With the 'Star Wars' saga being so popular, you'll have no doubt heard of the legions of film fanatics who disregard the prequels for being inferior to the original trilogy. Now, in no way could 'The Phantom Menace', 'Attack Of The Clones' or 'Revenge Of The Sith' rival 'A New Hope', 'The Empire Strikes Back' and 'Return Of The Jedi', but why is that so bad? George Lucas' original three chapters of the series were pretty damn brilliant, but does that mean that everything based around it which isn't as good as the first three is crap? Surely not.
'The Phantom Menace' has its moments. The opening battle between the Jedi ambassadors and the Battle Droids and Droideka introduced the audience to some enticing introductory action which wasn't present in the first three films, while such scenes as the Bonga-ride through Naboo's core and the podrace on Tattooine are definitely intriguing.
What the film lacks, however, is that continuous sense of brilliance ever-present in the original trilogy. In a way, 'The Phantom Menace' is comparable to 'Pirates Of The Caribbean: At World's End', in terms of sequence. After a few interesting scenes, the film shows some really tedious conversation, concluded with an epic battle (or, in this case, four epic battles).
Most of the film is filled with entertaining characters, whether it be the humourous Jar-Jar Binks and Boss Nass, the intimidating Darth Maul, the villanous Sebulba or the foolish Watto. There are no really hatable characters, but some are so insignificant that you just won't care what happens to them, even if the likes of Queen Amadala's decoy or Mace Windu were taken to a Trade Federation Battleship, tortured, had their limbs cut off and then sent out to space without any protection so that their heads blew up, you wouldn't feel any emotion towards them. Except perhaps ignorance.
I guess this lack of distinctive characters is really down to the actors. Liam Neeson and Ewan McGregor show off instantly recognisable Jedi qualities, Ray Park displays Sith aggression very blatantly without even speaking to his foes, and Ahmed Best's method of appearing clumsy and very different is portrayed well. Kenny Baker and Anthony Daniels are brilliant with their droid parts. However, the likes of Keira Knightley, Frank Oz and Terence Stamp didn't give as good a performance as one would hope. Still, there's nothing quite like seeing Darth Vader in his child incarnation.
Moving on to the pace of the film, it's simple to realise that the first half of the film flows swiftly and interestingly while it then gets very slow later on, before speeding up again for the final battles. On the Trade Federation Battleship, Naboo, Gungan City and Tattooine, the pace is quick and this saves the audience from getting bored. Then, just before the podrace is about to start, it slows down quite a bit, presumably for the benefit of said scene. When the race is yet to commence, a long, dramatic pause is taken, and tension is built up tenfold, and furthermore enhances how exciting the race is.
Sadly, the films producers seem to have forgotten to switch the slowdown off. I did not experience a pleasant part in the city of Coruscant whatsoever, and as Darth Maul occupied this planet beforehand, it's a shame that Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi did not encounter him again in this location before their final fight in Naboo.
So far, so very mediocre, and as I was watching this film yesterday night, I began to question the quality of the film, simultaneously wondering why I ever defended the film whenever attacked in the first place. I was so very close to awarding this film a disappointing 'three-out-of-five' score, and then the film's true saviour arrived.
As I stated in the second paragraph of this very review, 'Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace' has its moments. The underwater chase in the core of Naboo and the podrace on Tattooine are scenes which pose a lot of awesomeness, but none of these scenes could possibly equate to how amazing the final battle is.
These last scenes are essentially a compilation of four vastly entertaining battles. The Gungans and the Battle Droids going to war in a field, Queen Amadala and her handmaidens and bodygaurds infiltrating the Naboo Palace to attempt to capture the Viceroy, the Naboo Starship pilots and Anakin Skywalker combatting the Trade Federation Starships and Trade Federation Droid Control Ship in space, and the duel between Qui-Gon Jinn, Obi-Wan Kenobi and the sinister Darth Maul. Each of these four fights are embracing, shocking, gripping and satisfying, and earn the film at least another point. If only the whole film were like the end...
Four Out Of Five
'The Phantom Menace' has its moments. The opening battle between the Jedi ambassadors and the Battle Droids and Droideka introduced the audience to some enticing introductory action which wasn't present in the first three films, while such scenes as the Bonga-ride through Naboo's core and the podrace on Tattooine are definitely intriguing.
What the film lacks, however, is that continuous sense of brilliance ever-present in the original trilogy. In a way, 'The Phantom Menace' is comparable to 'Pirates Of The Caribbean: At World's End', in terms of sequence. After a few interesting scenes, the film shows some really tedious conversation, concluded with an epic battle (or, in this case, four epic battles).
Most of the film is filled with entertaining characters, whether it be the humourous Jar-Jar Binks and Boss Nass, the intimidating Darth Maul, the villanous Sebulba or the foolish Watto. There are no really hatable characters, but some are so insignificant that you just won't care what happens to them, even if the likes of Queen Amadala's decoy or Mace Windu were taken to a Trade Federation Battleship, tortured, had their limbs cut off and then sent out to space without any protection so that their heads blew up, you wouldn't feel any emotion towards them. Except perhaps ignorance.
I guess this lack of distinctive characters is really down to the actors. Liam Neeson and Ewan McGregor show off instantly recognisable Jedi qualities, Ray Park displays Sith aggression very blatantly without even speaking to his foes, and Ahmed Best's method of appearing clumsy and very different is portrayed well. Kenny Baker and Anthony Daniels are brilliant with their droid parts. However, the likes of Keira Knightley, Frank Oz and Terence Stamp didn't give as good a performance as one would hope. Still, there's nothing quite like seeing Darth Vader in his child incarnation.
Moving on to the pace of the film, it's simple to realise that the first half of the film flows swiftly and interestingly while it then gets very slow later on, before speeding up again for the final battles. On the Trade Federation Battleship, Naboo, Gungan City and Tattooine, the pace is quick and this saves the audience from getting bored. Then, just before the podrace is about to start, it slows down quite a bit, presumably for the benefit of said scene. When the race is yet to commence, a long, dramatic pause is taken, and tension is built up tenfold, and furthermore enhances how exciting the race is.
Sadly, the films producers seem to have forgotten to switch the slowdown off. I did not experience a pleasant part in the city of Coruscant whatsoever, and as Darth Maul occupied this planet beforehand, it's a shame that Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi did not encounter him again in this location before their final fight in Naboo.
So far, so very mediocre, and as I was watching this film yesterday night, I began to question the quality of the film, simultaneously wondering why I ever defended the film whenever attacked in the first place. I was so very close to awarding this film a disappointing 'three-out-of-five' score, and then the film's true saviour arrived.
As I stated in the second paragraph of this very review, 'Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace' has its moments. The underwater chase in the core of Naboo and the podrace on Tattooine are scenes which pose a lot of awesomeness, but none of these scenes could possibly equate to how amazing the final battle is.
These last scenes are essentially a compilation of four vastly entertaining battles. The Gungans and the Battle Droids going to war in a field, Queen Amadala and her handmaidens and bodygaurds infiltrating the Naboo Palace to attempt to capture the Viceroy, the Naboo Starship pilots and Anakin Skywalker combatting the Trade Federation Starships and Trade Federation Droid Control Ship in space, and the duel between Qui-Gon Jinn, Obi-Wan Kenobi and the sinister Darth Maul. Each of these four fights are embracing, shocking, gripping and satisfying, and earn the film at least another point. If only the whole film were like the end...
Four Out Of Five
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