Review: Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999)
Every saga has a beginning.
★★★½
Ewan McGregor and Liam Neeson in Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999).
The Phantom Menace has always had a special place in my heart. But when watching this in the cinema for its 25th-anniversary re-release, I didn't let nostalgia blind me, despite me quoting some of the lines of the film. I went into this film as an adult, and to my surprise, I absolutely loved it! I had a lot of fun watching this in the cinema.
If this were the first Star Wars film, the reception might have been different as this is seen as a cinematic achievement in filmmaking. The Phantom Menace marked the return to Star Wars since 1983's Return of the Jedi. But since this was released in 1999, people often compare this to the Original Trilogy.
The film opens with a blockade over the planet Naboo, with two Jedi Knights dispatched by Supreme Chancellor Valorum (Terence Stamp) to negotiate with the Trade Federation, only to discover it's an invasion. Our two leads are played by Irish actor Liam Neeson as Qui-Gon Jinn and Scottish actor Ewan McGregor as Jedi Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi. The two play their parts well and have good chemistry. After rescuing the Queen, they escape to Tatooine after their ship is damaged, where they encounter a young boy named Anakin Skywalker (Jake Lloyd). Anakin helps the Jedi and the Queen obtain the money and parts to repair the ship, but Qui-Gon senses something special about the boy and takes him to be tested by the Jedi. Before Anakin's fate can be decided the situation on Naboo must be resolved.
The Phantom Menace is a remarkable achievement, blending imagination, special effects, and storytelling. The film excels in main character relationships, casting, set design, storytelling, the integration of practical and visual effects, sound design, costume design, and music, providing great entertainment overall. However, the film suffers from wooden dialogue, bland performances from some secondary characters, excessive presence of Jar Jar Binks (which could have been reduced to improve the film's tone), and a few other minor issues. But despite its flaws, it's not as bad as some critics suggest; the movie has many excellent moments, with a sense of discovery in each scene. Nick Gillard was the lead lightsaber fight and stunt coordinator for this film and the rest of the prequel trilogy. If there's one thing I can say about Nick Gillard, it's that he's a genius. He clearly understood George Lucas' vision of showing the Jedi fighting in their prime.
I know Jake Lloyd wasn't the best child actor, but he had great chemistry with Liam Neeson, Pernilla August, and Natalie Portman, which I can safely assume is why George Lucas chose him. One of Jake Lloyd's best scenes is the scene when Anakin says goodbye to his mother. Lloyd and August make a very good mother and son. Making Anakin a kid in The Phantom Menace was a wise decision by George Lucas, as leaving his mother at a young age was the start of his dark path. Anytime I watch that scene, I can't help myself but tear up.
Yes, i'm aware that Jar Jar is annoying, but I don't hate him like most people do. I think he's a remarkable achievement in special effects. Nobody before this movie had the ability to have digital creatures interact with real-life human actors. Without Jar Jar, we wouldn't have Dobby and Gollum. But like I said earlier, I do agree with the majority that Jar Jar should've been cut down. I think the reason why Jar Jar is considered annoying is his speech. He makes noises as he talks, so it was hard for him to understand that. Brian Blessed tried to warn Ahmed Best, but I don't think he got the hint. Regardless The Phantom Menace, as I said earlier, is a remarkable achievement in filmmaking and a very fun film overall! I feel like people are way too hard on this film. This is George Lucas trying something new, and I applaud him for that.
If you hate this movie and prefer the sequel trilogy or anything Disney has made, I'm sorry to say that the ability to speak doesn't make you intelligent.