Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace

***Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace*** is an American science fiction movie released in 1999. This movie is the fourth movie that director George Lucas made in the _Star Wars_ series but is the first movie chronologically.

## Story

A peaceful planet named Naboo has been blockaded by a fleet of spaceships belonging to a corrupt corporation called the Trade Federation. Two Jedi Knights, Master Qui-Gon Jinn and his apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi, learn that the Federation is planning to invade Naboo with their army of droids (robots). They travel to Naboo.

They reach the swamps of Naboo, separately. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan meet a native gungan named Jar Jar Binks. They find the Queen, Padmé Amidala, who escapes with them in a spaceship, but in the blockade, their ship's engine is damaged.

They barely had enough power to reach a desert planet named Tatooine, and still need new parts for the ship so as not to be stuck on the planet forever. Luckily, they meet Anakin Skywalker, a young slave boy, who helps them gain the money by participating in a very dangerous podracing event.

Qui-Gon suspects that Anakin is strong with the Force, meaning that he has potential to become a Jedi. Qui-Gon manages to win Anakin's freedom and they take him with them, but his mother must stay behind.

Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, Anakin, Padmé and her personnel make it to Coruscant, capital of the Galactic Republic. However, Padmé soon finds out that the Republic Senate is corrupt and she calls for a vote to elect a new Chancellor. A senator named Palpatine is elected, but nobody knows that he is secretly a Sith (evil Jedi) and he is the person who is controlling the Trade Federation.

The group returns to Naboo because the Republic is unwilling to help. Padmé and her guards manage to capture Nute Gunray, the head of the Trade Federation and they force him to surrender. Meanwhile, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan fight Darth Maul, a Sith knight sent by Palpatine to kill the Jedi. Maul kills Qui-Gon. Obi-Wan manages to defeat Maul. Yoda and the other Jedi agree that Obi-Wan should be allowed to train Anakin in the ways of the Jedi.

## Cast

- Liam Neeson as Qui-Gon Jinn
- Natalie Portman as Padmé Amidala
- Jake Lloyd as Anakin Skywalker
- Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan Kenobi
- Ian McDiarmid as Senator Palpatine
- Pernilla August as Shmi Skywalker
- Ahmed Best as Jar Jar Binks
- Kenny Baker as R2-D2
- Anthony Daniels as C-3PO
- Silas Carson as Nute Gunray and Ki-Adi-Mundi
- Frank Oz as Yoda
- Samuel L. Jackson as Mace Windu
- Ray Park as Darth Maul
- Terence Stamp as Chancellor Valorum
- Oliver Ford Davies as Sio Bibble
- Hugh Quarshie as Captain Panaka
- Andy Secombe as Watto
- Brian Blessed as Boss Nass
- Lewis MacLeod as Sebulba

## Other websites

- Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace The Movie Database

## Infobox (movie)

- **name**: Star Wars: Episode I -
The Phantom Menace
- **image**: Star-wars-episode-i---the-phantom-menace.png
- **caption**: Official logo
- **director**: George Lucas
- **producer**: Rick McCallum
George Lucas
(executive)
- **writer**: Karey Kirkpatrick
- **starring**: Ian McDiarmid
- **music**: John Williams
- **cinematography**: David Tattersall
- **editing**: Paul Martin Smith
Ben Burtt
- **distributor**: 20th Century Fox
- **released**: May 19, 1999 (Cinema of the United States, USA)
- **runtime**: 133 minutes
- **country**: United States
- **language**: English
- **budget**: $115,000,000