As Star Wars movies go, The Phantom Menace (1999) isn't the best by any means. Fans, however, seemed to have completely lost their minds complaining savagely about the movie's quality. Jake Lloyd (Anakin) was bullied so badly over his role that he made the decision to retire from acting at just eleven years old. JarJar Binks actor Ahmed Best fell into a deep depression and considered suicide after receiving buckets of hate-mail about his character. For the sake of the cast and crew involved, and by way of an apology for the way they were treated by brutal, obsessive fans in the wake of its release, we have to at least try and see the good in a film which, to all intents and purposes, really isn't all that bad! In the true spirit of this blog's mission statement, let's cast aside the negative and examine a few things that this movie does well...
Liam Neeson
He trained Obi Wan, he trained Batman, he chased his daughter's kidnappers all over the planet! Liam Neeson is not to be messed with! His monk-like character, the Jedi Master Qui Gon Jin, is a font of wisdom and dramatic dialogue right from the get-go. His calm yet firm training style towards Obi Wan is reminiscent of the scenes on Dagobah that we all know and love as Master Yoda teaches the impatient young Luke Skywalker the ways of the force. Although the existence of his character creates a continuity error in Empire (i.e. "There you will learn from Yoda, the Jedi Master who instructed me" - Ghost Obi Wan), we wouldn't want him omitted from the franchise.
Ewan McGreggor
Young Obi Wan Kenobi's shoes are bound to be difficult to fill. The prequel trilogy tells the backstory of the iconic character and his relationship with young Anakin Skywalker before he becomes the infamous villain Darth Vader. At this point in the story, Obi Wan is headstrong and still has much to learn but he has the makings of a strong and fearless Jedi Knight. The Phantom Menace provides us with a realistic insight into the character's personal development.
Samuel L. Jackson
Jackson is clearly a little out of place in this movie. He's not quite the "F"-bomb dropping badass we're used to in other movies. On the other hand, having Sam Jackson in a movie always improves it, regardless of the subject matter.
JarJar Binks
Okay, so the less said about JarJar from an adult point of view, the better... That being said, I, like many other people of my generation who grew up on the prequels, watched Episode I as a child and personally, I thought he was brilliant. Maybe it's just me. Let's park that and move on.
Better lightsaber action
The prequels swapped out the slower, steadier fighting style in the original trilogy for a fast, martial arts formula. Advanced complex choreography gave these films a real edge when it came to lightsaber combat. The Jedi and Sith alike are clearly utilising a much faster paced and more precision-based fighting style which, in the continuity of the story, may be seen as a dying art-form, explaining why it is no longer present in the original trilogy.
Important backstories
It's not only Obi Wan that gets a strong backstory from the prequel. The first meeting between R2D2 and C3P0 occurs, beginning probably the most important relationship between two characters in the entire saga. Yoda makes his first chronological on-screen appearance, as well as the Emperor, Jabba the Hutt and of course, Anakin Skywalker, later to become Darth Vader. The film also provides a good view of the Skywalker family's home planet Tattooine and some insight into Padme Amidala, future mother of Luke and Leia.
The droid/Gungan battle
It's a little cheesy but this battle scene is strongly reminiscent of epic historic battles seen in films such as Gladiator and Braveheart. In film, that level of carnage and destruction will always go down well in any room.
The Pod Race
This scene doesn't need a whole lot of explaining. George Lucas introduced a sporting event into the film to kick things up a notch. When the queen's ship breaks down over Tattooine, they must rely on gambling on a pod race in order to obtain the parts they need to repair the ship and to free young Anakin. The race scene is incredible.
The Score
It's difficult not to be fan of John Williams. The main Star Wars theme is easily the most famous film score of all time (among others by the same composer) and in this movie, we have a couple of added extras. A new score surfaces during the pod race scene as well as a few added bits and pieces in the shootout scenes and the droid/gungan battle. The best bit, though, we all must agree, is during the final fight scene. Epic chorus-driven composition Duel of the Fates (available on the Phantom Menace soundtrack) is one of John Williams' absolute best creations. The theme music is all conducted by the man himself and performed by the legendary London Symphony Orchestra.
Darth Maul
It's time to address the horned, red-and-black-painted elephant in the room. Darth Maul is a classic villain shrouded in mystery and weirdness, only speaking when absolutely necessary. His double ended lightsaber definitely put smiles on the faces of viewers everywhere, introducing a higher standard of cool weaponry to the proceedings. The fight scene between Maul and the two Jedi is undoubtedly one of the best in the whole saga.
Compared to the rest of the saga, The Phantom Menace is by no means a stand-out classic, it may indeed be the worst film in the franchise. Although, being the worst film in the Star Wars franchise is much like being the worst chocolate in the box. You may not like it that much but if you've got a sweet tooth, it will still satisfy the craving. The film is full of important information that provides valuable backstories to key characters that come later, explaining their actions in more detail and indeed, shedding a sympathetic light on Darth Vader, perhaps the most iconic villain in film history. Try watching it again from a purely non-cynical standpoint and maybe you might find it more of a worthy addition to a Star Wars marathon.
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