Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace (1999)

I was in fifth grade when Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace came out. I was already a pretty big Star Wars fan at that point. I remember having Return of the Jedi taped off of TV and watching it often. That was until the original trilogy came out again in 1997. My dad took me to see those when they came out and my Star Wars fandom was cemented forever. I remember seeing The Phantom Menace in theaters three times. I was absolutely in love with the movie. I was in fifth grade. If I reviewed The Phantom Menace when I was in fifth grade, I think there would have been a lot of exclamation points, a high usage of the word ‘awesome,’ and little substance. I’m glad they are releasing all the movies in theaters again. It gives me the opportunity to review them as an adult, or at least as close to an adult as I’ll probably get.

The first Star Wars prequel, Episode I: The Phantom Menace has become one of the most derided and criticized movie ever. There is a LOT wrong with the movie. Most of which has to do with the involvement of George Lucas. He wrote, directed and executively produced this movie. He was effectively in complete control over the entire production, and it shows. The plot of the movie serves only to move us to the next thing that has to happen. We already know that the focus of the prequel movies is going to be the rise and fall of Anakin Skywalker (Darth Vader.) Why that requires an extended storyline that focuses on galactic politics, I don’t know. Politics is boring, VERY boring. Don’t get me wrong, it’s very important. You should be aware of local, state, and national politics because well, they affect you very closely. However, trade sanctions and taxation in Star Wars? Really?  This is science fantasy! Taxation and politics is a little too mundane for it to be the driving force of the story line here. 

Anyways, I should probably tell you about the storyline. I’ll try and do it quickly and get it over with. Jedi master and padawan (intern/apprentice) Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson) and Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) are dispatched by the Galactic Senate to negotiate a settlement by mega-corporate Trade Federation and the peaceful planet of Naboo led by popularly elected teenage Queen Amidala (Natalie Portman.) Trade Federation tries to kill Jedi, Jedi flee to Naboo. Jedi meet frogman, frogman takes Jedi to frogmen. Frogmen send Jedi to Queen.  Jedi rescue Queen. Jedi and Queen try and go to Coruscant (galactic Washington D.C.) but can’t cause Trade Federation shot their engine. They go to Tatooine to get parts, only person that has parts can’t be Jedi mind tricked. Jedi meet annoying slave kid Anakin Skywalker. Anakin builds stuff, builds podracer, races in the Tatooine 300 and wins. Jedi get parts and Anakin. Jedi takes Queen and Anakin to Coruscant, nothing happens. Jedi, Queen and Anakin go back to Naboo to try and deal with it themselves. They do. Jedi fight horned tattooed Sith (bad guy). Sith kills Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan kills Sith. Anakin blows up mothership. Queen coerces a settlement with Trade Federation. *deep breath* 

Apart from the very disappointing plot, the dialogue also suffers. I can’t blame the actors for the lameness of the acting because they were most likely doing the very best anyone could do with what they were given. It’s hard working with such a lame plot.

Despite how hard I am being on this movie, and please understand, it deserves it, I still enjoy watching the movie. It’s probably mostly because I’m a Star Wars fan, but it’s also because, despite the disappointing story and lack of plot and emotion, there are a couple scenes that are pretty amazing and fantastic.

Great Scene #1: Podracing. This is a pretty intense and exciting sequence. I think that if they had extended this sequence and made it a little longer and less monotonous, it would have made the movie a lot more memorable and exciting.

Great Scene #2: Duel of the Fates.  Ok so, when I was in fifth grade and even now, I loved the double sided lightsaber. It was awesome. Three incredibly powerful fighters in their prime fighting each other with lightsabers was probably the most exciting scenes of the movie. Make this scene more gritty and exhausting (to the characters not the audience) and it would have been a lot better.

In addition to these specific scenes, the general use of CGI and special effects when not overdone, made for a beautiful and awe inspiring experience on the big screen that harkened back to the original Star Wars.

Lucas did do something right when he got John Williams to come back and compose the soundtrack for The Phantom Menace. The soundtrack is better than the movie. 

I suppose I should mention something about the 3D. It was ok. I feel like moviegoers should stop expecting in-your-face 3D sequences from your Hollywood movies. It appears to me that the best use of 3D these days is the subtle use. The use where you might actually forget it’s in 3D. It’s an added dimension to the picture literally and figuratively. It’s the next step in movies. I don’t think it’s going anywhere, and as long as they can make movies in 3D without ruining quality and sharpness of the picture, then it’s ok by me. If this is the only way we’ll be able to experience some great movies again on the big screen, then so be it.

All in all, Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace fails under the weight of its writer/director/producer. The sheer number of missed opportunities and unrealized potential leaves one wondering, “Did this story really need to be told?”

As a movie: 4/10
As a Star Wars movie: 5^th out of 6