

Star Wars: Episode I -- The Phantom Menace (1999)
Liam Neeson, Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, Jake Lloyd, Pernilla 
August, Frank Oz, Ian McDiarmid, Oliver Ford Davies, Hugh Quarshie, 
Ahmed Best, Samuel L. Jackson, Ray Park, Peter Serafinowicz, Ralph 
Brown, Terence Stamp, Brian Blessed, Sofia Coppola. Music by John 
Williams. Written and directed by George Lucas. 131 minutes.
Rated PG, 3.5 stars (out of five stars)

Review by Ed Johnson-Ott, NUVO Newsweekly
www.nuvo-online.com
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On a Wednesday afternoon in 1977, I casually decided to catch an 
opening day matinee of "Star Wars." I knew nothing about the movie. 
Aside from a large, nondescript ad in the Sunday paper, there was no 
local hype for the film. The last sci-fi picture to play Indianapolis,
 "Logan's Run," proved quite a disappointment, so my expectations for 
this new offering were nil. At the uncrowded theater (the frenzy 
would not hit until the weekend), I entered with an open mind and 
emerged with an ear-to-ear grin on my face. 

22 years later, I tried to attend a critics' screening of "Star Wars: 
Episode I -- The Phantom Menace" with a similar frame of mind. To 
hell with the hype, to hell with analytical viewing, and to hell with 
the plot, for that matter. I would just sit back and let the movie 
wash over me. When I left the theater 131 minutes later, my grin was 
far less broad than in my youth, but it was still a treat to revisit 
George Lucas' universe. 

"The Phantom Menace" is a feast for the eyes and ears. The images of 
exotic cities on distant worlds are spectacular and the myriad alien 
species wildly imaginative. John Williams' rich, sweeping score 
enhances every aspect of the production, from the action scenes to 
the quiet moments. Lucas offers larger than life characters and a 
mythic storyline tempered to a degree by comic relief. But despite 
the presence of so many of the right elements, the production leaves 
an oddly distant feel, because Lucas forgot the all important Han 
Solo factor.

This film desperately needs a wisecracking swashbuckler, someone for 
viewers to identify with so we can vicariously experience the story 
rather than simply observe it. In Episodes Four, Five and Six, Han 
Solo fit the bill perfectly, always ready with a caustic remark, a 
glib aside and open expressions of anger, fear and, occasionally, 
heartfelt sentiment. He humanized the proceedings in a way that no 
character does here. 

In "The Phantom Menace," the primary players are a boy, two Jedi 
knights and a Queen. The Jedi Master and his apprentice project the 
inner serenity appropriate for disciples of the Force. The Queen, due 
to her station in life, must maintain an air of dignity and the child 
mostly remains in awe of the incredible goings-on around him. As a 
result, we witness a grand adventure enacted with far too much 
restraint and reserve. To truly engage us, we need at least one full-
fledged adventurer. Instead, we must make due with a kid surrounded 
by royalty and Mennonites. The actors are all fine, but Lucas plops 
them into a stifling stylistic box.

Comic relief is provided by Jar Jar Binks, a computer-animated 
sidekick who speaks in a fractured fashion reminiscent of Jamaican 
patois and falls down a lot. Initially, Jar Jar is phenomenally 
annoying, but he grew on me as the film progressed and, towards the 
end, was almost likable. Other humorous touches include a two-headed 
sports announcer who provides lively commentary during a high-speed 
race, and Ewan McGregor's hair. The Jedi apprentice sports a close-
cropped 'do with a long rattail, the kind of style that was popular 
in the '80s and now is worn only by the young sons of aging rednecks. 
McGregor's hair serves as a reminder that the story is indeed set "a 
long time ago in a galaxy far, far away." Later scenes feature a vast 
army of battle 'droids whose bowling-pin heads suspiciously resemble 
that of Crow, the wiseacre robot from "Mystery Science Theater 3000." 
Coincidence? Perhaps, but I suspect their appearance is a sly homage 
from Lucas.  

Although set decades before "Star Wars: A New Hope," several 
treasured characters from the initial trilogy appear in "The Phantom 
Menace." The ever-cranky Yoda pops up, as does plucky little R2-D2 
and a not-yet-finished version of C-3PO, history's first gay robot. 
As a young Obi-Wan Kenobi, Ewan McGregor adds a nice touch of 
continuity by echoing Alec Guinness' vocal cadences. 

But, for better or worse, personalities are the least of "Star Wars: 
Episode I -- The Phantom Menace." The main pleasures of the film come 
with the spectacle of it all; from a wild flight past a magnificent 
underwater city to a razzle-dazzle pod race that is half "Ben-Hur," 
half Indy 500. While "The Phantom Menace" is emotionally remote, it 
is also unquestionably sumptuous. This installment of George Lucas' 
self-described "Saturday afternoon serial for children" may not be 
the best in the series, but it certainly has its share of rewards. To 
enjoy the production, do your best to forget all the hype and just 
let the movie wash over you.

© 1999 Ed Johnson-Ott