Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace - Film Review
Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace is
Plot
Stranded on the desert planet Tatooine after rescuing young Queen Amidala (Natalie Portman) from the impending invasion of Naboo, Jedi apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) and his Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson) discover nine-year-old Anakin Skywalker (Jake Lloyd), a young slave unusually strong in the Force. Anakin wins a thrilling Podrace and with it his freedom as he leaves his home to be trained as a Jedi. The heroes return to Naboo where Anakin and the Queen face massive invasion forces while the two Jedi contend with a deadly foe named Darth Maul (Ray Park). Only then do they realize the invasion is merely the first step in a sinister scheme by the re-emergent forces of darkness known as the Sith.
Or you could just listen to Weird Al's "The Saga Begins" for a better plot summary.
Review
Oh boy, I have a lot to talk about. Let's start with the story.
This story makes no sense in some parts, I'm not going to list them all, but I will mention some, so if you want to know more, read the TV Tropes page or watch Mr. Plinkett's review.
The title makes no sense, all the other movie titles make some sense. I guess it refers to the fake treaty since if you google phantom, one of the definitions is "denoting a financial arrangement or transaction that has been invented for fraudulent purposes but that does not really exist". Although it wasn't a financial treaty. The title is the least of this film's problems.
The fight scene with Darth Maul, Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon. Mr. Plinkett makes a good point about the Darth Maul fight at the end. What were Qui Gon and Obi Wan on their way to do specifically when Darth Maul showed up? Were they hunting Darth Maul? And if so why? To stop him from doing what?
If you aren't paying attention to the over choreographed fight scene with Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon and Darth Maul, you'd probably wonder if the power core for that place was build specifically for them to fight in. I mean what architect puts catwalks with no rails, and laser death things that go off every 30 seconds? They probably just wanted them to fight in a Star Wars looking area.
Why would Shmi Skywalker trust her 9 year old son with a total stranger (Qui-Gon)? For all she knew, Qui-Gon could've been a slaver or a scam artist. Qui-Gon said that he could've killed a Jedi and taken his lightsaber. Slavers usually don't have lightsabers or force powers.
Why is there a child sized helmet and goggles when Anakin gets in that ship and destroys the droids? I guess the pilots planned that.
Why did the droids engage the Gungans? What did they hope to gain buy killing Gungans out in the middle of nowhere when the real battle was at the palace? Now that I think about it, Jar Jar was a Gungan, I'll let this one slide.
Let's talk about the characters now. Let's start off good and then progressively get worse. Darth Maul is probably the best character in the movie or possibly the entire prequel trilogy. He looks cool and he has a double bladed lightsaber (I have one too btw) AND he doesn't say anything much so that's a plus.
Qui-Gon Jinn, there's really not much too him but I found him to be one of the more tolerable characters in the movie. And I feel like he genuinely liked Anakin, one of the worst characters in the movie. Liam Neeson plays him pretty well.
Senator Palpatine/Darh Sidious is pretty much the cause of this movie. He sends the Trade Federation to block and invade Naboo and when Padme tries to stop this (not knowing Palpatine was behind this), he sends Darth Maul after her but Maul is killed by Obi-Wan. Palpatine uses all this to make himself Supreme Chancellor. Ian McDiarmid played him pretty well.
Obi-Wan Kenobi isn't very great in this one. He pretty much sits around and complains, and he seems annoyed that he has to train Anakin, despite them being best friends in the other two. Ewan McGregor plays him okay, but he might be better in the other two.
Padme Amidala is fine, I guess, can't think of much to say. She is the 14 year old queen of Naboo who tries to end the planet's occupation by the Trade Federation and someone tries to make her sign a treaty that legitimize the Trade Federation's occupation of Naboo. She also escapes to Tatooine with Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon and meets Anakin. And why did Decoy Padme (Keira Knightly) send Padme (diguised as handmaiden) to clean R2-D2? Wouldn't she be more concerned about what's going on with space politics or something? Or was this just to have a scene with Padme and Jar Jar? Natalie Portman is ok as Padme, this isn't one of her best movies.
Anakin is annoying. I don't like this kid, he's annoying and unlikable. I just don't like him and he's one of the biggest problems in the movie. This is pretty funny though.
Jar Jar. Enough said.
Some of the other characters like Yoda and Mace Windu are fine, since there's not much to talk about
The film is rather boring in some parts too, the Tatooine section is about forty minutes long. And the podracing scene doesn't help.
The political scenes are rather boring too, as a half hour of the movie are focused on these and the movie kinda drags because of this.
The CGI kinda sucks too. I'm sure it looked great in 1999, not sure as I wasn't alive back then. But it really sucks today.
Overall, this film is very average in my opinion, it's definitely better than what I'm reviewing tomorrow. The story isn't that good, neither are some of the characters, and some of the logic just doesn't make sense.
5/10
See you tomorrow with a review of Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones.
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