Episode 1: The Phantom Menace  Review: 11th June 2003

Rating: Null/10 (16 May 2004)

Its 1983 and one of the most visually appealing Star Wars movies ever, has been released. The film is Return of the Jedi. We have some of the best set pieces ever committed to celluloid and we see the culmination of characters we have cared about since 1977. We finally see Anakin Skywalker return to the good side and the galactic war is at an endmany years pass then its announced that George Lucas, will create a whole new trilogy, chronicling the life of Anakin Skywalker and explain just why he turned to the 'dark side'. The release of the star wars trilogy: special edition only increases the expectation for Episode 1: The Phantom Menace and so it begins. The year is 1999 and the movie begins Does it start off with General Kenobi and Anakin facing off in the Clone Wars? Does George Lucas enthuse it with hard core mythologizing from the start? Do we find out how good Anakin was as a pilot from the very first frame? NopeGeorge Lucas goes back to basics. Return of the Jedi was the last film where we had an intergalactic war, but this film is essentially about a small planet being attacked by a Greedy trade federation. Doesn't sound too star warsy does it? Well not on the surface. To fully appreciate this movie you have to accept its not going to the rip roaring roller coaster ride that the originals were. By their very nature they were extremely exciting adventures with characters on the run . In this film, we have a peaceful galaxy as opposed to galaxy engulfed in a intergalactic war spanning hundreds of planets, instead its one planet. That of Naboo, which has came under attack from a Trade Federation.
So why start with this planet? Well, Senator Palpatine is the senator from there and as we know, Palpatine, just like Lucas for introducing the films at this unexpected episode is genius for planning ahead. Upon its release, many movie goers attacked Jar Jar what with his bumbling nature he was hardly your typical star wars character and unlike the previous movies, he even had the audacity in acting the fool in the final space battle. But people who let themselves get distracted by this, mis-interpret it and thus, take an instant disliking to the film. But concentrate on what many perceive it to be its flaws and you see that it's the films and overall, the trilogies greatest strength. It shows how even the smallers things can have a bearing on the bigger picture, from a small time senator of Naboo promoted to the ruler of the galaxy and how the Jedi Knights trigger a count down to their own destruction, by taking a young boy away from his mother. George Lucas should be given credit for trying to do things differently and not hanging off the coat tails of his original films. Had we seen a Han Solo character in this movie like many wanted then it would have cheapened the real Han Solo. Likewise, many other circumstances which fans wanted in the movie. Sure, the characters dialogue is more stilted, but this is the Victorian area of the star wars universe (you will notice the dialogue loosens up somewhat in Episode 2). So basically, the galaxy is peaceful but there's a few things rumbling and its these smaller things which will shape every film following it. A great epilogue for the star wars movies and a movie which compliments the other films, as opposed to blatantly copying their style and therefore, robbing them of their originality. 3 Stars out of Five.