Star Wars: Episode 1 – The Phantom Menace (1999)

Directed by: George Lucas | 133 minutes | action, adventure, fantasy, science fiction | Actors: Ewan McGregor, Jake Lloyd, Liam Neeson, Samuel L. Jackson, Natalie Portman, Ray Park, Ian McDiarmid, Frank Oz, Kenny Baker, Anthony Daniels, Brian Blessed, Pernilla August, Terence Stamp, Ahmed Best, Oliver Ford Davies, Adrian Dunbar

Star Wars’ – the original trilogy from the 1970s and 1980s – is a cultural phenomenon. It is a series that has changed the movie landscape forever and has been adored, and continues to be, by entire tribes worldwide. So it’s no surprise that the hype for a new ‘Star Wars’ film, sixteen years after the last film, ‘Return of the Jedi’, was met with a lot of hype and excitement. That, of course, could only be disappointing. ‘Star Wars’ revived the science fiction genre in the late 1970s, just as ‘The Lord of the Rings’ did for the fantasy genre in the early 21st century. Since then, many similar science fiction adventure films have come along and the viewer has become accustomed to a lot in terms of special effects. So George Lucas has to make about a perfect film, as innovative and astonishing as it was back then, to please the audience (at least the fans back then). So it’s an impossible task. Because, indeed ‘Star Wars – Episode I: The Phantom Menace’, is quite disappointing. But this isn’t all about high expectations. Even though the film is ultimately worthwhile and at times very entertaining and beautiful to watch, it simply lacks the energy, humor, and appealing characters of the first trilogy.

An obvious problem is that there are a lot of characters to introduce because this is an origin story. Yoda must of course not be missing, nor should (the here still “innocent”) Senator Palpatine, Obi-Wan Kenobi – the later mentor of hero Luke Skywalker, the dark Sith Lord Sidious, Queen Amidala (Natalie Portman), Luke’s mother-to-be and Princess Leia, and of course her husband-to-be, Anakin Skywalker, aka villain Darth Vader, here another innocent little – and rather unbearable – child. These are all pretty important characters, but none of them get enough space to form a personality.

For example, Ewan McGregor is well cast as the youthful Obi-Wan Kenobi (a role immortalized by the inimitable Sir Alec Guinness), but he hardly gets the chance to show his charming side – or any side for that matter. because he just has to walk a bit with his mentor Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson), who in turn comes across as serene and wise but also doesn’t exactly splash off the screen. Public favorite Yoda is allowed to spew some wise words from his seat on the Yedi Council – the most important of which: “Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to Hate. Hate leads to… suffering.”, when he points out the dangers of negative thoughts – but it can’t be called more than a supporting role. Unfortunately, one of the biggest roles has been assigned to Natalie Portman, who as Queen Amidala has to wear the most extravagant headdresses, speak monotonously and look bored, presumably to appear as businesslike and royal as possible.

It also doesn’t help that the central story revolves around something as unappealing as the imposition of taxes by a trade federation. Apparently so many interests are involved that lives and innocent planets must be threatened by the villains. Reason for Amidala to go into hiding with the help of the tough Jedi knights, the legendary protectors of order and peace in the universe.

Fortunately, Amidala in her hiding form – then her name is Padmé – is a lot more human and you can even discover a smile on her beautiful face several times. She is especially endeared by the resourceful little slave Anakin, who sets out on a dizzying space race (a “pod race”) to earn his freedom and apprentice with Jedi Qui-Gon. He has discovered a very strong presence of the “Force” (the force that is all around us and maintains the universe) in him and has set his sights on the training of little Anakin. Anakin, played by Jake Lloyd, gets a little nervous at times with his exaggerated “Yippie!” cries, but he mostly does what he’s supposed to do: kick the ass in the spectacular pod race!

The fantastic pod race is undoubtedly the highlight of the film, one of the few parts in the film that is truly immersive. For starters, the (open-air) stadium where the race starts is already beautifully and extensively animated, with hordes of fur-dressed spectators from different (alien) races, and with a nice cameo from Jabba the Hut, the obese trader from the original trilogy where Han Solo (Harrison Ford) gets into trouble. The two-headed commentator is funny and their loudspeaker amplified voices give the viewer the feeling of being at a Formula 1 race. But it is much more than that. The devices with which the participants compete against each other are beautifully and creatively designed tearing irons and all different. The way they race across the desert and the noises the engines make as they speed past (or nearly fall apart) only add to the adrenaline. The way in which the race was filmed and edited – then a shot from the cockpit (as if you were in the middle of the race), then a reaction shot from an opponent, and then an overview shot from above – keeps the tension good. It is a wonderful roller coaster ride.

There is certainly more to experience in ‘The Phantom Menace’. One of the funniest new characters—perhaps cutest in the entire movie—is an insect-like trader named Watto, who is the rightful owner of Anakin and his mother and a tough opponent in Qui-Gon’s negotiations with him. Hilarious is the scene where Qui-Gon unsuccessfully tries to use the “Jedi mind trick” (which is to manipulate the minds of weak spirits) on him to get a good deal. Qui-Gon can move his hand in front of his face as many times as he likes, but the wily Watto always gives his own rigid answer, laughing hoarsely that the Jedi tricks don’t work on him.

But there are also different environments to enjoy, not least the round-shaped and copper-dominated underwater world of a people called the “Gungans”, where the two Jedi knights are swept by the clumsy Gungan Jar-Jar Binks. brought. When the Jedis leave here again, director Lucas casually demonstrates his love for strange creatures and monsters—and his sense of winking humor—by having the Jedi’s craft attack by a huge fish, which in turn is devoured. by an even bigger fish, which in turn… well, it’s clear. With the dry headline of Qui-gon: “There is always a bigger fish”. Jar-Jar itself needs little words. It’s a tiresome creature that, with its childish dialect and silly, hyperactive behavior, is clearly intended to entertain the film’s youngest audience. It is not yet the case that he single-handedly manages to ruin the film, but he is certainly not a welcome addition to the group of characters. Lucas’ desire to get a lower (younger) rating is undoubtedly also the reason that many of the big fights end up being pretty bloodless, “safe” encounters, with only a few destroyed robots as a result and a lot of acrobatics from Jar. -Jar. Although it must be said that the confrontation with Sith Darth Maul, painted as a devil, makes for a nice confrontation with the two Jedi knights. Played by martial arts specialist Ray Park, he shows off some beautiful moves.

‘The Phantom Menace’ has good and weak points, but can’t really be called a success. The soul and panache of the earlier films are largely missing here. There is hardly any interesting, stimulating interaction between the characters and there is no one who can successfully take the film on its shoulders. In the original trilogy there was continuous tension within the trio Luke, Han and Leia due to clashing characters and romantic allusions. There is no such dynamic in ‘The Phantom Menace’, which of course has a lot to do with the lack of an antihero like Han Solo, who always managed to throw some extra fuel on the fire with his wisecracks and no-nonsense comments. behaviour.

Still, the film manages to captivate often enough between the lines, which has a lot to do with the viewer’s great prior knowledge. For example, when Yoda talks about the dark side and his worries about the unstable Anakin, many a viewer will feel a tingle down his spine as he knows that Yoda’s hunch will prove particularly prophetic. Also the thought that Obi-Wan will train his future killer and also become the mentor of his son and opponent Luke Skywalker, provides an exciting extra layer to the film experience. In this way Lucas manages to keep the viewers interested and eagerly looking forward to ‘Episode II: The Attack of the Clones’, and the conclusion of the “new trilogy”, ‘Episode III: The Revenge of the Sith’. It remains an irresistible universe.