More than anything, Star Wars: Episode 1 – The Phantom Menace is a fascinating cultural object. It’s been 25 years since I saw the movie in theaters, and over a decade since I last watched it (in a vain attempt to help my Trekkie wife catch up on the prequels). I’ve had plenty of time to get over the initial disappointment and embarrassment of introducing my husband to Jar Jar Binks. So when Disney announced it was bringing the prequel trilogy back to theaters, I was excited to revisit George Lucas’s latest films to see how they compared to Star Wars Onslaught. media we’ve been living in for the past decade. was The Phantom Menace as bad as i remember? Well, yes and no.
Boring but full of imagination
I knew in 1999 Episode 1 It would be a bit of a letdown as soon as you get to the second line of the opening crawl: “Taxing trade routes to distant star systems is controversial.” Really, George? This is what Star Wars fans have been waiting for since 1983 Return of the Jedi? On this rewatch, I was irritated, not tickled, by many of the confusing narrative choices: The empty drama of the trade blockade; the baffling decision to set up a romance between a literal child and an older teenager; and throwing in Jar Jar Binks to appease the kids in between obnoxiously boring dialogue.
As if The Phantom Menace Written and directed by an alien who hasn’t seen a movie or dabbled in any aspect of pop culture since the early 80s. At the same time, this close-up perspective is part of the film’s charm. Seeing a society slowly lose control of an idealistic democracy to a power-hungry dictator many For a PG-rated fantasy film. Still, it makes the first two prequels feel scary-smart next to the global reaction to 9/11.
By the 2005s Revenge of the Sith, the allusions to George W. Bush’s Patriot Act and the Global War on Terror were hard to miss. “Freedom dies with thunderous applause,” he says as his fellow senators hand over extraordinary powers to Palpatine, the Supreme Chancellor makes Palpatine Emperor, and the Galactic Republic becomes the Galactic Empire.
Apart from political machinations, The Phantom Menace full of magnificent sights: Nabu’s opulent palace and the water city of Gungan; designs of new ships and weapons; and of course every dress worn by Princess Amidala. It would be nice if these visuals fit the narrative better, but their presence makes it clear that Lucas is surrounded by world-class talent. .
The Phantom Menace it also comes to life in several action sequences. Sure, maybe the pod-racing goes on a bit too much, but the sense of speed, scale and great sound is still absolutely exhilarating. (The film’s voice team—Gary Rydstrom, Tom Johnson, Shawn Murphy, and John Midgley—were nominated for an Oscar, but lost. Matrix.)
And yes, the whole duel of destiny battle is still a total blowout. There is no doubt about it The Phantom Menace it would have been a stronger film with less complicated dialogue and more character development shown through action. At some point in the battle, all participants are separated by laser barriers. Qui-Gon Jinn meditates, almost completely at peace. Darth Maul walks like a lion in a cage. Obi-Wan Kenobi, on the other hand, just wants to continue fighting as a hot student who wants to show off. That sequence tells more about those characters than the rest of the two hours of the film.
A harbinger of ubiquitous digital symbols
While I didn’t love Jar Jar Binks during this rewatch, his presence as a fully CG character felt more important than ever. Jar Jar, voiced by actor and comedian Ahmed Best, was devastated upon release, and his implementation was not without problems. But it was also the first time we’d seen an action play become a fully realized character. Technology is so pervasive in movies now that we practically take it for granted.
“I can’t have Gollum without Jar Jar,” Best said . “Avatar can’t have Na’vi without Jar Jar. There can’t be Thanos or Hulk without Jar Jar. I was a beacon for the rest of this art form and I’m proud of Jar. I’m proud of that and I’m proud to be a part of it.” I’m proud!
In 2017, Best offered an expanded version of his thoughts on Twitter (): “Jar Jar helped create the workflow, iteration process and litmus test for all CGI characters to date. Some days the code was written in real time while I was moving. To deny Jar Jar his place in film history is to deny hundreds of movies. VFX technicians, animators, code credit to writers and producers John Knoll, Rob Coleman, and many others I worked with for two years after principal photography was completed to bring you these films.”
A great story stuck in a bad movie
I learned the best way to look The Phantom Menace It’s about taking aspects I like and replacing many of Lucas’ confusing choices with my own canon. The story of Anakin Skywalker being born through the sheer power of the Force and becoming the Chosen of the Jedi? This is interesting! Inventing Midi-chlorians to give people a literal Jedi power account? It’s bad, hell! (Midi-chlors are still technically canon, but they’ve been largely ignored in recent Star Wars media.)
I couldn’t help but imagine how a more natural and energetic storyteller would have tackled the challenge this time. The Phantom Menace. They certainly won’t burden trade disputes and taxes. As a more accomplished writer Andor’s Tony Gilroy could conceivably compound the potential downfall of the Republic. And I’d bet most people wouldn’t waste an hour keeping Ewan McGregor’s Obi-Wan off-screen while others go on a pod-racing adventure. (Of course it would be nice if she got to spend more time with Anakin!)
I still haven’t seen it , but his decision to start in the middle of the Phantom Menace’s brilliant lightsaber battle makes sense. Thats it Episode 1 It feels completely unnecessary when the real story of Anakin Skywalker is about falling in love, being seduced by the Dark Side, and ultimately betraying his master.
