Hopes were very high when Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace was announced. Although it had grown immensely popular with very little content, fans were still craving for more stories in the Star Wars universe. The announcement of the prequels was their chance to finally get that action. However, The Phantom Menace was met largely with disappointment. It just wasn’t what fans were expecting. Even though it’s still not held up as the best of the franchise, it’s earned a better reception in recent years, especially with the release of the maligned sequels. Now that it’s been out for two decades, it’s a great time to give The Phantom Menace a retrospective and see where its problems lie.
Overall, the film does not have a bad plot. It hits all of the right story beats. As it happens so often in Star Wars stories, two Jedi are dispatched to handle a regional dispute. When one side becomes violent, the Jedi have to step in and protect a high ranking woman from the other side. Unfortunately, their mission forces them to take a detour to a backwater planet, where they meet a prophesied boy. The story ultimately ends in a great fight, and the boy shows off his potential. It also sets up a young Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) on a great path, having watched his mentor die.
The structure of the film was fairly solid. There were tons to like about it, such as the “Duel of the Fates” theme, Darth Maul (Ray Park), and a suspenseful pod racing scene. It’s the details that true fans of the series get hung up on. Jar Jar Binks (Ahmed Best) failed as a comedic element and some fans hate his inclusion. Also, the midi-chlorians were a weird addition that didn’t sit right in the larger Jedi lore. There are other details of the film that got a bit wonky, but overall, The Phantom Menace did not deserve the hate it got upon its first release. Disney+ has shown just how strong the Star Wars universe can be. Although The Phantom Menace is certainly not at the top, it doesn’t belong to be at the bottom either.
The Phantom Menace is now streaming on Disney+.
0 Commentaires