Chad’s Grade: C+
“Star Wars: The Phantom Menace” was one of the most anticipated films of all time. Everyone was waiting patiently, especially Hollywood, for director George Lucas to return to that galaxy far, far away. The “Special Edition” re-releases of the original trilogy in 1997 were massively successful and showed a strong appetite for new Star Wars products. And the films, updated with splashy, new CGI effects, proved to Lucas that he could make the new trilogy without compromising his vision.
I have mixed feelings about the prequel trilogy. They were highly divisive, especially “The Phantom Menace,” generating a toxic response that Rian Johnson could appreciate. The movies have received a second look and a softer reception from the generation that grew up watching the prequels versus the originals. Also, the excellent 2008 “The Clone Wars” animated series have helped smooth out some of the plot inconsistencies. But when you strip away the Star Wars brand, you’re left with poorly written scripts and incoherent character choices that fail to keep an audience engaged. And these problems are readily apparent in the first entry.
“The Phantom Menace” is the first chapter of Anakin Skywalker’s fall from grace and transformation into the feared Sith Lord Darth Vader. Set some 30 years before the original film, the surprisingly politically charged film begins with the evil trade federation invading the peaceful planet of Naboo. Jedi Knights Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi are sent to broker a peaceful resolution but are quickly ambushed by the Federation leaders. The Jedi escape to the surface and help Naboo’s Queen Padme and her guard escape the now occupied planet. Unknown to both Jedi, a mysterious Sith Lord and his apprentice Darth Maul have quietly orchestrated these events from the shadows.
As the Jedi escort the Queen to the Republic capital of Coruscant, they encounter an enslaved woman Shmi Skywalker, and her young son Anakin, whom they sense is extremely powerful in the force. The Jedi free Anakin and bring him along with the Queen to the Jedi council on Coruscant in hopes of training him. But the Queen’s pleas to the Senate fall on deaf ears, and the Jedi council have no interest in Anakin as he is too old to train properly.
With the Queen impatient with the political gridlock, she convinces Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan to escort her back to Naboo. Padme makes a pact with the native Gungan army to attack the federation army on several fronts. The daring plan works, but not without heavy losses. Darth Maul brutally kills Qui-Gon before Obi-Wan defeats the Sith apprentice. Qui-Gon urges Obi-Wan to train young Anakin, whom he believes is the “chosen one” due to his powerful force sensitivity. Obi-Wan reluctantly agrees, defying the Jedi council, and young Anakin’s Jedi journey begins.
“The Phantom Menace” sees George Lucas returning as both writer and director after a 23-year absence. Unshackled from the financial and technological restraints, Lucas crafts a byzantine plot introducing dozens of characters. And that’s the film’s main problem. The limitations of the original trilogy forced Lucas to keep his focus small, building his space opera from the characters themselves. Luke’s Jedi journey, beautifully crafted over three films, was the strong spine that held the trilogy together.
For the prequels, Anakin’s journey was meant to be an inversion of his son Luke’s. But Anakin is introduced here as a precocious child nearly 40 minutes into the picture. He’s a supporting player where he should be the central figure. The film would benefit dramatically if Anakin were a teenager, mirroring Luke from the first film. We could then see a proper romantic connection with Padme and the brotherly bond of Obi-Wan and Anakin. These two figures will be crucial in Anakin’s eventual fall from grace, and it’s frustrating to see those elements shuffled off to the next film, making this early entry largely inconsequential.
The actors assembled for “The Phantom Menace” is an embarrassment of riches. Liam Neeson is a commanding presence as Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn, and it’s a shame that he was unceremoniously killed off. Natalie Portman makes for a luminous Queen Padme (and eagle-eyed viewers will notice Keira Knightley and Sofia Coppola as her handmaidens.) Acclaimed Swedish actress Pernilla August is strong as Anakin’s mother, Shmi, and her “don’t look back” speech to Anakin is the film’s only genuine emotional moment. Also peppering the movie in supporting roles are Samuel L. Jackson, Frank Oz (as Yoda), Brian Blessed, and Terence Stamp as the doomed Supreme Chancellor. Even Ian McDiarmid returns as the dual role of Palpatine/Darth Sidious and future Emperor.
But the film’s most notable performance is Ewan McGregor as a young Obi-Wan Kenobi. McGregor had the daunting task of following in the footsteps of the great Alec Guinness, who originated the role in the first trilogy. The Scottish actor shines, using Guinness’s earlier performance as a springboard and making the part his own. It’s frustrating to see him as the second banana to Neeson’s Qui-Gon, and I would have swapped out Neeson to make Obi-Wan the central Jedi figure. He makes the prequel films watchable, especially the god-awful “Attack of the Clones.” And after several false starts, it’s exciting to see him return to the role in the “Kenobi” mini-series on Disney +.
Lucas insisted on writing the script himself, and his weakness as a screenwriter shows. The dialogue is stilted, and you can see the actors struggle to give the conversations an ebb and flow. Little details that could’ve been fixed with a rewrite stand out. Why are the droids R2-D2 and C3PO here, as they serve no narrative purpose? Child actor Jake Lloyd is fine as a young Anakin, but he’s written in such a cute, kid-friendly fashion that it’s hard to believe that the kid grows up to be the future Jedi slayer. And why ignore the most significant relationship of the trilogy, Anakin & Obi-Wan, reducing their first meeting to a quick handshake?
Despite the muddled narrative, “The Phantom Menace” does have some unusually bright spots. Lucas’s singular talent for world-building is on full display. The film takes us to the classic European style Naboo to the underwater Gungans and their floating orb city, then to the Coruscant capital, where the planet’s surface is a sprawling metropolis of towering skyscrapers and flying vehicles. Natalie Portman’s teenage Queen is decked out in elaborate costumes and Geisha-style makeup, giving her a regal presence. Even Darth Maul (an outstanding Ray Park) looks like a hellish demon with ghoulish tattoos and a crown of horns.
And Lucas still hasn’t lost his magic touch with action and high adventure. The pod race sequence is easily the film’s highlight. Part Nascar and part chariot race, Lucas blurs the line between animation and live-action, with dozens of creatures racing on floating turbine engines through the dunes of Tatooine. Here, the film briefly comes to life and nearly matches the thrill of the original trilogy.
Not to be outdone, “The Phantom Menace” has one of the franchise’s best lightsaber duels with Darth Maul and Obi-Wan & Qui Gon. Creatively choreographed and staged, this was our first glimpse at fully powerful Jedi and Sith in battle. We see the stark difference between Sith and Jedi as Darth Maul struts like a lion stalking his prey while the elder Qui Gon keeps his calm composure. And Maul’s dual-sided lightsaber reveal sent the fandom into a frenzy.
I even enjoyed the Machiavellian politics between Senator Palpatine and the Queen as we get our first look inside the Galactic Senate. Natalie Portman is quite good here, and watching the crafty future Emperor manipulate the Queen is chilling in our current political climate. One wonders why Lucas never did a political thriller during the break between his Star Wars trilogies.
The visual effects still impress even if some of the creature shots have aged poorly. I still found Jar Jar Binks insufferable and unfunny. Still, I can’t deny that the fully CGI character was a giant leap forward and a precursor to motion capture technology. It was disappointing that Lucas and Industrial, Light & Magic fully embraced the new CGI technology. The film loses the tangible, lived-in-world quality of the original trilogy in favor of a CGI gloss. Many actors, particularly Terence Stamp and Natalie Portman, complained of the extensive green screen work during filming.
“The Phantom Menace” was released on May 19, 1999, to record box office despite the critical drubbing. It quickly became the year’s highest-grossing film, even beating the original “Star Wars.” But I can’t help comparing the movie to another big release that year: “The Matrix.” Like the original “Star Wars,” the cyberpunk masterpiece drew from various genres and myths to create its groundbreaking vision. And the visual effects were kept lean and sparing, never dominating the characters and narrative. The Wachowski sisters managed to one-up Lucas at his own game, making “The Phantom Menace” look like a bloated, overlong, but still an entertaining entry in the Star Wars Franchise.
Spot on!
I remember being very underwhelmed with the Phantom Menace came out. Over time it has grown on me though, and Jar Jar aside, it still had a lot to recommend it, most notably the epic lightsaber fight at the end. The special effects stand up well, although not as well as the original films have, while the clunky script and dialogue are the films major flaws. Its not perfect by any means, but nowhere as bad as it reputation suggests.