Movie Night: Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace.

Review #142: Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace.

Cast
Liam Neeson (Qui-Gon Jinn), Ewan McGregor (Obi-Wan Kenobi), Natalie Portman (Queen Padmé Amidala), Jake Lloyd (Anakin Skywalker), Ian McDiarmid (Senator Palpatine / Darth Sidious), Pernilla August (Shmi Skywalker), Frank Oz (Yoda), Oliver Ford Davies (Sio Bibble), Hugh Quarshie (Captain Panaka), Ahmed Best (Jar Jar Binks), Anthony Daniels (C-3PO), Kenny Baker (R2-D2), Terence Stamp (Supreme Chancellor Valorum), Samuel L. Jackson (Mace Windu), Ray Park (Darth Maul), Keira Knightley (Sabé), Silas Carson  (Nute Gunray, Ki-Adi-Mundi, and Lott Dod), Brian Blessed (Boss Nass), Andy Secombe (Watto), and Lewis MacLeod (Sebulba) Directed by George Lucas (#113 - Star Wars and #141 - American Graffiti)

Review
As of May 2019, this review has been superceded by a Redux Review that goes into better detail - as seen here: https://movienightcentral.blogspot.com/2019/05/redux-star-wars-episode-i-the-phantom-menace.html

After the climatic end to the Original Trilogy in 1983, the film series went into decline, with nothing following. That is until 1997, with the Special Edition releases (Which wasn't the first time the films had been changed) Anyway, this film had a huge amount of hype. 16 Years of waiting for...This. Needless to say, it was not what fans expected. The acting is decent from some (Ewan McGregor, the best of the cast. Natalie Portman also does well and Ian McDiarmid is excellent), but from others it's either a bit dull, or just...more then just dull (Such as Jake Lloyd or Amhed Best). Jar-Jar and Anakin are the main problems in the film, as they both annoy you to no end. The look of the film and the action are alright (for 1999, anyway), but it's all hampered by the fact it's CGI, making it feel unnatural. The story is meh to say the least, but it is hard to care about Qui-Gon Jinn when you don't really connect with him at all. Even the original Obi-Wan Kenobi from Episode IV was easy to relate to because his mysterious nature was intriguing, as opposed to Qui-Gon Jinn's dull nature. Darth Maul isn't an awful villain, and I guess it is nice to see a silent villain given all the other choices (Nute Gunray, who is terribly uninteresting, and the battle droids, who are about as cool looking as actual sticks.), the double bladed lightsaber is awesome even now.

Lucas tries to connect this to the Original Trilogy, but it just falls short. Midichlorians is just a silly concept (short explanation: tiny organisms in people and if you have enough of them, you're a Jedi/Sith). You know what is the best way to describe the Force and the Jedi itself actually is? This: "The Force is what gives a Jedi his power. It's an energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us and penetrates us. It binds the galaxy together." That quote from Episode IV is all you need to know about the Jedi because it just sounds that good. But was this as bad as everyone says? Maybe, maybe not. Overhyped is a word to describe this movie, and when something is overhyped, you get disappointed no matter how the movie is. Most of the time. We've only just begun on our journey reviewing these films. Countdown to 150: 10, 9, 8...

Overall, I give it 5 out of 10 stars.