Anakin Skywalker, a young slave strong with the Force, is discovered on Tatooine. Meanwhile, the evil Sith have returned, enacting their plot for revenge against the Jedi.
Nominated for 3 Oscars. 26 wins & 69 nominations total
Top Critics Reviews
fresh:
It does the job just fine. That job, as director George Lucas freely admits, is quite simply to thrill the beating hearts and the inquiring minds of 12-year-old boys.
– Rick Groen,
Globe and Mail,
22 Mar 2002
rotten:
There are no romance, no humor, ultimately nobody to care about in this oddly sterile movie.
– Paul Clinton (CNN.com),
CNN.com,
15 Nov 2002
fresh:
Despite a shaky start and the presence of questionable elements throughout, by the time it arrives at its finale The Phantom Menace has won its place alongside the original Star Wars trilogy.
– Keith Phipps,
AV Club,
2 Mar 2006
rotten:
You realize how much humor Harrison Ford brought to things; without him, at times the movie itself feels frozen in Carbonite.
– Stephen Whitty,
Newark Star-Ledger,
10 Feb 2012
rotten:
"Star Wars: Episode 1 -- The Phantom Menace" got dismissive reviews in 1999, and it deserves the same today. But you probably know that.