Film Review: Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999)

Some films are difficult to review. They might have been reviewed so thoroughly by more resourceful, more analytical and generally better reviewers and the author of this review often feels that he hasn’t anything new or original to add. Or, in some cases, the author of this review is quite aware that his judgment and general perspective will be under influence of his emotions and experiences the readers are unlikely to fathom or understand. I encountered some of those challenges when I first wrote about Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, 1999 science fiction epic written and directed by George Lucas.

Episode I represents the first part of Star Wars saga, but it is actually the fourth film that was produced and released. It is the first part of the trilogy of prequels to original Star Wars films, starting with 1977 Star Wars, which was retroactively renamed into Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope. The first film of the original trilogy might not be among the best, but it is certainly the most important film ever made in last half a century. It displayed new levels of film technology and, more importantly, etched the summer blockbuster paradigm into Hollywood DNA, creating an example almost everyone else, within and outside Hollywood, would follow. It was also immensely popular film, which used the relatively simple story to create new world of wonder which would be enjoyed by adults and children alike. And, most importantly, together with its sequels – brilliant The Empire Strikes Back and not so brilliant Return of the Jedi - it was commercial success of such proportions that its creator George Lucas would become object of Hollywood envy for next two decades. Needless to say, an idea of making another trilogy was enough to cause huge anticipation among the original film’s hundreds of millions of fans, which was masterfully exploited by George Lucas and his marketing machine, creating perhaps the greatest hype in the history of cinema. Not even the author of this review, despite his subsequent education, change of taste, new critical standards and increased scepticism of Hollywood and its machinery, was immune to that. When I saw the famous words “Long time ago, in a galaxy far away…” I felt the shiver down to my spine just as I have felt it two decades earlier.

Unprecedented marketing campaign for Episode I actually began years before. Sequel was always going to be in the works, but Lucas, then firmly established as one of the most successful and powerful names in Hollywood, deliberately postponed it in order to further improve new CGI technology, as well as new techniques of bringing audience to the theatres, including relying on the emerging phenomenon of Internet. Two years before Episode I, as some sort of warm up for the real thing, the most loyal fans and new generations of viewers, got the opportunity to see Special Edition versions of the original three film, with special effects being enhanced via CGI, but also with couple of controversies when Lucas’ new versions strayed from what fans have remembered in original films. And, as the final date of new chapter of Star Wars release was approaching, Lucas got additional reason to boost its marketing campaign. Surprise success of Titanic, which had dethroned A New Hope from being the film with highest gross of all time, made Lucas determined to do the same to James Cameron’s film with the his new film. All that led to even higher expectations that were very unlikely to be met, both in terms of box office and artistic qualities.

The plot of the films begins four decades before the events depicted in the original trilogy. Instead of Galactic Empire, most of the known universe is ruled by its predecessor, the benevolent and peaceful Galactic Republic. Its authority is, however, eroded due to economic crisis, which, in turn, leads to disputes over trade tariffs between various entities within Republic. One of such disputes, between Trade Federation and planet of Naboo, led to Naboo being blockaded by Federation fleet. Republic tries to settle the matter peacefully and two of of its emmissaries – experienced Jedi knight Qui-Gon Jinn (played by Liam Neeson) and his pupil Obi-Wan Kenobi (played by Ewan McGregor) – are sent to diplomatic mission. On their way they are ambushed by Federation droids and forced to seek shelter on Naboo, where they would be helped by Jar Jar Binks (played by Ahmed Best), member of local amphibious race of Gungans. He leads them to planet’s capital from where they rescue Queen Amidala (played by Natalie Portman) from Federation captivity. They decide to bring her to Coruscant, capital planet of Republic, where she would have plead the case in front of influential Senator Palpatine (played by Ian McDiarmid). While fleeing Federation spaceship, her own spaceship is forced to land on desert planet of Tatouine. Qui-Gon there finds Annakin Skywalker (played by Jake Lloyd), 9-year old slave boy who dreams of freedom and career of pilot. Qui-Gon notices that the Force is strong within the boy and is convinced that he would become formidable Jedi one day. While Qui-Gon tries to use Annakin’s skills in a race that would allow spare parts for Amidala’s ship, Darth Maul (played by Ray Park), Sith follower of Darth Sidious who practices dark side of Force, comes to the planet to confront Qui-Gon and his party.

In case of The Phantom Menace the good news for the fans of original Star Wars and the rest of the audience start with special effects. Even those critics who didn’t like the original film were willing to admit that George Lucas mastered art of film illusion like nobody before him and, subsequently, his company Industrial Light and Magic dominated Hollywood in subsequent years. The budget for The Phantom Menace was ten times higher than in A New Hope and that clearly shows on screen, mostly in scenes featuring special effects that make distant foreign worlds, exotic creatures and spectacular space battles look real and truly bring viewer to completely different world. Even the production design is top-notch and the costumes and make-up, like in the case of Queen Amidala, are quite memorable. Composer John Williams, who contributed to the original trilogy so well, does another excellent score with “Duel of Fates” theme becoming one of the most recognisable pieces of 1990s film music. Lucas’ skill is at its best in middle of the film, during the spectacular race scene which is breath-taking despite most of audience being quite aware how it would ultimately end.

Good news for the audience end when the topic of discussion switch from technical issues to the script. A year earlier Lucas and his fans has made fun of Ronald Emmerich and his overambitious Godzilla being advertised with slogan “Size does matter” by launching an ad with slogan “Plot does matter”. This, ironically, only brought another attention to the issue that hurts Lucas’ film the most. The plot is really weak and serves mostly as glue that tries to connect elaborate scenes featuring special effects, while all the characters are undeveloped. Many characters come and go only to satisfy the hunger of the original trilogy fans, often at the expense of film’s plausibility. The Phantom Menace, for example, would likes to believe that C3PO, R2D2 and Jabba the Hutt would just happen to bump into each other, making the galaxy made of thousands of planets looking unusually small. Another issue, which is shared by many prequels, is that the fans know what would ultimately happen with some of the characters – Annakin would one day become great Jedi, Obi-Wan Kenobi will be his master and, knowing that, the fate of Qui-Gon Jinn becomes quite predictable.

Unlike A New Hope, which mostly relied on then unknown actors, The Phantom Menace features cast made of already established stars and those who became household names as prolific character actors. Charismatic Liam Neeson does solid job as Qui-Gon Jinn, but can’t fill the blanks about his character’s past. Another disappointment comes from Ewan McGregor, Scottish actor whose uncle Dennis Lawson played Wedge Antilles in original trilogy. He deliberately plays Obi-Wan Kenobi in the gestures and speech patterns that mimic Alec Guiness in A New Hope, but fails to comprehend that Guiness played elderly character and that such performance doesn’t look right for someone playing much younger. But even that looks wonderful compared with almost criminal miscasting of Jake Lloyd as Annakin. Even the most devout and the most charitable among the fans criticised the lack of his acting ability, leading the child actor to end his career even before it properly began. His performance leads to even worse scenes in which otherwise dependable Natalie Portman must play character who is for some reasons impressed or infatuated over 9-year old child, thus bringing possible and completely unnecessary accusations of paedophilia towards the film.

Even such weak script, however, brought attention of those who were seeking some hidden meaning and some messages that had to do with current politics. While A New Hope was often interpreted as reflection of 1970s general distrust of government and Vietnam War experience, Lucas’ new script was apparently, at least in part, influenced by new geopolitical challenges. Trade Federation, which is introduced as villainous entity, looks like collection of Yellow Peril stereotypes, with their representatives speaking with accent that sound Asian, which, at least on subconscious level, gives away not only somewhat racist sentiments but also fears that China and other robust Asian economies might undermine American hegemony in 21st Century. Accusations of racism in that regard were, however, dwarfed with Jar Jar Binks, arguably the most hated of all Hollywood fictional characters. Introduced to serve as comic relief due to his clumsiness and malapropisms, he was interpreted as Star Wars version of Uncle Tom, and despite being CGI-rendered alien, seen as embodiments of all negative stereotypes relative to black people. If we disregard “political correctness” and see Jar Jar Binks as merely comical alien, the character actually looks much fuller and someone the audience can sympathise, unlike often wooden and underwritten humans. More problematic, however, is film’s muddled political message in which republican model of government on galactic level coexists with constituent planets being ruled as monarchies and institution of slavery, while the political establishment of Republic with its constitutional procedures proves to be more harmful than secret Jedi elite that functions as some sort of Deep State.

The Phantom Menace predictably divided the audience, especially the fans. It was mostly on generational level. The old were disappointed, while the young, those who had experienced Star Wars for the first times, were pleased. The huge success at the box office was also quite predictable with The Phantom Menace easily becoming the most popular film of the year, although The Phantom Menace failed to dethrone Titanic, leaving many to believe that Lucas couldn’t compete with the likes of The Lord of the Rings and emerging world of superhero films. It is nevertheless entertaining, well-directed film that looks much better with passage of time, especially after the even more disappointing new 2010s trilogy, which made prequels, despite their flaws, look like masterpieces. But, arguably, the greatest praise The Phantom Menace should receive is for inspiring the most entertaining film review ever made.

RATING: 6/10 (++)

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