The Phantom Menace

   This is my first article I've written about Episode I and it is the initial summary of how I felt about the film. I am going to be posting another entry, possibly a video going into more detail of what I thought worked for the film and what didn't.  I hope you enjoy the material I have made and I look forward to your feedback. May the Force Be With You....

                                Star War Episode I: The Phantom Menace                                     

       The Phantom Menace could have been a great film. The structure and characters are there for what could have been a very well made film and fun adventure. There are too many small things that get in the way of that. The Beginning of this film is well done. It is interesting to have the start of the film's conflict be based on a political move. The Original trilogy didn't have much politics due to the fact that the Empire was already in command everywhere. During the Prequels it is set during a period of time the films have never covered up to that point. The Republic is still standing and is the central governing power in the universe. It's helps the planets feel more connected and reminds the viewers of the bigger picture. One of the strongest aspects of the film are it's locations. Naboo is green, lush, and beautiful. It has a grand city, beautiful waterfalls, and green forests. The Gungan city is a standout as well with its' bubble shield technology. Coruscant is a planet that is an entire city.  It's skies used as streets and it is the main location for the Jedi Temple and the congress of the Republic. Tatooine is a classic planet and is very important for the sage overall. The ships and tech in the films are good as well. The Naboo ships are bright and sleek. The main ship used by the characters is silver and gorgeous to look at. The battle ships of the naboo are yellow and have a similar yet different design to the x and y wings of the rebels in the Original trilogy. The Trade federation as a cool ships and I enjoy the droid army. The Security droids are simple and are really just enemies for the heroes to easily beat. The Droidakas have bubble shields and are faster giving them a harder fight. The drop ships that lay are the army are smart and it's a exciting moment when the fleet is entering naboo and the classic Imperial March by John Williams is played.  While some find it odd the Technolgy is this film seems more advanced in the prequels as compared to the original trilogy, I think it makes sense. Since the Republic still has free trade, technology can thrive. Once the Empire has taken over the free market was crushed thus making the technology suffer for everyone but the Empire, thus making it less advance over time.


       While the central plot involves the blockade of Naboo by the Trade Federation this is just set up for two plot elements that help the overall story of the prequels. The first of these two plots is the rise of Senator Palpatine of Naboo into the evil emperor of the Empire. He is very good in the scenes he is portrayed and is one of the most intriguing characters. The other story is the finding of Young Anakin and the start of his powers. First off it's always been hard for me to judge kid actors. They are still young and haven't had much time to practice their skill. While there are some great kid actors they are few and far between. While Jake Loid(Anakin Skywalker) doesn't do that bad of a job he also isn't that great either. Some of his dialogue is poor and his acting comes across as stiff. Having said that, the scenes with his mother, shmi, struggling to let Anakin go and be trained as a jedi were handled very well. You could feel the struggle of a mother trying to do what is right for her son but also one that is afraid of the loss. The pod racing aspect of his story is fun.. Starting the Pod for the first time is a great scene(for the most part) and is a moment of joy in the film. The race itself is unique for the prequels and is a positive aspect that is different for the Original trilogy. We get to watch a young Anakin show his great racing abilities and his quick reflexes due to the force. What bothers me about his storyline is it's hindrance on a wrong place at the right time accident near the end of the film. He hides in the cockpit of a fighter and accidentally gets into autopilot that takes him into the center of a control ship that is the motherboard of the droid army on Naboo. He blows it up and saves the day. While this is a exciting moment it is somewhat ruined by the fact that he does it on accident rather than by skill.

     This is most likely due to the comedic quality of the film which quite frankly is what drags it down. The Main culprit of this in the film is none other than the Gungans and mainly Jar Jar Binks. The film actually starts pretty well. The Jedi have arrived for a negotiation and are swiftly attacked by the droids of the federation. We get to see a Master Jedi and his Padawan in action as Qui Gon teaches Obi-Wan Kenobi to stay in the moment as they slice, dice, and force push their was through the interesting yet ineffective droids. We get a glimpse of Darth Sidous for the first time and see his first manipulation for power that is shown in the trilogy. All this momentum is killed in a single instance. Once Qui Gon runs into Jar Jar and the film takes a wrong turn. Right off the bat the character of Jar Jar Binks is rather jarring and feels awkward and unnecessary. At one moment Qui Gon is telling of Tatooine and it's dangers. As he is saying this Jar Jar steps in a pile of poop. I assume we are meant to laugh but it just seems childish. Another moment that is poorly done is Anakin is starting the Podracer and Jar Jar gets his tongue numbed and hand stuck in the engine. He "comically" tries to get out before it's started and is a blight on an otherwise hopeful scene.  The character's mannerism are too clumsy and is over the top. He takes the jedi to the Gungan city and while the city is a great location there is missed potential. What could have been a good setup for a new race is unfulfilled and the Gungans themselves are never really shown to be that interesting of a group which leads to issues for the latter part in the film which is.....

     The last push against the Naboo invasion has one of the most memorable moments in the saga. Duel of the fates is an amazing moment and has one of the best saber battles between Jinn, Kenobi, and Darth Maul. However the events around this aren't as interesting. Anakin accidentally saving the day is not handled very well and the battle of the gungans on the field is bland due to the fact it is centered on Jar Jar accidentally killing droids. There is no caring for the gungans themselves due to fact that not one of them stood out as a interesting character. Thus making the battle fluff. There isn't ever real danger felt other than the Jedi duel. This makes the latter part of the film less interesting due to the lack of real conflict.

 There are many positive things about the The Phantom Menace. The unique and visually beautiful locations in the film. There are interesting characters brought into the story(Qui-Gon, Darth Maul, etc.) yet there isn't enough time for character development for them thus making it feel hollow at times. If the comedic aspects of the film were cut there would have been more time to put focus on character and story rather than laughs and visual  spectacle. While I enjoy the film and would recommend watching it. I can't leave out the fact that it could have been a much better one. Thus this is a very flawed but enjoyable entry to the saga.