I know, nobody likes to hear somebody whine, but I do think that The Phantom Menace is seriously missing something that existed in the first three movies.

The funny thing is, the basic plot is almost identical to A New Hope: Queen/Princess is in trouble, Calls on Jedi Master to fix problem; Jedi prodigy discovered on Tatooine through sheer luck; Jedi Master dies; Enemy fleet destroyed.

Yes, the lightsaber action was fantastic. Yes, the effects were fantastic. The story however, could have used a LOT more work.

In the first three, we had Han Solo and Chewbacca, Two characters that added (some) comic relief, but also had that sort of man on the street/everyman quality about them. They were gruff, forceful and exciting. That type of character is SERIOUSLY missing in Phantom.

I think that Jar Jar Binks was _intended_ to fill this role somewhat, but neither Han or Chewie were as brain dead as Jar Jar. Yes, I can understand characters being klutzes, but Jar Jar (after somehow redeeming himself in the eyes of Boss Nass and being named General) seems to take out more battle droids being a klutz than anybody else in the Gungin army, who we assume are trained military. The entire race is superfluous. Ask yourself this: Would the movie had been any different if the Gungin WEREN'T in the movie? If the big battle scene took place with Naboo's land dwellers rather than Gungins, it would have made much more sense. Why would the Gungins - an aquatic race - be battling droids on land? Wouldn't it be more wise to wait until the droids come into the water and take care of them in the Gungin's natural habitat? Otherwise, they're like fish out of H2O.

Why was the Trade Federation forming a blockade of Naboo? Yes, I realise that Darth Sidious(aka Senator Palpatine; anyone who didn't figure that out should get a kick in the head) masterminded a plot to have Queen Amidala relinquish power, but what reason would the Trade Federation have to go along? In helping Sidious, they obviously lost a great deal of their fleet. They didn't gain ANYTHING, and nothing seemed to be offered by Sidious. They had no reason to get involved.

next page>>