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More than anything, Star Wars Episode 1 – The Phantom Menace is an attractive cultural property. It’s been 25 years since I saw this movie in theaters, and more than a decade since I last rewatched it (in a futile attempt to help my Trekkie wife catch up on the prequels). There was enough time to process her initial disappointment and embarrassment at introducing her wife to Jar Jar Binks. So when Disney announced it was bringing the prequel trilogy back to theaters, I decided to watch the trilogy again to see how George Lucas’ final film compared to Star Wars: Onslaught. I almost went blind trying to watch it. The media we have experienced over the past decade.was phantom menace Is it as bad as I remembered? Well, yes and no.
boring but imaginative
In 1999 I found out episode 1 When you get to the second line at the beginning, “Taxes on trade routes to outlying star systems are in dispute,” things get a bit tricky. Really, George?This is what Star Wars fans have been waiting for since 1983 Return of the Jedi? During this rewatch, I found myself more tickled than irritated by the many baffling narrative choices. The empty drama of the trade blockade. A confusing decision to establish a romance between a literal child and an older teenager. And throw in Jar Jar Binks to appease the kids in some horribly boring dialogue.
as if phantom menace It was written and directed by an alien who has never actually seen a movie or been involved in any aspect of pop culture since the early ’80s. At the same time, that almost outsider perspective is part of the film’s appeal.It’s terrible to see a society gradually lose control of its idealistic democracy to power-hungry dictators. many For a PG rated fantasy movie. But it’s also the setting in which his first two prequels, alongside the global response to 9/11, feel eerily prescient.
By the time we entered 2005 Revenge of the Sith, it was hard to miss the references to George W. Bush’s Patriot Act and the Global War on Terror. “With thunderous applause, this is how freedom dies,” Padmé said as her fellow senators delegated emergency powers to Palpatine, turning Supreme Chancellor Palpatine into Emperor and transforming the Galactic Republic into the Galactic Empire.
Beyond political intrigue phantom menace Gorgeous images abound, including the lush palaces of Naboo and the waterside Gungan cities. Design new ships and weapons. And, of course, all the costumes worn by Princess Amidala. It would have been nice if these visuals blended better with the story, but their presence makes it clear that Lucas was surrounded by world-class talent such as: .
phantom menace He also shows his vitality in some action set pieces. Admittedly, the pod races may be a bit too long, but the overall sense of speed, scale, and bombastic sounds are still truly thrilling. (The film’s sound team, Gary Rydstrom, Tom Johnson, Sean Murphy, and John Migley, was nominated for an Oscar, but narrowly missed out.) matrix.)
And yes, the whole fight in Duel of the Fates is still an absolute banger.There is no doubt about it phantom menace It would have been a stronger movie with less awkward dialogue and more character growth shown through the action. At some point in the battle, all participants are separated by a laser barrier. Qui-Gon Jinn meditates in a state of almost complete peace. Darth Maul prowls around like a caged lion. And Obi-Wan Kenobi is just eager to fight, like a good student who just wants to show off. This sequence tells us more about the characters than the remaining two hours of the film.
Pioneer of ubiquitous digital text
While I didn’t like Jar Jar Binks on this rewatch, his presence as a fully CG character felt more important than ever. Jar Jar, voiced by actor and comedian Ahmed Best, was thoroughly discarded upon release, and his implementation was far from seamless. However, this was also the first time he had seen a captured performance translated into a fully realized character. Technology has become so commonplace in movies that we practically take it for granted.
“There can’t be Gollum without Jar Jar,” Best said. . “You can’t have the Na’vi in Avatar without Jar Jar. You can’t have Thanos or the Hulk without Jar Jar. I’m proud of Jar because he’s a signal to the rest of this art form.” I’m proud to be a part of it too. ”
In 2017, Best offered an expanded version of his thoughts in a Twitter thread (): “Jar Jar has helped me create the workflow, iterative process, and litmus test for all my CGI characters to this day. Denying Jar Jar’s place in film history is like denying hundreds of CGI characters.” Kudos to the VFX technicians, animators, codewriters, and producers. Kudos to John Knoll, Rob Coleman, and the many people who worked with us for two years to bring these films to you after principal photography wrapped. ”
A great story is trapped in a bad story
I learned the best way to watch phantom menace It’s about taking aspects I like and replacing Lucas’ many puzzling choices with my own canon. The story of Anakin Skywalker being born by the power of the Force and becoming the chosen Jedi? That’s interesting! Did they invent midichlorians to give people literal Jedi power scores? That’s the worst, you’re in hell! (While midi-chlorians are still technically canon, they have been largely ignored in recent Star Wars media.)
I couldn’t help but imagine how a more spontaneous and energetic storyteller would have approached this time. phantom menace. Certainly they won’t bring forward trade disputes or taxes.More skilled writers, e.g. Andor’s Tony Gilroy could thoughtfully weave in the potential collapse of the Republic. And I’m sure most people wouldn’t waste an hour leaving Ewan McGregor’s Obi-Wan off screen while everyone else goes on a podracing adventure. (It would certainly be nice to have him spend more time with Anakin!)
Haven’t seen it yet , but his decision to start in the middle of The Phantom Menace’s climactic lightsaber battle makes sense.so many episode 1 This feels completely unnecessary when Anakin Skywalker’s real story is about falling in love, being seduced to the dark side, and ultimately betraying his master.