When Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace was released in 1999, I was only 7 years old at the time and it was my first experience of this entire cinematic universe. I had never seen a Star Wars movie before or if I had I definitely didn't remember it but either way all kids loved it. Being a young girl my parents didn't get me a lot of Star Wars merchandise so I did have to steal my brothers Darth Maul figurine from time to time I mean come on he had a TWO-SIDED LIGHTSABER!. I did manage to convince them to buy me the classic Jar Jar Binks back pack which of course being a impressionable, 7 year old I did like the "silliness" of Jar Jar (I know better now I promise). Although I was a tomboy when I was a kid and hung around with my brothers friend I always ended playing Queen Amidala in the playground which I absolutely despised given how much I loved Qui-Gon. Now that I'm older and I have studied animation, I wrote my dissertation on the use of stop-motion in the original Star Wars trilogy, I have a passion for sci-fi and all things 70s and 80s, I know relate more to the original trilogy. Although the prequels were my childhood, the original movies feel more nostalgic to me. When CGI wasn't used and everything was done using models and real effects. I had never considered at the time of the release of The Phantom Menace how the original generation felt about the new movies. Critics all over gave it bad reviews, the previous generation had built up anticipation for a trilogy that ended up being a huge letdown for them. The creators were basically catering to a new generation instead of the original ones who grew up with the original trilogy. At the time this seemed to be a good move, however now that that young generation has grown up they have learned to appreciate the original trilogy and resented the prequel trilogy for it's overuse of CGI. Regardless of age, the original trilogy relates to everyone, the prequels are only really enjoyable now to kids and those who actually enjoy watching Jar Jar Binks. Now as an adult, I don't find Jar Jar funny anymore, I find young Anakin bloody annoying, Darth Maul is an overrated gymnast and let's not forget it's all bloody green screen.
Re-watching the movie I realized that one of the biggest flaws with the prequels is that the creators behind if don't give the audience reason to care for any of the characters (apart from Qui-Gon in my opinion). The audience has no emotional involvement to the entire story arc of what happens on Naboo or to it's inhabitants. If they focused more on what is happening to the planet, the audience might have cared more. For example there are battle droids and starfighters around but the planet doesn't seem affected. The are no battles on the planet except for the end of the movie where we get to see droids that have established themselves more useless than Storm Troopers. It's hard to think that the people of Naboo don't show any resistance to what the Trade Federation is doing, the characters talk about the population and planet suffering but we don't see it. The fact that they told use information instead of showing us stopped the audience from emotionally investing in the planet.
Since the movie focuses on Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon, Anakin and Padme as central characters it's only right to talk about them. As previously mentioned I still enjoy scenes with Qui-Gon in, he is a maverick, a warrior monk, a true representation of a Jedi. Audiences are truly heartbroken when he dies and we are left with Obi-Wan who quite frankly despises Anakin. As much as I love Ewan McGregor, Obi-Wan was a big missed oppertuinity. He really takes the backseat in this movie. Obi-Wan really doesn't contribute anything to the movie until Qui-Gon dies and without a story arc he has nothing to carry over into the second movie. I think Padme's character could have been improved if Naboo had been explored more throughout the movie. Like Obi-Wan she doesn't contribute much at all, she shows no strengths, no weaknesses, she basically is a rather empty character delivering dialogue in elaborate customers used as a marketing scheme to sell dolls to impressionable young girls. Now here's the biggest flop of the movie to me, as previously mentioned I find Anakin bloody annoying and you can't emotionally invest in a 10 year old that you don't like. He is supposed to be the chosen one, but the only real contribution he makes is destroying the Federation ship but even then that was an accident. The audience is supposed to believe he is this incredible young boy with real potential and the entire time on Tatooine Qui-Gon keeps talking about this young boy but the audience doesn't see what he is seeing.
Now The Phantom Menace was being produced during a time when CGI was really starting to progress and obviously given the George Lucas is a fan of CGI, he got a little over-excited. Don't get me wrong the effects look good but I am a big fan of "if you can use practical, use it" but this movie simply made everything CGI. Not to mention, Star Wars is supposed to be a bit gritty and beat up, The Phantom Menace is way too polished and clean cut so it doesn't look anything like the original trilogy. It does make a bit more sense that the first movie in the trilogy should look more pristine as the rest of the trilogy will show the republic decreasing.
When I was a kid, I thought the lightsaber duel between Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan and Darth Maul was awesome, now however I can tell it lacks heart. Yes we see Obi-Wan's pain when Qui-Gon dies but the best action scenes are the ones that get the audience emotionally invested in why they are fighting in the first place. Let's face it the only reason these guys are fighting is because they feel like they have to, it's not as if Darth Maul killed anyone close to them. there's no emotional pull during this battle, it's just...there, Darth Maul barely says two words throughout the movie so we don't have any attachment to him as a villain.
Despite all the flaws in this movie, I don't hate it, it is still nostalgic to me but it is just more enjoyable for kids. I think The Phantom Menace tried to emulate A New Hope too much, I know that The Force Awakens has been slated for the same thing but in my opinion The Force Awakens did it right. The Phantom Menace just focuses on one groups road trip from planet to planet using the same formula as A New Hope. I know there are fans of the movie out there, and all fans love Star Wars in different ways but I just can't enjoy this movie as much as 7 year old me.
Easter Eggs
#1 E.T. phoned the senate
My favourite easter egg from The Phantom Menace is during the scene at the Galactic Senate you can see members of E.T.'s race supporting Palpatine. Could E.T.'s trip to earth mean things got worse in the galaxy? Whatever the reason it's a fun nod to the theory of a combined movie universe.
#2 THX-1138
At the end of the Battle of Naboo Jar Jar Binks 'destroys' a Trade Federation battle droid that has a serial number that translated reads "1138". This is a reference to George Lucas' first film, THX-1138 that came out in 1971. This number makes appearances in all 3 movies in the prequel trilogy. In Attack of the Clones it appears in LED lights on the back of a Clone Pilot's helmet and in the third movie it's the call sign of Clone Commander Bacara, who is seen during the Order 66 montage.
#3 Star Trek shared universe?
During a scene with Queen Amidala on Coruscant you can see the Starship Enterprise from Star-Trek: The Next Generation flying behind the Queen's shoulder. It's pretty tough to make out but like the E.T. reference, it's a fun theory.
#4 Maz Kanata watching over the Skywalkers?
Although during the production of The Force Awakens it was made pretty clear that they would not be relying on the prequel trilogy for source material but they wouldn't disregard the events of the trilogy. Given that Maz Kanata is older than Yoda was when he was still alive it's possible she was well known around the galaxy. In Anakin Skywalkers room where he has C3PO stored, you can see he has a small statue of a rather familiar looking character. Given that Anakin is a fan of space travel he has most likely heard of Maz as well as many others. Is it possible he made a sculpture of Maz? This maybe a bit of a stretch in terms of fan theories but it is a fun theory to connect the prequel trilogy to the new revival.
#5 Luke's Landspeeder In Mos Espa
One of the most iconic vehicles from the original trilogy is Luke's red Landspeeder, even though it is basically a car without the wheels. As Qui-Gon and the gang are entering Mos Espa a green Landspeeder can be seen to the left. It may not be the same colour landspeeder that Luke owned, but it definitely is the same X-34 model, perhaps Luke painted it when they bought it?
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