No matter what, it's still Star Wars
Star Wars: Episode I -- The Phantom Menace A Film Review By Michael Redman Copyright 1999 By Michael Redman
***1/2 (Out Of ****)
"The Phantom Menace" is possibly the most anticipated film of the last 50 years. "Star Wars" has transcended cinema to become one of the world's mythologies. Obi-Wan Kenobi may not be more popular than Jesus Christ, but he's giving him a run for his money.
For the two people who don't know, here's the Cliff Notes. This film takes place a few decades before the first Star Wars movie. Obi-Wan Kenobi (now Ewan McGregor) is a young Jedi apprentice to master Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson). The two are dispatched to the planet Naboo which is being blockaded by the Trade Federation. There they meet teen queen Amidala (Natalie Portman) and amphibian Jar Jar Binks (played by a computer program).
Then they make a stop on Tatooine and encounter Anakin Skywalker (Jake Lloyd), a slave boy exceptionally strong in the Force and destined to become Darth Vader. The bad guys are Sith Lords Darth Sidious and Darth Maul. There are lots of light saber battles, weird creatures and space ships.
First of all: yes, it's great fun. The effects are magnificent, the best of their type ever seen. A phenomenal high-tech hot rod race is guaranteed to wake up the dead. The battle between Darth Maul and the two Jedi is the most stunning yet. The eye candy is beyond reproach. Forget the popcorn. Forget the cokes. Forget the restroom. Don't take your eyes off the screen.
It's strange watching the first part of a story you know the ending to. When young Skywalker's mother tells her son to go with the Jedi and live his dream, you can almost hear a deep voice saying "To rule the universe."
As usual, director George Lucas cobbles together pieces of various cultures to create an eerie but familiar atmosphere. When hordes of faceless droids under the command of the Trade Federation Viceroy with an Asian accent attack the peace-loving orange-robed inhabitants of Naboo, it feels like an intergalactic re-enactment of the Chinese invasion of Tibet.
But then there's the rest of the movie.
Acting has never been the strong point of the "Star Wars" films. Mark Hamill worked well as Luke Skywalker, but if you want to judge his acting skills, take a look at the Marsh commercials.
It's especially disappointing in "Phantom Menace" because of the caliber of actors. Neeson is remarkably flat. Samuel Jackson in a cameo as a Jedi master is horrendous. Darth Maul seems to exist primarily to sell action figures.
There is an odd emotional distance to the movie. It's telling that the only character who shows much humanity is the computer-generated alien Jar Jar. There's no one the audience can identify with. The Jedi are too squeaky clean; the villains, too dastardly and the kid, too damned cute. Where's Han Solo when you need him?
There are flaws with the story. The Force is a mystical energy. Attempting to explain it away with scientific babble is a bone-headed mistake. Too many things happen by happy accident. The attack droids fall over at the slightest provocation and are terrible shots. You know how the battles are going to turn out: the good guys win.
Or do they? The major problem with the plot is that a very important element isn't clear. Exactly who or what is the "phantom menace" is guesswork. The relationship between the future Emperor and another character is key to understanding what is going on and that relationship is only hinted at. Revealed in the "Star Wars" novels, but not in the film, this knowledge completely changes what the film is about.
Having said all of that, I'm going to make a confession and the first few words of the next paragraph will forever brand me as an unrepentant fanboy.
Watching the film the second time a few days later, all of my problems with it melted away. Jar Jar became enjoyable rather than annoying. Having figured out the relationship mentioned above, the movie was much more intricate. Expectations gone, I could settle back and have a great time.
Despite numerous flaws, it's still "Star Wars" and I was a kid again. That's good enough for me.
(Darth Redman has written this column since before the first "Star Wars". He considering starting to re-live his own prequel.)
[This appeared in the 5/27/99 "Bloomington Independent", Bloomington, Indiana. Michael Redman can be contacted at Redman@indepen.com.] -- mailto:redman@indepen.com This week's film review: http://www.indepen.com/ Film reviews archive: http://us.imdb.com/M/reviews_by?Michael%20Redman Y2K articles: http://www.indepen.com/
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