Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace

Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace

Starring Liam Neeson, Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, Jake Lloyd

Directed by George Lucas

The Story:
Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson) and his Jedi Apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) are sent to the Trade Federation to negotiate an end to a blockade against the planet of Naboo, but they're met with hostility when Darth Sidious calls for their deaths.  As they escape, they rescue Gungan outcast Jar Jar Binks, who directs them to his secret underwater home.

They continue in their travels and rescue Queen Amidala (Natalie Portman), the Queen of Naboo, and the group crash lands on Tatooine, where they meet young slave Anakin Skywalker (Jake Lloyd), a kid who is very knowledgeable with pod races, and a kid that Qui-Gon feels a strange force around.  He believes this is the child destined to bring balance to the Force, but before he could begin training the young kid, the Trade Federation unleashes their army on Naboo, and the Sith reveal themselves after being dormant for centuries, leading the Jedi to battle Darth Sidious' apprentice, Darth Maul (Ray Park).

The Synopsis:
"Star Wars" is one of the most iconic, memorable, and treasured pieces of cinema.  George Lucas shared his visionary space soap opera with the world, and it was met with critical and audience acclaim, garnering several award nominations, and served as the weight by which all other science-fiction films are judged.  To say it's legendary wouldn't be doing it justice.

Then, George Lucas decided to see if lightning would strike twice, twenty-two years after the original.  He decided to investigate the three chapters before the first film was released, showing the rise of Anakin Skywalker (aka Darth Vader) from an innocent slave child to one of cinema's most iconic villains.  The excitement was palpable, the waiting almost excruciating.  Finally, the film was released.

And, unlike what God said when he created the world, it was not good.

There were several aspects of the original "Star Wars" that made it the juggernaut it became, and one of those pieces was introducing new actors in the lead roles.  Before "Star Wars," no one heard of Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford or Carrie Fisher.  They were green when it came to acting, and it showed in their determination and desire to create something legen...wait for it...dairy.  

With "The Phantom Menace," Lucas cast already established actors Liam Neeson, Ewan McGregor and Natalie Portman in the lead roles, and that diminished greatly the feel of the movie.  No longer were you watching unknown actors playing their roles, but you were thinking, "oh, there's Liam Neeson being a Jedi."  Casting unknown actors is a gamble, but when it pays off, it pays off big.  It gives you a deeper connection to the movie, because you don't associate them with another character, and in a way it gives it a more realistic feel, even though it's a sci-fi epic.

Another aspect that drug down the film is the story itself.  Besides discovering the young Anakin, the film centered around something that happens in government everyday - negotiations, Senate meetings, corruption, yadda yadda yadda.  The only thing that made this cool was that Jedi with Light Sabers were dealing with the negotiations.

Now I'd be remissed in my duties if I didn't mention the biggest flaw the movie had.  It's simply three words.

Jar...Jar...Binks.

Never before in the history of cinema has there been a more annoying creation than the goofy, clumsy Gungan.  There's been countless movies made that has the traditional lopsided sidekick, but Lucas hit it out of the park of annoyance with this one.  Every time he's on screen I wanted to gouge my eyes out with plastic spoons, and every time he spoke, I wanted to tear my ears out.   I could respect that Lucas wanted to go with an Abbott and Costello diatribe, but it just failed, and failed epically.  In the centuries to come, where they relate "Star Wars" with the most amazing villain in cinematic history, they'll also relate "The Phantom Menace" to the most annoying character in history.

Then there's the tragic story of Jake Lloyd, who played young Anakin Skywalker.  Before "The Phantom Menace," he starred in "Jingle All the Way" and "Apollo 13," but it was his role as a young Anakin that propelled him to the limelight like being shot out of a cannon.  After "The Phantom Menace," he retired from acting, citing being bullied for his role as the main cause.  He ended up destroying all his "Star Wars" memorabilia, was diagnosed with schizophrenia and was recently arrested for reckless driving, driving without a license, and resisting arrest.  At the time, it seemed the role of a lifetime, but ultimately it led to Lloyd's spiral downward.

I might sound like I'm dumping on "The Phantom Menace," and I am, but there's also some redeeming qualities.  Even though they don't particularly hold up to today's standards, the effects were groundbreaking for their time.  The Light Saber fights - few as they were - were still spectacular.  Ray Park is more well-known for his stunt work than acting, but he brought Darth Maul to hideous light, and if his character was more developed, he could've been placed in the pantheon of great "Star Wars" villains.  His double Light Saber and acrobatic moves were engaging, but he wasn't given the screen time he deserved.  Also, as a little tidbit, the character of Queen Amidala's security double was played by a then-unknown Keira Knightley.

The Summary:While George Lucas tried to re-vitalize his iconic sci-fi epic series, "The Phantom Menace" failed to bring back the passions and lure of the original.

The Score: B+

Bonus: Here's two hilarious videos related to "The Phantom Menace" - How it Should Have Ended and Honest Trailers.