A retrospective look at what really happened in 1999

Rating: 5/10 (20 May 2005)

In the middle of 1999, I went with family, and friends of family, to see a film that fans of George Lucas' original series had been waiting for over a period of sixteen years. The level of anticipation that had built up over that time was such that no film could live up to expectations, but the film was enjoyed as a singular experience anyway. The main reason for this is the difference an audience can make. One advantage of a midnight screening at a George Lucas film, at least in this market, is the absence of small children, idiots, and other problems likely to disrupt enjoyment. Nobody goes to this much trouble to see a film unless they want to be hit in the face with every piece of dialogue or every sound. While disappointment can be blamed to some extent upon false expectations built up over a period of years, the film also displays many symptoms of Lucas taking his audience for granted. It is hardly helpful when a director surrounds himself with yes-men that confirm the validity of every decision he makes, regardless of its presence.
First and foremost, the problem with The Phantom Menace is the dialogue and acting. Liam Neeson looks able to fake his way through the scenes, but Ewan McGregor and Natalie Portman in particular look very uncomfortable in environments that are ninety percent bluescreen, and nobody can blame them. Any actor will tell you that having something to react to is a vital tool in their profession. It has been said that Neeson looks like he is staring far away when he is meant to be talking to Jar-Jar Binks, which is untrue. It has already been well-documented that an actor was on the sets at all times, standing in for the character. No, the real problem is that, shots in Tunisia aside, most of the sets are entirely blue. Looking at some production shots of these sets, you can see for yourself that the actors are meant to be riding on and interacting with things that give them no reaction at all. A nightmare for any actor, for certain.
The dialogue is also quite stilted. A memorable piece of trivia about the original series was that both Alec Guiness and Harrison Ford told Lucas at various points that his writing was ordinary, if not in so many words. While the screenplays were of significantly better quality than is the case here, the problem is that Lucas has, in the meantime, surrounded himself with yes-men that dare not question him in the manner that Ford or Guiness displayed. Indeed, as one noted critic said about the next film in this new series, one has to wonder when the last time someone said the word "no" to Lucas was. Perhaps Liam Neeson or Brian Blessed said this very word to him during production, and he chose to ignore it. When you can command almost a billion dollars in film sales and merchandising, ignoring criticism can tend to be something of a natural skill.
If there is one thing that The Phantom Menace gets right, it is in the duel coordination. Here, the main event is a duel between one Sith lord and two Jedi. The event was highly anticipated among fans, and it is the one that doesn't disappoint after the perspective of time is added. Here, everything is perfect, at least once you edit out the space battle (which was still plagued with daft dialogue) and the infantry battle (which was just plain daft). Stuntman Ray Park proves that he was hired to do this film for a reason, while Neeson and McGregor show that they took their instruction with stunt coordinator Nick Gillard very seriously. The camera-work during this duel is also excellent. In contrast to the other two films, and many others of recent years I could name, the positioning of the camera relative to the duelists is very well chosen. Never is there any confusion as to who is making what move, even during the occasional closeup. This is especially amazing when you consider that the duelists generally move faster than many a Kung Fu action film star.
It is for that reason, more than anything, that I gave The Phantom Menace a five out of ten. In essence, this is a couple of duels and the introduction of a little boy in search of a coherent plot. Anakin Skywalker as a child was unnecessary and annoying, while the future mother of his children never gets beyond the superficial. After the recent triumph of the third prequel, this hollow first effort becomes a real disappointment. It is worth watching once, but barely more than that.