Star Wars Retro: The Phantom Menace

The one everyone hates

As lockdown drags on, I need to indulge in comfortable nostalgia… so I’m re-watching all of the Star Wars films and working out if they’re as good or as bad as I remember…

Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace was released in 1999 to much fanfare and anticipation. It had been 16 long years since Return of the Jedi was made and George Lucas was back. Although his fingerprints were all over the franchise that first introduced us to a “cinematic universe”, Lucas hadn’t sat in the director’s chair since the first film.

The return of Star Wars and its creator was meant to kickstart a trilogy that set new standards for “blockbuster” films with technology that allowed Lucas to expand the breadth of his storytelling and explore events leading up to the original films.

Whilst the film raked in money, it was panned by critics and attracted ire from even diehard fans for a wooden script and the inclusion of Jar Jar Binks. Jar Jar would go on to gain notoriety for annoying most of the cinema-going public and the film itself is generally regarded as the worst entry in the franchise.

Has time improved the film or further exposed its widely-acknowledged flaws?

The opening act

Lucas wastes no time in introducing the film’s themes whilst invoking Star Wars lore of old. We’re treated to a tense encounter between two Jedi and some comic patsies from The Trade Federation. For an organisation that represents the Military–industrial complex, these guys aren’t particularly threatening. The director could be reminding us that just because someone calls themselves a CEO (or Viceroy), doesn’t mean they’re a boss — or it could be a reference to the general uncertainty that lingers throughout a film entitled “The Phantom Menace”.

Narrative tension aside, it’s interesting to see Obi-Wan so young and naive in comparison to that old dude in the original film. Qui-Gon, on the other hand, is the kind of guy you wouldn’t mind hanging out with for a couple of days backpacking.

Lightsabers are drawn barely ten minutes into the film as O-Dubs and QG emerge from a smoke-filled room and quickly dispatch some droids. The scene is cut short by the arrival of “Droidekas”, but there’s enough time to establish the dynamics between both sides. The Jedi could probably cut through those droids if they had more time — but equally, The Trade Federation could send more of them.

This was the first appearance of lightsabers on the big screen since the original films and the scene has an appropriate sense of drama. Nowadays, there’s so much Star Wars content out there that it feels like most of the galaxy wields a lightsaber. In The Phantom Menace, these moments still feel special.

Something borrowed

One of the film’s unintentional highlights is the introduction of Jar Jar Binks. After saving Jar Jar’s life, QG surprisingly questions the Gungan’s mental capacity. Jar Jar, a defence lawyer in his spare time, counters by stating that he can speak. QG’s response:

“The ability to speak doesn’t make you intelligent.”

You wonder if Liam Neeson sensed that Jar Jar wasn’t going to work out and ad-libbed this line as a hint to Lucas.

On re-watch, Jar Jar is as annoying as ever. Whilst he may represent a lowpoint for the entire franchise, the Gungans are also the weakest element of the film. The effects have aged badly — like any in-your-face CGI will — and it just feels like Lucas needs an army to fight with for the film’s climax.

Early versions of the script involved The Trade Federation wiping the Gungans out in the climactic battle.

This would have been preferable.

The plucky underdogs triumphing against a well-oiled military machine had been milked enough by the franchise up to this point. We didn’t really need to see it again. It also feels like a wasted opportunity to upend audience expectations and mark the new trilogy as different to the old one.

Something new

One of the main criticisms of The Phantom Menace has been its heavy focus on a trade dispute. Political exchanges in the film can be quite stilted — Lucas has since admitted that he’s pretty bad at writing dialogue — but they allow him to explore themes beyond simple notions of good versus evil. It would’ve been easy for Lucas to delight fans with lazy cameos of old characters, but instead, he chooses to build a backdrop that extends beyond fan service. Admittedly, this can veer into the ridiculous — particularly when R2-D2 is introduced like a brave war hero to Queen Amadala. Does every character from the original film need to have a significant backstory?

Of course, the main reason we’re enduring Jar Jar Binks is to see whether Darth Vader was always such a heavy smoker. Young Vader — or “Ani” to his ethnically diverse mates — is an upstart slave on Tatooine who is equally comfortable chewing through Lucas’ cheesy dialogue as he is in dangerous pod races.

Credit again to Lucas for not just revisiting Tatooine as a lazy reference to the original trilogy. This section of the film contains some of its best shots from the pod racing sequence that still holds up today, to Anakin’s mum looking on as her son fixes his pod racer.

Tatooine also introduces important character dynamics fuelled by QG’s casual approach to child safeguarding. Padmé’s disapproval of the Jedi risking Anakin’s life not only demonstrates QG’s hippy “in-the-moment” vibes, but also hints that the Jedi aren’t as respected as they think they are.

Something blue

What Tatooine won’t be remembered for: being the birthplace of one of the great cinematic romances.

Lucas characterises “Ani” and Padmé as innocents on their way to uncovering the ugly truths of the galaxy. Young Darth Vader is well-versed in the realities of slavery and outlaw society, yet he’s also blinded by the fact he’s being used by a surfer Jedi. The Queen-in-disguise can’t believe that slavery still exists and is shocked by the Senate’s inaction in the face of crisis.

Character development can’t mask the creepiness of the pair’s interactions though. Ani’s first line to his future wife is “Are you an angel?” and from that point onwards, the “Young Queen meets underage pod racer” dynamic become increasingly awkward. In the film’s penultimate shot, “Ani” flashes a smirk at Padmé like some sleazy Sith who knows he’s going to tap that in the sequel. A general indicator of a good Star Wars film is whether or not Darth Sidious is the creepiest aspect of the story. The Phantom Menace fails on this count.

Something old

Speaking of Sidious… Fortunately, Lucas doesn’t go all Notebook on us — allowing room in the film for the oldest rivalry ever: Jedi versus Sith.

Darth Maul is still the best thing about The Phantom Menace. His lines are minimal, but his screen time is managed perfectly. As the stakes become higher, so his interventions become more decisive. From hologram to hooded assassin, and finally sneering combatant, Maul’s gradual reveal mirrors that of the Sith plan.

Lucas, in contrast, portrays the Jedi as a semi-political body bogged down by their association with the Senate and their own navel-gazing. Whilst Maul and Darth Sidious discuss their schemes in a very Michael Mann scene on Coruscant, the Jedi are scrambling around the desert looking for answers. QG’s preference for the rough edges of Tatooine over the chaise lounges of the Jedi Temple reinforce the sense of inertia that has enveloped the Council.

The original films held the Jedi up in a mythical light. Lucas should be praised for showing that they were complicit in their own downfall. Deception is central to the film and the director uses this theme to weaken the Jedi mythos. Contrast the Council’s circumspection with the decisiveness of their Sith counterparts, and the Jedi really start to look foolish. Whilst Yoda and two-eyed Nick Fury discuss the possibility of a Sith master at QG’s funeral, Darth Sidious is casually chilling on the other side of the pyre. Even QG — who just loves to talk about “focusing on the moment” — is too busy to realise that Queen Amadala has a decoy that’s Keira Knightley in disguise. This was admittedly before Bend It Like Beckham was released.

The closing act

The Phantom Menace is clearly a flawed film that hits some franchise low points. There’s stilted dialogue, creepy romance and Jar Jar Binks. But at the same time, there’s some meaningful world-building, genuinely thrilling scenes (still) and Darth Maul. Bonus points to Lucas for also adding a different layer to the Star Wars universe.

Would I call it the worst entry in the franchise? Probably not.

Score: 5.5/10

Post-credits

• This writer would love to see Michael Mann direct a film about the Sith manipulating the Senate on Coruscant.
• Much has been written of Lucas’s use of derogatory racial stereotypes, but this half-Indian writer is onboard with Ani’s best friend being brown.
• The sound editing for the pod race is great.
• One of Google’s most searched questions relating to the film is: “Does George Lucas regret Jar Jar?”