his mastery of computer generated effects and digital sound to remember that creativity in the movies is not just ..
Denver Post
4.5
Still, Lucas new work is an occasionally dazzling celebration of the possibilities of computer generated filmmaking.The sets, which range from a wondr ..
National Post
2.5
And it doesnt much charm us either.Somehow, after 22 years, the cuteness has worn off.
The Australian
5.0
In our movies, we dont just want the beauty of technological effects; we want the beauty of emotion that can come out of those effects.
Ny Mag
1.0
The movie doesnt matter.The jam packed style of the film serves only to motor a merchandising blowout that has already out grossed many small countrie ..
New City Film
3.0
Die hard fans will feel the same conflicted love for it that they always have done.
Fan The Fire Magazine
2.0
It isnt fast paced or thrilling enough to hook kids nowadays, nor is it particularly interesting for any older Star Wars newbies.Its this reviewers be ..
Cairo 360
5.0
Im glad I saw this movie. Youll be glad you did too. Its an amazing adventure into technology and glitz.
Vulture
2.5
Darth Maul is back, this time waving his wand in 3D. Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace was poorly received by critics when it debuted, so does i ..
Movie Chambers
3.5
I really really wanted to love this film, but I went into it like I do every moviejust wanting a decent film.
Need Coffee
4.5
Is it a good movie, as solid and entertaining as the other three Star Wars episodes
Metro Times
4.0
Set a generation before that trilogy begins, the new film offers us missing pieces of a grand cinematic puzzle.
Articles Orlando Sentinel
5.0
LAME.IT ALMOST SOUNDS LIKE SOMETHING YOU WOULD HAVE DONE, AND THEN YOU WOULD HAVE THOUGHT IT WAS ALL FUNNY, OR SOMETHING.>>> <<<YOU JUST COULDNT BRING ..
Juicy Cerebellum
3.5
Lucas has protected his multibillion dollar franchise by making a film targeted at children. It gives them exactly what they want eye candy that moves ..
Week In Rewind
2.5
What it doesnt have is enough enchantment, humor and thrills to keep them coming back.
Articles Baltimore Sun
2.3
The 3 D looks fine, if subdued enough that you forget about it for long stretches.
Movie Line
3.2
Film franchises come and go all the time in Hollywood, particularly in science fiction circles, but the Force is still strong in this one.
Nicks Flick Picks
3.5
What was fresh and exciting there now looks like mediocre even by standards of TV adventure series.Its heavy exposition, its mediocre performances, an ..
Looking Closer
5.0
Sign up for Take Action Now and well send you three actions every Tuesday.
The Nation
3.8
The visual and special effects here have once again raised the bar for fantasy and science fiction films in the near future.The sword play with the li ..
Paloalto Online
3.1
Maybe something like. . . Escapism.Star Wars upped the ante in American filmmaking by taking the notion of fantasy to a totally different level.
Seattle Times
2.2
The narrative structure is just awful.In Star Wars and The Empire Strike Back the momentum never flagged.
About Film
2.5
But the spectacular wretchedness of these characters is soothing in its fury.
Reviews Antagony Ecstasy
5.0
Precautions may be indulged for the most avidly awaited, assiduously hyped film since Gone With the Wind.
Content Time
2.0
A murky, talky prequel that emphasises all the series weakest elements rather than its strongest ones.
Bfi
5.0
With ripping action, oddball aliens and three times the digital effects of any previous movie, The Phantom Menace generally lives up to the most eager ..
Democratand Chronicle
4.5
This is a craft that has existed at least since ancient Greek drama.
Film Scouts
4.4
Episode 1 is almost exactly what I hoped it would be a thrilling continuation on the themes and ideas that captured my imagination as a boy.
Angel Fire
3.5
The Saturday night screening I attended was packed with families coming to enjoy it as the decent but often unremarkable film that it is.
Breit Bart
2.0
George Lucas is a wizard at populating a world with everything but people.
Film Vault
4.5
Its a hardcore adventure, a complete and total fantasy world with its own religion and legends and landscapes, something few filmmakers have the balls ..
Cleve Scene
1.5
A raid on a New Mexico desert compound turned up 11 children wearing rags and living in filth, and also broke open a bizarre tale of guns, exorcismsan ..
Daily News Los Angeles
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Star Wars: The Phantom Menace