STAR WARS EPISODE ONE: THE PHANTOM MENACE
If you're worried about whether or not you'll like The Phantom Menace, relax. You'll be fine.
If there's any advice to offer before viewing it is to sit back and recall the first time you saw Star Wars as a kid. Recall the magic of watching the Star Destroyer loom over you in the opening few seconds and keep that aura of magic with you throughout.
The Phantom Menace is very similar to Star Wars Episode IV in many respects. It's not dark, deep or sinister, it's a fast, action-packed film that introduces all the main players to you.
It opens like every Star Wars film must, with the Twentieth Century Fox fanfare, sparkling green Lucasfilm logo and then the Star Wars banner blasting onto the screen as the main theme strikes up.
After that there's the obligatory crawl telling how the Naboo and the Trade Federation are having a bit of a tiff thanks to the taxing of some trade routes. The Galactic Republic, equally miffed at this, sends two Jedi Knights to sort the problem out...
Enter Qui-Gon Jinn (pronounced Qui as in fly) and Obi-Wan Kenobi. They soon realise they are in the middle of an invasion force waiting to descend on Naboo.
Neeson is near statesman-like as Qui-Gon and instantly likeable. He has an air of wisdom that the older Obi-Wan carries, but with an extra amount of anarchy built in.
McGregor, for the small part he is, is equally adept, and he has the Guinness voice down to a tee.
The film moves fast and before long it is in Naboo itself, where the Gungan Jar-Jar is introduced. Jar Jar is purely there for laughs, a little like the droids in Star Wars, except they at least saved a few necks on several occasions.
Personally I didn't find too much offensive about Jar Jar, indeed in some scenes he shines.
Jar Jar, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan swim off to an underwater city where Boss Nass rules, to try and warn him of the impending disaster. However the Brian Blessed looking-and-sounding-like king sends them away.
The trio embark on an underwater adventure, where they are set upon by a series of giant fish, eager to eat their ship. Given the swamps of Dagobah, desert of Tatooine, snow of Hoth and forests of Endor, the sea was about the only environment left for Lucas to explore, and while it is not used to its full potential the end result is still stunning.
After escaping the clutches of a couple of sea beasts, they land and search out the Queen. It's decided to plead her case before the Republic and Chancellor Valorum himself so off they head for Coruscant.
However the Federation, which has done a
deal with the evil Sith lord Darth Sidious, follows them and inflicts enough damage that
they have to land on the distant planet of Tatooine for repairs.
There Qui-Gon meets Watto and his slaves Anakin and Shimi Skywalker. Shimi gives one of the best performances and her scenes with Neeson add some gravity to the proceedings.
The only way Qui-Gon can afford repairs is by gambling that Anakin will win a pod race against Sebulba, which he does. As part of the deal Qui-Gon also wins the boy and decides he will train him to be a Jedi Knight. So off they head for Coruscant where finally Queen Amidala says her piece. Prompted by Senator Palpatine a vote of no confidence displaces Chancellor Valorum and with that they head back to Naboo to help their people.
But as soon as they land they encounter Darth Maul, Sidious' apprentice, and Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan commence battle. The rest of the crew, Amidala, Padre, etc, leave to try and find the Federation leaders, while Anakin hides in a spaceship. His choice of hiding soon comes in handy as he accidentally starts it up and blasts his way out and soon finds himself flying into the Federation's main space station.
Out in the fields, Jar-Jar and his fellow Gungans face up to the might of the Battle Droids but inside Maul is getting the better of Qui-Gon. With Obi-Wan unable to help due to a force shield, Maul smacks Qui-Gon in the face and follows up by thrusting his lightsabre through him. Qui-Gon falls to the ground, dying, as Obi-Wan rushes in, and after nearly getting killed himself, leaps up and slices Maul in two, watching him fall down a deep pit in two halves. He rushes to his master but it's too late.
In the meantime Anakin has knocked out the main reactor, more by accident than design, and blown up the station, stopping the Battle Droids in their tracks.
There are five endings running simultaneously, the field battle, Anakin's flight, Jar Jar's battle, Darth Maul and Qui-Gon and the Naboo leaders. This lends itself to plenty of tension but in the case of Jar Jar detracts from the incredible tension of the lightsaber fight, which is sure to become one of the great Star Wars moments.
The end scene is reminiscent of the throne room in Star Wars, with the new Chancellor Palpatine thanking all around him, including Anakin, "We shall watch your career with great interest" he says, patting him on the shoulder.
And so there you have it. Fast, cool, fun and fascinating.
It does take at least a couple of watches so don't be disappointed if you come out wondering what's happened to the Lucas magic, it's still there, you just have to take it all in.
Liam Neeson shines as the serene but rebellious Qui-Gon while Samuel Jackson adds weight to the Jedi Council.
If there's any criticism, it's far more comic in parts than the other films, Jar Jar even resorts to toilet humour twice, and the Pod Race is a lap too long. Stunning though it is it breaks up the pace of the film.
Darth Maul will be remembered as overtaking Vader as the galaxy's number one bad guy. He's on screen for just nine minutes but maybe it's that mysteriousness and elusiveness which helps make him so special.
The Phantom Menace stays true to the endearing Star Wars tradition and is a hugely enjoyable film you will want to see again and again.
The Jedi has most definitely returned.
But hey, if you think differently, let me know here