| STAR WARS: EPISODE I The Phantom Menace |
 1999
-
USA
Director: George
Lucas - Reviewed by Scott  6 pie slices
total: 3 slices for anticipation, 2 slices for special effects, 1 slice of pity (mine or George's, I don't know).
Background: I was 13 when Star Wars came to town in 1977, and it was one of the few movies that we were able to go see because we usually didn't have enough money for such frivolous expenditures. My first impression of the movie can be summed up in a couple of words: The music. Ever since then, I considered 50% of the movie directly related to the music. Menacing History: I was able to get tickets Star Wars: The Phantom Menace with far less effort then I thought, and got into the 2 am showing the second day. The music once again was beautiful and engrossing for the entire length of the movie, but it was overpowered by sound effects in quite a few places (however, this wasn't true watching the DVD version, so I have decided that people were wrong when they said the best theater in town didn't have bad seats). Besides the music SW: TFM was a story fraught with poor dialogue, an unfortunate casting choice, odd editing, weak story, midi-chlorians, and one "Jar Jar Binks". Disheartening Highlights:
MY REWORKING OF EPISODE ONE: I have decided that I should write down what I think should have happened in the movie, in my humble opinion, instead of a direct review. (Since I doubt anybody reading this hasn't seen the movie, I will clean up the loose ends and push into the second and third movies.) Anakin Skywalker: A very troubled youth, a very intelligent youth. He never sleeps, has no friends to or anybody to relate to (even his mother), and many people are afraid of him because he just emanates power. The fact that he never sleeps gives this child the time to build the Pod Racer and some other artifacts, and adds to his frustration and anger. He sees future events during lucid moments and knows where things are without prior knowledge. A fantastic intelligence, full of energy, but also filled with a weight—a feeling of impending doom—but for who or what, he doesn't know. Jar Jar Binks: He should stay in the movie, but he should be somebody that comes through under pressure, using skills and ability he didn't know he had, not dumb luck… that only worked fairly well in Forrest Gump. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan can stay mostly the same, except dialogue would need some work. The background story of the Trade Federation doesn't really matter to the main plot involving Anakin and his troubles. Although I can see where George was going with it (in a way), it doesn't seem to make sense. I am sure it will come out later (hopefully in not too simplistic terms; the Dark Side's takeover of the Empire should be insidious). I enjoyed the pod race, except I really wanted to see more detail when events were moving fast. I imagined that Anakin, using the Force, would see things in slow motion, giving him time to react. Although this may have detracted from the pace of the race, I think it would have given insight into what Anakin saw when using his abilities (and how I thought the Force worked). Darth Maul's Barbie "scooter" looked just that. I would have liked to see a speeder-bike style instead—a bit more macho. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan have much more difficulty with Anakin than the move portrays. Anakin is strong-willed and intelligent, and more correct in his actions, even in his angry phases. Despite this, the Jedi Knights bring a level of understanding and friendship that Anakin has never received before. They become fast friends and Anakin's Mother (Shmi) sees this, realizing that the boy should go with them. The decision for him to leave is thus much easier for everybody and causes little conflict. (The movie portrayed by words this conflict, but I never saw it materialize in action. This is such an important part of the movie you would think it could have taken more precedence.) This conflict need never take place, as Anakin is more moved by his new acceptance than by fear for his Mother. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan both can sense the anger and fear in Anakin, but Qui-Gon can see the inherent wisdom in the boy's actions, even if they seem always pushed by anger. This is a subtle thing that Obi-Wan does not pick up. The scene I really wanted to see was Anakin with a light saber. The conflict between Darth Maul, Obi-Wan, and Qui-Gon was the perfect sequence for Anakin to step in. Instead of fighting against the Droid control ship, he would follow the Jedi Knights into battle (against their knowledge of course). During a brutal exchange, Obi-Wan loses his saber and it lands at Anakin's feet (not altogether accidentally, he, Anakin, wanted that to happen). Anakin picks up the saber and Darth Maul leaps towards him, knowing immediately that Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon want to protect the child. This is where things get interesting. Before Darth Maul can get to Anakin, he fires up the saber (the fact that it works for him at all surprises both of the Jedi Knights). Darth Maul pauses but for a moment and strikes, but his blow is blocked nearly effortlessly by Anakin. Surprise doesn't even begin to describe what crosses Darth Maul's face; before he even thinks, he reacts, striking again and again. Instead of trying to throw Anakin off-balance with other Force moves, he strikes out of fear and anger. Again and again Anakin blocks the blows, and what you see is Darth in slow motion trying to hit the boy as he works in normal speed. Fear never crosses Anakin's features, not even anger—it is more of a curiosity. At this time, the Jedi Knights fly back into action (the above exchange only taking a moment) and Anakin, in a daze, just lets the saber fly from his hand to Obi-Wan where he gently falls to the ground. After this, Darth Maul actually runs instead of staying and fighting, and Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon let him go, both too interested in the boy's safety. This sequence is the crux of Anakin's fate. He is the Chosen One. Because of clouded vision the ranks of the Jedi Knights do not understand what this means. The prophecies all point towards the child that will bring balance to the Force. The problem is that the Dark Side is losing, and has been since the Jedi Knights brought peace to the galaxy. The pain, the anguish, and the responsibility that Anakin already feels (although he doesn't know why) is so debilitating that it has been causing all of his anger. Everybody misses this. None of this would come out until the third movie, at which time Anakin knows what he has to do. But he can never bring himself to kill Obi-Wan and sacrifices himself instead (letting Obi-Wan win). However, he doesn't die: the Emperor finds him and rebuilds him as Darth Vader. It wasn't Vader who killed all of the Jedi, as was originally claimed by Obi-Wan (he kept that secret to himself). The Emperor meddled with the fate of Anakin and, as such, started his fall to the Dark Side. It then came down to Luke and Leia (Skywalker of course) to correct this. All of this comes down to what the Force is in the first place, and why it can see the future and direct people's fate…. But that is for another review. [See Scott's review of Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones] |
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