Star Wars Episode I The Phantom Menace 1999

The evil Trade Federation led by Nute Gunray is planning to take over the peaceful world of Naboo. Jedi Knights QuiGon Jinn and ObiWan Kenobi are sent to confront the leaders. But not everything goes to plan. The two Jedi escape and along with their new Gungan friend Jar Jar Binks head to Naboo to warn Queen Amidala but droids have already started to capture Naboo and the Queen is not safe there. Eventually they land on Tatooine where they become friends with a young boy known as Anakin Skywalker. QuiGon is curious about the boy and sees a bright future for him. The group must now find a way of getting to Coruscant and to finally solve this trade dispute but there is someone else hiding in the shadows. Are the Sith really extinct Is the Queen really who she says she is And whats so special about this young boy

Review

I have been a Star Wars fan since first seeing it back in 1977 at the age of thirteen. Ive seen A New Hope at least twenty times The Empire Strikes Back about a dozen and Return of the Jedi more than once. Ive read many of the novels and to this day still collect toys and action figures. I spent eight hours in line for tickets and a seat finally seeing The Phantom Menace on the first day at 300 AM. I desperately wanted to like it and made every attempt to make allowances and keep an open mind.

But I couldnt do it. It was just too pathetic.

Had this movie been made by someone else I might not be so critical. But George Lucas has always insisted that cuttingedge effects are secondary to a good story. Too bad someone close to him doesnt remind him of this. Ive heard Lucas say he hates to write. Well it shows. Most scenes are just tedious obligatory filler material between spectacular effects sequences. Rather than illustrate character through action and behavior the script delegates that task to other characters to say aloud.

Even though the first movies appealed to both children and adults many defend The Phantom Menace by saying it was made just for kids. But I find it hard to imagine children caring about trade disputes. And the level of violence is more suitable for teens and adults. Besides how will these children in the audience react in a few years when their hero Ani grows up turns evil and kills everyone

Perhaps George Lucas biggest crime is his attempt to explain the Force in scientific terms. This not only contradicted what had been established in the other films but it eliminated the one thing that distinguished Star Wars from standard science fictions films an element of fantasy.

Although all the archetypes of the original are here a wideeyed youth a wise mentor an alien sidekick and a royal damsel in distress this time it doesnt work. Keen characters and witty dialog have been replaced by potty humor and pratfalls. This will be the last Star Wars film I ever see.