Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999)

When George Lucas first concieved the idea for Star Wars, it was just a movie. Over the course of 34 years, it has grown into a phenomenon. When it comes to unbridled anticipation for a film release, Phantom Menace was the most anticipated film of all time. The motion picture industry hadn't seen anything like this before, nor is it likely to in the forseeable future (as much as I want everyone to see Dark Knight Rises). The hype dwarfed the film, reducing it to a cultural footnote. Even Lucas was worried, stating a film with this much hype was never going to live up to that expectation. He was right.

The peaceful planet of Naboo is under threat from the manipulating forces of evil that work in the trade federation. The Queen of Naboo (Natalie Portman), powerful Jedi Knights (Liam Neeson, Ewan Mcgregor) and a young boy (Jake Lloyd) who has the potential to be a great Jedi Knight endeavour to protect the planet and the forces of good.

Now that the dust has settled on the hype, Phantom Menace is actually not as bad as some high-brow critics would have you believe. As a single movie, Menace has some very good moments. But there's no denying that this film is the worst in the series. For starters the heroes don't seem to be in any rush to save the planet of Naboo. They're forced to land on the holy grail that is Tatooine because of a faulty engine, but instead of waving their trusted lightsabers to get the parts they need, they decide to leave Obi-Wan behind, bring Padme along for no good reason and gamble with a junk-yard dealer. We also get one of the most annoying comedy sidekicks in the history of film. Don't let people try and tell you Ja Ja Binks is not as bad as some fans make out, he is! And with the CGI slowly becoming more dated, Ja Ja has become even worse. It was also a bad decision to have Anakin Skywalker as a young boy, why? because he's a whiny little brat who cries when he leaves his Mother. This is not how people imagined Dark Vader to be. He should of been a teenage boy who flirts with Padme, uses the force without realising and rubbing Obi-Won the wrong way. Yes that does happen in Episode II, but it's a bit too little too late. The fact that Anakin's Mother had some kind of mystical birth and does not know who Ani's Father is also unnecessary.

Lucas probably thought the scene with Anakin saying goodbye would be the real heart breaker but he couldn't write it and Jake definitely couldn't act it. Instead the only scene that holds any weight at all is the final scene with Obi-Wan promising Qui-Gon to train the boy.

The Star Wars movies have always relied on their hereos and villains and the Phantom Menace is no exception. As Qui-Gon, Liam Neeson brings an unforced nobility to his performance, while Ewan Mcgregor  injects a sense of recklessness in his portrayl of Obi-Won Kenobi. Neither was ever going to be an outstanding acting job, but the two do a decent enough job. Natalie Portman is easily one of the best actresses around but she isn't given much to do here as she is often in the background. Finally we have the best thing about Phantom Menace: Darth Maul. Played by Ray Park, Maul doesn't say much, but compensates with menacing stares and unbelievable fighting skills.

Phantom Menace was also, at the time, a testimony to how far and good special effects had come. The worlds and aliens that Lucas and his team created should be applauded. The pod race, whilst being a bit on the long side, is still great entertainment and the fight-off between Maul, Kenobi and Qui-Gon is, in my view, the best scene in the film. It's just a shame that's about as good as it gets.

Phantom Menace remains the most disappointing film of all time but still has a lot going for it. The action scenes are great and it has an ending that promises better things to come. Some people will hate it, some will love it. but you can't deny it's still one of the most talked about films ever made.