and so a child shall lead them

Rating: 9/10 (20 May 2005)

STAR WARS: EPISODE I  THE PHANTOM MENACE (1999) ***1/2 Liam Neeson, Ewan Mc Gregor, Natalie Portman, Jake Lloyd, Ian Mc Diarmid, Ahemed Best, Ray Park, Pernella August, Frank Oz (voice only), Samuel L. Jackson, Kenny Baker, Anthony Daniels (voice only), Terence Stamp. and so a child shall lead them George Lucas returns to the directing chair (remind you this is only his fourth turn at the helm!) after 16 years from the last chapter of his blockbuster trilogy and this time goes back to the future in the first prequel to the next trilogy he penned, starting with Darth Vader nee Anakin Skywalker as a towheaded 9 year-old slave (Lloyd) who finds himself caught up in a premeditated war with 2 Jedi Knights Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi (Neeson and Mc Gregor, respectively and incidentally the latter doing a killer, uncanny Alec Guinness impression) defending Queen Amidala (Portman in heavy Kabuki make-up) of the planet Naboo from the evil Empire. Stunning gee-whiz visuals, chock-a-block creatures old and new (RD-D2 meeting C-3PO; Jar Jar Binks and Darth Maul-respectively, a cross between a lizard, Goofy and a Jamaican Stepin Fechet {no matter how you slice it, really annoying} and the latter an intergalactic tattooed Satan incarnate Dark Lord of the Sith who should have gotten way more screen time; both characters' dilemmas the only caveat I have with this episode), computer generated images that keep on coming, far-out pod race a la "Ben-Hur" with excellent sound effects and the coupe de resistance, the kick ass/martial arts-inspired climactic light sabre duel (check out that killer double-headed sabre Maul hauls!) Clearly heading for the next two episodes with breathless execution and dare I say better expectations to lay ahead. Fun, fast and entertaining; why cripe.