I'm sorry, but I just have to say.....

...that The Phantom Menace is SO underrated. I watched it this past weekend for the first time in a while and the bottom line is it's just a whole lot of fun to watch.

I mean sure, the Jar Jar antics are overdone, but I chuckled at them. It's no action packed movie but there's a lot of quality setting up for the next two films. It just seems like a good hearted adventure, this time aimed at the family based audience. There was definately that Star Wars 'feel' to it.

I respect those who don't like it, but I'm sorry, it just gets bashed way too hard and doesn't get the credit it deserves.

 

I don't see why you should be apologizing for your opinion. Remember, like 70+% of this forum agrees with you.

 

I know Strilo, but there's a lot of in depth discussion here and having someone babble about how they think the movie was may be considered pointless.

Figured I'd apologize ahead of time ;-)

Thanks for your support !

 

It's no action packed movie but there's a lot of quality setting up for the next two films. It just seems like a good hearted adventure, this time aimed at the family based audience.

Very well-put. I won't go off saying that TPM is perfection, but some of the criticisms(Keyword: SOME) are unfair and riddled with misguided conceptions of what they think Star Wars should be, instead of seeing it for what it actually IS. Without Episode I, the darker/more mature themes of the latter two prequels just wouldn't have the same impact.

 

while i feel that TPM has many problems, i agree that it catches far more criticism that it deserves.

 

I don't think any film is perfect. There is something I would change or dislike about every film I've seen.


OK so I cannot think of anything wrong with Shawshank Redepmtion.

 

agreed on that one, shawshank is quite possibly the most powerful film i have ever seen.

 

Agreed.

 

I watched TPM at the weekend as well and the Jar Jar parts are just bad and some other parts like the underwater chase with the big fish are poor but other parts that I didn't like at first have grown on me like the interaction between Qui-Gon and Shmi so overall it's not as bad is many people say it is.




Edit: Actually now I think about it I don't like the fact Obi-Wan isn't in it very much especially on Tatoonie and his relationship with Anakin isn't developed properly and Jake Lloyd is ****.


Strilo edit: That word is not allowed.

 

Yes, considering the amount of flack that the picture gets, "The Phantom Menace" is in fact underrated. Free of 'expectations', hype, and critical derision, I am able to view the film in its independent form. It is a great deal of fun. If nothing else, both "Phantom" and it's sequel, "Attack of the Clones", are delirious visual extravaganzas, full of energy and invention. Neither film is flawless ("That's an understatement," I can almost hear some people chortle), yet I enjoy them both - not equally, but on their own terms.

By the way, as great as "The Shawshank Redemption" is, it isn't flawless.

 

I'm sorry, but I just have to say.....

Apology accepted

 

STAR WARS EPISODE I: THE PHANTOM MENACE

Great movie! Great start to the STAR WARS Saga!

 

After ROTS, TPM will be looked back on more favorably. When I saw TPM in 1999, I liked it, but was expecting way too much. But now as I watch it, it is a great SETUP to the other 5 films. Back in 1999, I think we thought it would be Empire Strikes Back, Part 2! It you watch TPM as setup for everything to come, it works real well. I still don't like Jar Jar Binks, but after the prequels are done, TPM will start getting a little more respect.

 

I agree. I think people were expecting something uber-dark since the prequels are supposed to tell the stort of Anakin's fall to the darkside and people were kind of dissapointed that that wasn't the case.

 

"I know Strilo, but there's a lot of in depth discussion here and having someone babble about how they think the movie was may be considered pointless."


This is not bashing since I love this film, but after reading the above statement I got to thinking. Nothing really happens in TPM that couldn't have been explained in a few sentences of dialogue added to AOTC. I mean literally only a few. Mention something about the Sith, maybe not even the rule of two. Mention something about Anakin leaving his mother at a young age when he was discovered. Maybe mention something about Jar Jar being a naive fool. That about does it. Don't you think? No offence intended. I mean the opening crawl for AOTC pretty much puts us where you need to be to know what's going on...

 

Episode was excellent,

I dont know why people jumped out and attacked it.

It was a perfect start to the saga, it had a beggining
(Qui Gon & Obi-Wan)

Middle (Awesome Pod Race)

End (Probably the best ending out of all the SW films)

If I dare say, I enjoyed this movie more than EP2.
Is there anyone else out there who feels the same.

I remember walking out of Episode 1 awe-inspired.
But the complete opposite with leaving Ep2.

 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

I agree with you on that, though. I did walk out of TPM liking it more than I did when I saw AOTC. It's a great film taht I like very much, but in the filmic sense it is still just pointless exposition...

 

I have always loved this movie and I don't have any problems with it at all.

I never understood why so many people said they were let down, but I can't wait until they start making movies better than TPM.

 

Go-Mer-Tonic, where the hell have you been? I haven't seen you in ages. Don't you live in Phoenix, if I'm not mistaken?...

 

Where have you been? is the more appropriate question.

 

All over the world, to be precise. I am in Phoenix only about 8-9 months out of the year.

 

Actually, I don't live in Phoenix, I'm from Illinois.

 

As much as I love seeing two old friends reunited, can you two take this to PM? Thanks.

 

...I can't wait until they start making films better than TPM.

There is one: "Gigli".

 

People seem to crap on TPM all the time, but compared to alot of the movies out there *(especially the ones with Ashley Judd) TPM is a masterpiece. Everyone seems to complain about it because it wasn't up to par with all the other Star Wars movies. Well duh! GL hadn't directed a movie in like 20 years. He just wrote the scripts and now that he came back to direct the BIG one of the franchise to get things started, he is a little rusty. I can clearly see a big difference in value between TPM and AOTC. As time goes on he gets better. I just cant wait until ROTS.