10 Underrated Sci-Fi Sequels (That Deserve Way More Love)
6. Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace
There's a strangeness in the fact that the beginning of a narrative is considered a sequel, but that's the enigma that is the Star Wars franchise for you.
Look, the fact that the Star Wars prequels never quite captured the grandeur of the original trilogy is a well-documented one and much the criticism hurled towards The Phantom Menace is both understandable and accurate, but regardless of all that - and how you felt about Jar Jar Binks - there is still a lot to love about the 1999 film.
For a start, it's a visual masterpiece and it wasted little time showing us what a modern day Star Wars movie was capable of accomplishing on-screen, making full use of the technology available to them in the 16 years between it and its predecessor. Furthermore, the performances from Liam Neeson and Ewan McGregor are second to none, Darth Maul is a strong and intimidating antagonist and, context aside, the film is actually a pretty enjoyable adventure.