A certain fan of mine, an overnight stocker at Pick N Save once asked me if I was ever going to get around to reviewing any of the other Star Wars films besides Episode II: Attack Of The Clones. This was, of course, the first time in three years working there that anyone had even mentioned my online reviews to my face. And here I was, two weeks away from moving cross country.

Oh well. This one's for you man, wherever you are. Maybe someday I'll get around to the Original Trilogy, but for now I figured I'd tackle Episode I: The Phantom Menace.

(*sigh*) This could take a while.

The expectations for the Prequel Trilogy were unfathomable. George Lucas had written his own space opera, brought it to life, and to this day, people all over the galaxy are willing themselves to the extraordinary journey that was the Original Trilogy.

16 years had passed since the last we saw of Star Wars, with a softened Han Solo, a hardened Luke Skywalker, a reborn Princess Leia, three dead guys, and all their happy friends celebrating in the Ewoks' village. Now it was time to go back to the beginning, and explore the realms of Anakin Skywalker's dark past.

This was the biggest question posed by the Original Trilogy -- How did Anakin end up being such a prick? Anakin was undeniably the prime catalyst in this chemical reaction, and his place as Luke's father left tons of questions as to how they got separated, as well as why they reunited. Anakin's story is the most compelling, because it represents the hope that no matter how rotten people may become, there is still good in them. From a certain point of view.

In Episode I: The Phantom Menace, we are taken back to the training of Obi-Wan Kenobi, another integral character in Anakin's plight. All this time, we have known (in some cases, memorized) what Obi-Wan said about his apprentice Anakin. Now it's just a matter of how they meet.

Here, Obi-Wan is the apprentice, played with captivating integrity by Ewan McGregor. His master is Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson), who is the center of much debate about where Episode III: Revenge Of The Sith is going. They are working together to resolve a dispute with the Trade Federation, who have blocked the peaceful planet Naboo from incoming supplies.

We discover that the big bad Emperor is bogging things down in the Senate so that the resolution to this injustice will be stunted. But Queen Amidala, ruler of Naboo, is not happy about it. She doesn't condone war, so she makes way for Coruscant to talk to the Senate herself. Only one problem. They get delayed on the way, and end up having to camp out in Tattooine for a little bit. Heeeeeere's Anakin!

The Phantom Menace is a far more political movie than any one of the Original Trilogy. This may have a lot to do with why it gets blasted even today. Because in the Original Trilogy, our heroes face personal problems. Han Solo has a debt to Jabba, Luke wants to get away, Lando's trying to make a living and then some. Only the slightest of a reference is ever made to any "Senate", but by the time A New Hope has kicked into gear, the Senate is toast, Alderaan is toast and the Empire pwns.

The fight to survive is, for all intents and purposes, a personal problem on its own, and perhaps what people didn't really connect with in The Phantom Menace is that most of the time, characters weren't fighting for their lives. When Luke and Vader dual it out in Bespin, they are fighting for their lives. When Han and Leia attempt to escape Jabba's Sail Barge, they are fighting for their lives. In The Phantom Menace, they're always fighting for someone else.

Which I guess in a way is good, because this makes Anakin's plight stand out more. While all these others are bending over backwards to save each other's bacon, Anakin just wants what we all want, a purpose. He misses his mother. He has puppy dog eyes for the Queen. He has personal problems.

Since Qui-Gon Jinn is never mentioned in the original trilogy, you would think his introduction to this movie would be awkward. Actually, he conforms nicely to the Jedi role. He has a spellbinding, reckless nature about him. From the moment the following exchange takes place, you know they're the Real Thing:

Obi-Wan Kenobi: "Master Yoda says I should be mindful of the future."

Qui-Gon Jinn: "Yes, but not at the expense of the moment."

See there? He's already making amendments to Yoda's proverbial Constitution.

Right away, there are countless staples of the Original Trilogy, starting with the customary theme music and The Yellow Words. A ship approaches, we see the cockpit. We see a female C3PO. We see the Emperor transmitting. We see lightsabers being used for penetration. We see how R2D2 came to be a part of this mess. Speaking of which, if you're writing a screenplay, never use "we see".

Throughout the movie, C3P0's conception is realized, the relationship that brings Luke and Leia Skywalker into the world is planted, the true "mystery" of the Force is revealed to be scientifically explainable (that set a few fans off), and it is even hinted that two Jedis together could execute the mind trick where one Jedi could not.

Phantom Menace does suffer from a bit of a pacing problem. It feels like we're often jumping around from one place to another, which is okay in the last half hour when you have three or four different battles going on. However, the cuts between Tattooine, Naboo, the Droid Control Ship, and a few other places, it gets to be a little bit much in the early stages.

I don't care what anyone says, the Pod Race rocks the house down. It's rapid-fire, it's relentless, and Anakin's big opponent is a squirmy slug named Sebulba. The only thing with Sebulba is that he doesn't quite come across as wholly intimidating. He's too fidgety, it almost gives him this effeminate quality. Or maybe I'm just reading too much into it.

Since there's the whole slavery bet behind it, the Pod Race carries some resonance. Shmi Skywalker, played with subtle strength via Pernilla August, is the perfect world-weary mother who may technically be a slave, but carries the burden of raising her son with halcyon grace. (Been dyin' to use that word!)

Jake Lloyd as a 10-year old Anakin Skywalker has brought a mixed reaction. His performance seems fine; the way I figure, any flaws in the performance were probably intended for the character. For every one of his hokey lines ("I think you have.") there is one where he sounds like an confident kid well on his way to star destroying ("That isn't the half of it. I'm entered in the Boonta Race tomorrow.") Unfortunately, there is no bloodrush or sense of Jedi skill whatsoever in the way he accidentally saves the day two times. Unless of course that's the Force working through him, causing him to do things he's barely aware of. Hmmm...

Natalie Portman is more "playful" than I remember as Queen Amidala. Those who recognize the actress will pick up quickly on what's going on with her handmaiden. Some of the Queen's wardrobes and hairstyles are so outrageous, it's not even worth trying to describe!

Ian mcDiarmid hasn't changed a lick since his heyday as the Emperor; in fact, he looks even younger now. It truly says something for the makeup artists on Return of the Jedi. And if anyone doubts for a second that Senator Palpatine is the Emperor, give it up. Sifo-Dyas, now I can't help you there.

Ahmed Best goes under the CGI clicker to be morphed into the most controversial character of the entire two Trilogies combined thus far... Jar Jar Binks. With his slimy, clumsy exterior and his squeaky voice, horse nose and alien poppy-eyes, he's a real for-the-kids kind of character. That much is indisputable. But there's no sense in arguing. Some people like him, some don't. I like him. He's a nice guy.

Anthony Daniels and Kenny Baker return to play the roles of "naked C3P0" and Artoo, respectively. Andrew Secombe offers a raspy drawl to his voice of Watto, the parts dealer who looks like a flying pear-o-dactyl with scales and stubble. And how could we forget, Ray Park plays the arch-nemesis Darth Maul, who is as much maniacal karate man as he is Saber swinger.

R2D2 gets the best moment in the entire movie. In the beginning, he is merely one of four repair droids used to remedy the damage done to a ship. They can even do it in mid-flight. But not only that, Artoo goes out to do the repairs even while the ship is under fire and his fellow repair droids are getting blown off into space. Any second, you think he's next, but then he looks up at that huge, gigantic ship that's a hundred thousand times his size, and you know it's him. It's as if he's saying "You know what? Screw you, man, I got five more movies to be in so you can't get me! Kiss that, fockers." Outstanding!

Ultimately, The Phantom Menace does little to further the story as a whole. Aside from Anakin's meeting everyone and getting rejected by the Jedi Council, there isn't much more to do here than gush and fawn at what you already know, and the irony, so much irony. Episode II had a lot of ground to cover, and Episode III looks to be pretty busy itself.

One other thing that may sound stupid but easily could have been another irksome little bit about this movie -- the title. "The Phantom Menace" not only sounds like an episode of Scooby Doo, but the whole "M" thing makes for an awkward pronunciation. You never know whether to pause between the "M" in "Phantom" and the "M" in "Menace". But then, I guess Tim McGraw fans have the same problem.

A lot of fans say TPM simply didn't live up to their expectations. I still think we just outgrew it. There is obviously no shortage of juice in the imagination of George Lucas. So much of what he has made here is completely beautiful, and Ben Burtt is out of this galaxy with his sound effects. While I admit this doesn't quite capture me the same way the previous Star Wars films did, it's a beautiful piece of art about characters we know and love. We'd watch them eat their breakfast cereal if given the chance.

The Phantom Menace DVD Features
Talk about jam-packed. But Star Wars fans would expect no less, I suspect. Here we get seven deleted scenes, a commentary track by Lucas and some of the visual and sound guys, and the music video to "Duel of the Fates". There are five behind-the-scenes featurettes, galleries galore and an hour-long "making of" documentary. It's enough to keep you busy for a few days, or a Saturday if you happen to be one of those who can stand to stare at a TV for 12 hours straight, in which case I say unto you, welcome to the club.

Thanks for visiting, and may the Force be with you.


Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Good for Groups