Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace
25 years ago, a Galaxy far far away returned to the big screen in all its glory. Directed by George Lucas the phantom Menace was the begging of Lucas’s second Star Wars trilogy and a fallow up to his first trilogy, following the events of Jedi Knight Qui Gon Jinn, Padawan Obi won Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker and queen Amidala.
Unlike the first trilogy the Phantom Menace sets of a new story set 32 years before the battle of Yavin, that sets up the back story of jedi knights Obi Won and Anakin Skywalker and a host of other characters that would be to long to list. And it sets up the grand return of the Sith after many years in hiding.
Most of the movie’s plotline and story takes place during a time of galactic unrest, as the Trade Federation, one of this movie’s antagonist, the Trade Federation having blockaded the planet of Naboo before they ultimately invade and take over the city along with its queen. The queen however is not captured long and is shortly rescued by Obi won and Qui Gon, they escape in the queen’s ship and flee. But after an attempted escape their ship is damaged and they are forced to land on the planet of Tatooine. There they meat young Anakin who they help win a pod race with the spoils of victory being a new hyperdrive which was damaged in the escape and the young boy’s freedom from slavery. With a new hyperdrive they can return to Coruscant alongside the queen, but before they can make their way off planet, they are attacked by a red-light saber wielding enemy who is yet unknown. Qui Gon safely defends them and they make their escape once again, returning to Coruscant. But after failed peace talks from Queen Amidala and a vote of no confidence in chancellor Valorum, Amidala returns to her home planet alongside Obi Won, Qui Gon and Anakin. There they begin their takeover of the city and negotiations with the Gungan’s Naboo’s underwater people. The negotiations turn fruitful and an alliance is created and together their peoples fight back the enemy and retake their planet thanks to Anakin’s except flying skills who manages to destroy the droids control ship deactivating the droids on planet and in the air.
But alongside Anakin’s heroics, the sith returns revealing himself to be Darth Maul, he attacks and kills Qui Gon but Obi Won avenges him by cutting him in half saving the day and returning to the cast of the heroes later promising to train young Skywalker who is believed to be the Chosen One and so The Phantom Menace comes to an end.
For the technical side since the last of the original trilogy released great strides have been made in computer created imagery which this movie takes great advantage of making the scenery of planets like Coruscant, Tatooine and Naboo look stunning. Alongside CGI, the movies quality provides a great viewing experience and with its return to theatres the movie should very well be considered for a rewatch. The quality and sounds of the Light saber fights, especially the movies later half is exquisite and so is the fight scenes between the heroes of Naboo and the federations droids. All together alongside the movies great soundtrack provided once again my master film music maker John Williams who returns with a see of great scores. Such as a return of the opening theme and crawl title and duel of the fates one of the Star Wars universe greatest songs.
The movie is sure to have something for everybody, with a good story and entry point into another trilogy, a phantastic soundtrack and a great cast with actors such as Liam Newson, Ewan McGregor and Natalie Portman all performing to perfection and for those interested in neither a wide variety of fight and action scenes, underwater, in air and on land giving those who came for it a great action experience.
And so, with my short recap and love letter to the first prequal Movie finished, I give it a 8.5/10 score, and highly recommend those that have the chance to watch it on the big screen do so.
Header image by freepik: https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/space-travel-collage-design_94964695.htm#fromView=search&page=1&position=3&uuid=9e396e55-d463-4d36-aa74-6cd992e10ab9
