"I have a bad feeling about this," says the young Obi-Wan Kenobi (played by Ewan McGregor) inStar Wars: Episode I, The Phantom Menaceas 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 theStar Warssaga who can't help but secretly ask themselves: Sure, this isStar Wars, but is itmy 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 theStar Warsmovies,The Phantom Menacefeatures 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 aboutStar Wars22 years earlier feels formulaic. Yet there's much to admire. The special effects are stupendous; three worlds are populated with a mélange 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 inBen-Hurlook like a Sunday stroll through the park.

Among the host of new characters, there are a few familiar walk-ons. We witness the first meeting between R2-D2 and C-3PO, Jabba the Hutt...

Cast: Natalie Portman, Ewan McGregor, Samuel L. Jackson, Frank Oz, Ian McDiarmid, Pernilla August, Ahmed Best, Oliver Ford Davies, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, Liam Neeson, Jake Lloyd, Hugh Quarshie, Ray Park, Ralph Brown, Terence Stamp, Brian Blessed, Sofia Coppola, Greg Proops, Keira Knightley

Director: George Lucas

Genre: Drama, Fantasy, Sci-Fi

Release Date: May 19, 1999

MPAA Rating: PG

Screen Writer: George Lucas

DVD Release Date: March 22, 2005

Runtime: 2hrs 11min

Studio: 20th Century Fox