Certainly not the best of franchise, but compared to movies generally, it shines. Our four year old can be a bit sensitive, but nothing in any the six movies bothered him in the least, and they are now among his favorites. He dressed as an x-wing fighter pilot for Halloween. He refused to be Darth Vader or any of the "bad guys". The entire series will long continue as features on our weekly "movie-pizza" night (that doesn't always involve pizza, but does include a movie). To me, this is a perfect specimen of "PG" movies. As long as parents are on hand to answer questions and explain the issues raised (good vs evil, etc), it is fine for the whole family.

This Sci-Fi Space Adventure is a good movie but by no means the caliber of the original trilogy.

the next one isnt that good

Kids will love it. Cool graphics, with an epic, but kind plot.

As a long time Star Wars fan, Phantom Menace happens to be one of my favorite of the prequels, and the 3D and digitial reproduction made it look very real on the big screen. At first I didn't like Jar Jar, now I do. I even laughed at his antics this time around. The only part I can't stand is Shmi's (actress's) terrible acting when Anakin leaves Tatooine. "What does your heart tell you?" I'll take Jar Jar any day over her acting any day. Thing is I grew up on Star Wars. I saw A New Hope when I was 5, it did give me a few nightmares (it played in the theater for a whole YEAR) but I loved it. I couldn't get enough of Luke, Leia, and Han. SW: PM ep1 in 3D just finally "felt" like Star Wars for a change. Yeah, there's violence, but it's for the sake of the plot line, a very large plot line. And as a kid, adult, and now a father. Violence to me, isn't an issue (which is pretty much bloodless in this movie anywa), it's use of language and sexual images in my mind, that's the most harmful. My kids watch ORIGINAL Tom & Jerry, and the original Bugs and Daffy cartoon, and Transformers (80's cartoon) and the new (cough,crap) like Cailou, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, etc. They love it. It's just fun. They don't try to recreate it. And they are learning TV is not real. I was wanting to take my girl to see this in theater, but we had a ballet conflict and she couldn't go. Glad I could see it in the theater again, and this time with a positive outlook instead of a negative attitude (I did NOT like it when I saw it back in 1999 - it's really grown on me). Read the novels...Palpatine's Sith master was alive during the time, and a major turning point happened in the Force during Obi Wan and Darth Maul's fight. Notice how Palpatine didn't even take any notice of Anakin until the very last scene... by name, no less. The characters even show disgust at Jar Jar's rudeness, which also be a learning point for younger kids. It is a good movie, and the prequels were made with kids in mind, so much as a profit from the toys... but still. Episode I has a spot in my heart in the whole saga now. Can't wait for the next one in 3D.

I think that I saw this movie before, it was a few ago but i swear it was really similar. Cept in this one (stuff) was flyin outa the screen. It was crazy (things). (Crap) was blowin up and (cats) were firein on all cylindars and I was like (dang) dowg that (stuff) be (Bochin)