Star Wars. Episode I: The Phantom Menace
1999 · Movie · 130 min. · United States
The first of three prequels to George Lucas’s celebrated STAR WARS films, EPISODE I - THE PHANTOM MENACE is set some 30 years before STAR WARS: EPISODE IV - A NEW HOPE in the era of the Republic. Naboo, a peaceful planet governed by the young, but wise Queen Amidala (Natalie Portman), is being threatened by the corrupt Trade Federation, puppets of an evil Sith lord and his terrifying apprentice, Darth Maul (Ray Park). The seemingly benevolent Senator Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid) is chief adviser to the queen, though there are suspicions surrounding him. Jedi knights Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson) and Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor, performing an amazing vocal interpretation of Alec Guinness, the older Obi-Wan) are called on to intervene in the trade disputes. Along the way, they acquire an apprentice of their own in the form of young prodigal Anakin Skywalker (Jake Lloyd), or as STAR WARS fans know him, the future Darth Vader. They also encounter Jar Jar Binks (Ahmed Best), a goofy, lizardlike creature who has been banished from his underwater world for his clumsiness. When the Trade Federation launches an attack on Naboo, the queen and her allies must battle hordes of robot troopers while Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan face off against the sinister Darth Maul.
Direction George Lucas
Cast Liam Neeson · Ewan McGregor · Natalie Portman · Jake Lloyd · Samuel L. Jackson · Ian McDiarmid · Ray Park · Anthony Daniels · Kenny Baker · Pernilla August · Hugh Quarshie · Ahmed Best · Andy Secombe · Frank Oz · Terence Stamp · Keira Knightley · Oliver Ford Davies · Ralph Brown · Warwick Davis · Sofia Coppola · Dominic West · Silas Carson
Soundtrack John Williams
Screenplay George Lucas
Cinematography David Tattersall
Original title Star Wars. Episode I: The Phantom Menace
6.2
101K votes (FilmAffinity)
Available on
Add to lists
Share