Star Wars I: The Phantom Menace

Production year: 1999

Science Fiction PG   Running time: 2:03 

IMDB rating:   6.5     Aspect: Wide;  Languages: English, Spanish;  Subtitles: English;  Audio: DD 5.1

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 mZlange 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.

Director

Features

Audio commentary
Deleted/extended scenes
DVD-ROM content
Featurettes/Behind-The-Scenes/Documentaries
Photo gallery

Special features

Audio Commentary by George Lucas/Rick McCallum/Ben Burtt/Rob Coleman/John Knoll/Dennis Muren/Scott Squires
Deleted Scenes Documentary
"The Beginning" Documentary
Multi-Angle Segment
Five Featurettes
12-Part Web Documentary Series
Music Video
Production Photo Gallery
Thaetrical Posters And Print Campaigns
The Making Of A Game Featurette
Star Wars I: The Phantom Menace