Written and directed by George Lucas, the 1999 film stars Ewan McGregor, Liam Neeson, Natalie Portman, and Jake Lloyd. The first film in the legendary six-part sci-fi saga, it was shot thirty years after the original. The monumental story begins when the evil Trade Federation blockades all trade routes to the planet Naboo. Two Jedi knights, Qui-Gon Ginn (Neeson), and his apprentice, Obi-Wan Kenobi (McGregor), are sent to negotiate with the Federation leaders. When they arrive in Naboo, they are taken to its leader, Queen Amidala, to transport her to the meeting of Republic leaders on the planet of Coruscant. But when their ship becomes damaged when they pass through the blockade, the Jedis are forced to land on the obscure planet of Tatooine for repairs. There, Qui-Gon meets a slave named Anakin Skywalker (Lloyd), and senses that the Force is extremely strong in the young boy. I am SUCH a huge fan of Star Wars, so I obviously enjoy every film in the franchise. I am also aware, however, that Episode I is an inferior film to the original trilogy (and perhaps even the other two in this trilogy) in terms of character development and emotional involvement in the story. I am also perhaps one of the few people in the world who isn't annoyed by Jar Jar Binks. I went to see it in the theatre on Friday night in 3D, and was super excited to see it on the big screen (I was very young when it was released originally and don't remember the experience). The 3D, however, was little needed and not very impressive -- but that's most likely because it wasn't shot in 3D to begin with. Nevertheless, The Phantom Menace is still a wonderful film, and worth paying the price for a ticket just to see it on a theatre screen.
Should you see it: Yes
Grade: B+
I'll never miss the opportunity to watch Star Wars on the big screen. This time around, I'm sharing the experience with my daughters.
ReplyDelete