Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999)
Adventure, Action, Science Fiction
The Kernel take
A massive box office juggernaut that critics couldn't quite endorse: Phantom Menace's 51 Metascore represents a significant gap between what audiences paid for and what reviewers awarded it, despite nearly $1.05 billion in worldwide gross.
Director track record: George Lucas
The film trails far behind George Lucas's 76.8-point average across his other scored work—a 25.8-point drop that ranks among his most critically divisive efforts, falling well short of the 97 he achieved with American Graffiti.
Lead track record: Liam Neeson
Liam Neeson's 51 here sits notably below his 59-point average across 23 other scored films—a rare misfire in a career that has otherwise produced more consistent critical reception, and trailing the 85 he reached with The Endurance.
Box office
Budget $115M · Box office $1,046.5M