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Star Wars Episode I
The Phantom Menace
Review of the film
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A long time ago, in a galaxy far away...
Fans hold their breath, expectantly waiting in the
momentary silence. Then the fanfare suddenly explodes in the cinema room and while
the familiar scroll slowly unrolls across the screen, fans can feel their heart pounding as
the child inside of them watches with awe, letting the magic transport them back into
the fantasy world of StarWars. However, this is a different world from the one fans
are used to. Thanks to the Jedi order (knights charged to defend peace and justice through
the universe), the Republic is prosperous and the people have been living in peace for
thousands of years. Nevertheless, one man's secret lust for absolute power is about to
precipitate the universe into chaos. Grave danger is lurking in the galaxy but even the
Jedi can only sense an elusive threat, hence the title. What seems to be a trivial trade
conflict is actually a small part of Lord Sydious's evil and ingenious plan. |
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| The plot is skillfully crafted like a game of chess where Sydious is the manipulative
cunning player who secretly moves his pawns in order to capture the Queen and become the
Emperor. Tragedy and irony are everpresent in Episode I as only the fans know
Sydious's intentions as well as his identity and the doomed fate of this peaceful universe and its unaware
inhabitants. There are some strong emotional and ominous moments, and we are revealed more
about the nature of the Force through an interesting theory involving what we term here
'bacterias'. The lightsaber duels are astoundingly wild and beautifully choregraphed. The scenery (from the costumes to
the matte paintings) is breathtaking and the creatures are amazing. The performances are
remarkable amongst which Natalie Portman's perfect balance of strength and fragility, Liam
Neeson and Pernilla August's subtle hints of romance, Ewan Mc Gregor's impersonation of
Alec Guiness, Jake Lloyd's natural and Frank Oz's (Yoda) magic. The new musical themes
(especially the "Swim to Otoh Gunga" and the "Duel of the Fates") are great achievements
worthy to join the old score and will haunt the viewers long after their return to the real
world. Sounds and sights are magnificent and feel strikingly real. |
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| I must admit that it is difficult to approach StarWars as an objective newcomer
since I literally grew up with it (I was born in 1977). Though, I do believe that everyone
can enjoy The Phantom Menace as it is faithful to the old episodes while remaining
accessible to those unfamiliar with the StarWars universe. After all, it is Episode
I, so it is meant to be watched first. Non-fans will benefit from added suspense while
fans will be able to understand the plot better and feel more involved. |
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| It is true that The Phantom Menace is not perfect: some lines sound quite awful,
some plot devices are dubious, the themes are not exposed very subtly and some characters
are at times incredibly annoying ... but this matters little because the film is such an
outstanding work of art and anyway, after a few viewings fans get used to these flaws.
Furthermore, these awkward and clumsy moments do not betray a bad acting or direction but
an innocence and frankness which have always been part of the essence of Star Wars. |
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| Episode I is a breath of fresh air; a finely assembled and truly entertaining fantasy
tale which necessitated four years of intensive work and the love and dedication of
exceptionally gifted artists. It would be impossible to name everyone (this is what credits
- though sadly overlooked - are for) but first there is of course, the man behind it all,
George Lucas, to whom I owe an apology for my disturbing lack of faith (I was amongst those
who thought he did not care about StarWars anymore). Then there is Doug Chiang and
his team who gave us lavish imaginative designs, John Williams and his orchestra who
composed and performed the most loved and moving music of all time, the actors who all
offer impeccable performances, ILM (Industrial Light & Magic) who made it all possible
and so many more. |
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| Star Wars is not just a film, it is an epic fable, a space opera, a journey into
another world where all people are ready to unite to fight together against injustice and
oppression, which has been stimulating the imagination of fans worldwide for years. And
Episode I definitely deserves its place in the exotic universe of the saga. |
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