MOVIE REVIEW: Star Wars episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999)
The Star Wars Prequel Trilogy was announced in the shadow of the release of the Special Edition celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Original Trilogy. From 1997 to 1999, we were force-fed the science-fantasy stories people built their lives around (a sentiment that remains both true and highly profitable for merchandisers to this day) as a run-up to the super hyped Prequels. So many people had played the games and read the books and the comics that came before, there was no way The Phantom Menace would suck if it followed that line of storytelling!
What we did not count on was George Lucas.
The creator of Star Wars was different from the younger man that made the Original Trilogy, grown considerably in the 25 years since 1983’s Return of the Jedi. He was a father now, and wanted to give back to the children that helped make his millions through toy merchandising. The founding of GLEF (George Lucas Education Foundation) in 1991 and its more well-known element called Edutopia.org continue to improve the educational experience for parents, teachers, and most importantly students. Mr. Lucas understood our children's education is our future — not the money their parents spend on distractions.
On that same tangent, Mr. Lucas wanted to make his space operas for children — the same kinds of space opera serials from his youth and ultimately inspiring the Star Wars series. While Return of the Jedi has been judged by the fandom as being too childish because of the Ewoks (cute teddy-bear aliens), the “Star Wars Christmas Special” [TV-CBS] and the animated series “Star Wars: Droids” and “Ewoks” [TV-ABC] were received differently because it was advertised to children — a bad idea when the discerning fanbase for the story were adults. These same adults did not want to be lumped into a genre intended for children, especially since the inciting incident for the entire story was war. The adult fans wanted the war and adventure from the Expanded Universe (EU) — now known as Legends. They wanted Prince Xizor, the Yuuzhan Vong, Kyle Katarn, the Knights of the Old Republic — all the things filling the 16-year void since Return of the Jedi for Star Wars fans wanting more after the Original Trilogy. The fans figured all the preceding works would be the guide for what comes next — even if the films were prequels.
George Lucas continued to make his vision: a movie for children, doubling as the beginning of the Skywalker Saga. And then on May 19th, 1999 we got that movie after all the hype. Let’s just say it was not what people thought it would be. It ended up being something else, for good or for ill.
(SPOILERS for a movie 25 years old at the time of writing; you have been warned.)
The blockaded world we begin above is the lush Naboo, surrounded by a fleet of ships from the Trade Federation using its military might to force the government below to allow them free reign. These agents of the Trade Federatin have bullied the teenage Queen Amidala (Natalie Portman, Thor [2011], Jackie [2016]) with threat of unleashing a droid army against all the species under her protection if she does not capitulate. Thankfully, the Galactic Republic Chancellor Valorum (Terence Stamp, Superman II [1978], The Haunted Mansion [2003]) sent diplomats to smooth things over: Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson, “Merlin and the Sword” [TV-CBS], Krull [1983], A Walk Among the Tombstones [2014]) and his padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor, Jack the Giant Killer [2013], Birds of Prey [2020]). When the Jedi sense a trap, they escape undetected to the planet below on a droid troop transport. Fleeing through the forests they encounter the most significant being in the Star Wars universe: Jar-Jar Binks (Ahmed Best, FDR: American Badass [2012], Mother and Child [2009]), a member of the native Naboo species called Gungans.
With some help from the Gungan chieftain Boss Nass (Brian Blessed, Flash Gordon [1980], “Doctor Who” [TV-BBC]), Jar-Jar and the Jedi are able to get to the Palace to escape with Queen Amidala and her retinue. The escape from orbit is harrowing, as they deploy their astromech droids to affect repairs as the flee to hyperspace. Only one droid survives: a blue and white one named R2-D2. The ship is still damaged, and the closest planet on the way to Coruscant (Queen Amidala’s destination) that has parts and keeps them off CIS radar is a desert planet called Tatooine. After Qui-Gon pulls some strings with the locals and dodges an attack from a strange alien warrior in dark robes, they make off with repairs and a human slave and champion pod-racer called Anakin Skywalker (Jake Lloyd, Madison [2011], Jingle All The Way [1996]), who is strong in the Force. Anakin may even be the prophesied Chosen One™ of Jedi legend, the one who will bring balance to the Force. To be sure, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan take the boy to Coruscant as Queen Amidala speaks to the Galactic Senate Chamber to request assistance.
Soon Anakin is set before the Jedi Council, where both Yoda and Mace Windu (Samuel L. Jackson, Jurassic Park [1993], Coming to America [1988], The Spirit [2018]) both reject the boy for Jedi training: he is too old, and he is deeply attached to his mother Shmi (Pernilla August, Fanny and Alexander [1982], Sprängaren [2001]). Yoda senses Anakin fears to lose what little he has — such fear leads to hate, and subsequently suffering. Qui-Gon still believes there is hope for the boy and would train him in secret against the council’s wishes, but Obi-Wan warns against it. There’s still the matter of freeing Naboo from the Trade Federation blockade, so the two Jedi team up with the local defense forces on Naboo and break the blockade with Anakin’s timely help and piloting skills. Unfortunately Qui-Gon dies in a duel with the returning alien warrior in dark robes, now identified as a Sith by the name of Darth Maul (Ray Park, G.I.Joe: The Rise of Cobra [2009], X-Men [2000]), and Obi-Wan defeats Maul in short order.
Before Qui-Gon dies, he makes Obi-Wan swear to train Anakin. That get relayed to the Jedi Council, and they honor Qui-Gon’s dying wish to make Anakin a Jedi. Concerning Darth Maul, the evil cult known as the Sith have been extinct for centuries and operates in packs of two: a master AND an apprentice. The Jedi don’t know which one Darth Maul was, so a phantom menace hangs over all civilized worlds and the future of the Galactic Republic for 13 years.
Made in hindsight 10 years after the phenomenal event, the 2009 movie Fanboys was a comedy road-trip film about the fandom hype surrounding the release of The Phantom Menace. It even asked the question, “But what if it sucks?”, because for many Star Wars fans it was not what they wanted or expected for reasons listed above. The Internet helped to fan the flames, as everybody had something negative to say. The fandom went in hard on every aspect: Jar-Jar Binks was a racist caricature (still is), Jake Lloyd was a bad actor (he was a child), the trade sanctions and governmental jargon was boring (that’s how a government and economics work in a galaxy far, far, away), it’s not like the books (yes because it’s a movie), it’s too kiddie (that’s by design). There were very big bright spots, like the introduction of the dual ended lightsaber, the two-on-one duel in the reactor halls under Theed Palace, the one-on one duel between Obi-Wan and Darth Maul, and the Boonta Eve Classic pod race. But we still pooped all over this movie, said nasty things, and generally gave the targets of our anger a bad time online. Doing so had horrible consequences documented elsewhere, but I shall list them in brief here.
- George Lucas did his level best to include everyone, and he also made a point to make the movie more appealing to children. This backfired because the fandom doesn’t want children in its power fantasies, and the fandom still won’t shut the hell up about it.
- Jake Lloyd had a promising career in Hollywood despite his youth, and it was destroyed solely due to the fan reaction to this film. Bullying in school predicated from negative critical commentary online led to massive mental health issues and legal issues.
- Ahmed Best nearly killed himself over the same negative critical commentary; it would have been fine if it’s just one thing, but everybody was repeating the same thing over and over again. Some even thought the “racist behavior” seen in the design and movement of Jar-Jar Binks was Ahmed Best’s idea, and even if they didn’t he still got death threats. To be fair, if it wasn’t for Jar-Jar Binks, the fandom would not be as robust and organized as it is today.
I talk about all this because it’s very important to differentiate between characters you may not like and the actors that portray them. These actors don’t owe us anything beyond the best performance they can muster; if they suck, it takes zero energy to stay quiet and move onto something else. To clarify, driving someone to suicidal ideation and near-actualization is not cool or justified or defending the fandom. If you attempt to do so, you’re just not a good person on any level….to say the very least.
I saw this in the theaters in New York with my cousin Rasheeda that summer, and I was not as generous as I should have been: she had never seen Star Wars and kept asking questions during the show, while I shushed her as I tried to absorb the movie in the moment. Perhaps I was gatekeeping, assuming she would catch up or use context clues. This is what happens when you’re 20-years steeped in Star Wars’ arcane lore (as it was): you assume everyone around you also knows what you know and perhaps you get annoyed when they don’t. In hindsight, I wish I had been better to her in that moment. It’s why I try to be better to her now.
We can be better than that. We should all try to be better than that.
To the performers, to the creators, to the fans that are new and old and different: we have to be better to them all. If the fandom wants more people to participate, you must be open to teaching them the old and accepting lessons from the new. Star Wars fans are great at indoctrinating their kids when they're young — they never spoil the reveal in The Empire Strikes Back! Learning lessons from the new is a bit harder, as even the newer fans are obstinate in the changing face of its heroes…and they had to learn that from somewhere.
If we can’t be better, no one will want to participate or partake, the movies will become less profitable, no more stories will be told in that universe...and the movie franchise will finally die. The rapid pace of changing media ensures that if it’s not profitable it will get left behind.
We should all try to be better than that. Don’t get left behind.
CHOICE CUTS:
- FUN FACT: I have deliberately left out the concept of “midi-chlorians” in this review, because I personally believe quantification of the Force cheapens its meaning.
- The visual effects did not age well, but the concepts and ideas continue to mystify and entertain.
- Watching R2-D2 go from indistinguishable astromech droid to Star Wars hero in the time it takes Captain Panaka to read his name off his ass was priceless.
- When Padme revealed herself to the gathering of Gungans and humans, my audience clapped because they couldn’t tell it was her; they seriously thought the queen is whomever wears the makeup.
- PRICELESS QUOTE: “No I am not; pass the salt” — Qui-Gon Jinn, when Anakin asked him during dinner if he was on Tatooine to free the slaves.
- Shoutout to Black people in Star Wars, like Hugh Quarshie who played Royal Guard Captain Panaka.
- CAMEO: Blink during the pod-racing scene and you’ll miss legendary lady bounty hunter Aurra Sing.
- Supposedly George Lucas had a problem with American politics during development of the script for The Phantom Menace, and the two Nemoidians, Nute Gunray and Lott Dodd, are supposed to be stand-ins for GOP congressman Newt Gingrich and Senate leader Trent Lott.
- FUN FACT: When on set, the mothers of Keira Knightley and Natalie Portman could not tell them apart.
- This is Keira Knightley’s second movie.
- PRICELESS QUOTE: “But which was destroyed, the master or the apprentice?” — Mace Windu, at Qui-Gon Jinn’s funeral as he stood next to the man responsible for it all.
- The only person to star in a space opera prior to Star Wars is Brian Blessed, who played Vultan in 1980’s Flash Gordon.
- There was a sound of quiet horror in my theater when the B-1 battle droids were deployed on the fields of Naboo: unfolding with soft clicks from flattened boxes into skeletally-thin killer robots that move in lock-step. We had no idea how they would quickly become a joke in Star Wars canon.
- PRICELESS QUOTE: “Are you an angel?” — Anakin Skywalker, trying to hit on Padme.
- There are people who say they hate the pod race scenes; those people are liars.
- PRICELESS QUOTE: “I beg your pardon, but what do you mean, ‘naked?’ My parts are showing? Oh, my goodness, oh!” C-3PO, after being activated by Anakin with no outer shell. Only R2-D2 had an issue.
- I’d like to take this time to point out we all thought it was weird that 8-year-old Anakin was trying to hit on a 14-year old, but at the same time we cheered him on…because it looked like it was working. It was a different time, and it wasn’t right then but it was acceptable.
- MUSIC: For a year ahead of the movie’s release, MTV released a music video with the London Symphony Orchestra performing the definitive theme of the Prequel Trilogy called “Duel of the Fates”. Composed by Star Wars mainstay John Williams, it’s an easy way of showing why he is a master.
- Let’s give it up for puppet Yoda making a return. The remastered versions turn him into a CG prop, so puppet Yoda won’t be seen again until The Last Jedi.
- CAMEO: Blink during the pod-racing scene and you’ll miss Jabba the Hutt and his Twi’lek majordomo, Bib Fortuna.
- This movie gave us an entire rainbow of colors in lightsabers, starting with Samuel L. Jackson’s request for a distinctive purple lightsaber.
- CAMEO: He may only have a few lines of dialogue, but Sheev Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid) shows up. You’d never know he was behind all this in his Darth Sidious persona, based on the way he carries himself.
- Nubia Star Drives makes the most beautiful shiny spaceships, with chromium hulls that reflect like mirrors; I love them so much.
