Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999)

Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace rating: IMDb, Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic

IMDb6.5/10· 917K votes

Rotten Tomatoes54%

Metacritic51%

TMDb6.577/10· 16K votes

With 54% on Rotten Tomatoes, backed by 6.5/10 on IMDb and 51/100 on Metacritic, critical reception of this film has been mixed.

About Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace

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.

Cast of Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace

• 

  Liam Neeson

  as Qui-Gon Jinn

• 

  Ewan McGregor

  as Obi-Wan Kenobi

• 

  Natalie Portman

  as Padmé Amidala

• 

  Jake Lloyd

  as Anakin Skywalker

• 

  Ian McDiarmid

  as Senator Palpatine

• 

  Pernilla August

  as Shmi Skywalker

• 

  Oliver Ford Davies

  as Governor Sio Bibble

• 

  Hugh Quarshie

  as Captain Panaka

• 

  Ahmed Best

  as Jar Jar Binks

• 

  Anthony Daniels

  as C-3PO (voice)

• 

  Kenny Baker

  as R2-D2

• 

  Frank Oz

  as Yoda (voice)

Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace facts

Budget

$115M

Box office

$1B

Collection

Star Wars Collection

Our take on Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace

George Lucas returns to his galaxy with this 1999 prequel, tracing how a young slave boy strong with the Force is discovered on the desert world of Tatooine while the long-buried Sith quietly plot their revenge against the Jedi. It's a science-fiction adventure built on big set-pieces, political intrigue and the origin of a saga's central figure. Expect spectacle and world-building rather than the grit of the original trilogy, which makes it a natural entry point for younger viewers and devoted fans mapping the story's roots. Anyone curious about where Anakin Skywalker's path begins, or drawn to grand space fantasy, will find plenty to explore here.