STAR WARS: EPISODE I--THE PHANTOM MENACE (director: George Lucas; cast:(Qui-Gon Jinn) Liam Neeson, (Obi-Wan Kenobi) Ewan McGregor, (Queen Amidala) Natalie Portman, (Anakin Skywalker) Jake Lloyd, (Jar Jar Binks) Ahmed Best, (Shmi Skywalker, Anakin's mother) Pernilla August, (Yoda) Frank Oz, (Mace Windu) Samuel L. Jackson, (Darth Maul) Ray Park, (Chancellor Valorum) Terence Stamp, (Senator Palpatine/Darth Sidious) Ian McDiarmid, (R2-D2) Kenny Baker, 1999)
The new Star Wars trilogy, as a prequel to the Star Wars saga, will go back in time a full generation to tell the story of Anakin Skywalker, the innocent boy who will one day become the dreaded Darth Vader, who was the father of Luke Skywalker, the young farmboy who became a hero in the struggle to overthrow an evil empire and had to confront one of the Empire's staunchest henchmen, Darth Vader.
In this movie, that goes beyond the boundaries of what a movie is, because it has become a trademark name that is as easily recognized as any popular brand name is; if I mentioned KFC, you would know that I am talking about a fast-food chain that sells fried chicken (ugh!), and if I mentioned Star Wars (ah!), the same familiarity would ring a bell with you. Since the movie first surfaced in 1977, it has been a very popular film, basically over-taking many other types of films that took on the moral battle of good and evil, such as the Western, and it created a new myth that does not challenge the old myth, but incorporates pieces of mythology not only from the Judeo-Christian roots of the Bible, but from the Eastern religions, as well. It has become so commercially successful a film and enterprise, that even though the film cost about 115 million dollars to make, its profit margin is a sure thing, since it has merchandise deals tied into its release, that are estimated to be around 3.5 billion dollars.
With this in mind, there can be no ordinary viewing of this film, since it is already hyped and promoted beyond any reasonable level of expectation, it is therefore hardly likely that it could meet such expectations, even with its fanatical fan base, willing to stand on long lines for a long time in order to get tickets and who will most likely see the film a number of a times, and a public that is primed and ready for the product. How many times will viewers want to see it, is hard to gauge at this early date, though what is guaranteed, is that it will draw large crowds and pump life into the movie industry, as many will see this film as an event, therefore making it critic-proof and ensured of being a legendary film no matter what might be perceived of it on screen.
What takes place on screen, if I can consider myself, a voice of moderation on this subject, is not as terrible a storyline and acting job as one could be led to believe by listening to some film critics, nor is it as great a film as many unabashed fans might think, who feel taken with the innovative special-effects, and are really caught up in the aura and excessive exuberance the total film's package presents to them, from John William's recognizable Star War themes, to some original musical scores he added, as special for the film. There should be something in this film for everybody to like, especially in a THX theater, where the digital sound system and wide screen is best suited for viewing it. The tremendous effort put into the details and scope of its project, makes it seem stupendous at times, and, even throughout the film, when there are lulls in its story, it still sets a very galactic mood, that is trance-like and illusionary in a positive hypnotic sense, but it does suffer, at times, from being too talky and lacking enough emotions and depth in its story and in its characters, and is scripted with a banal dialogue, plus there is no romance in it, which makes it a film that is more geared to a younger audience, an audience that will be around to follow all the other episodes that will surely come forth.
As a positive feature of the film, it is not interested in gratuitous violence, and for that it scores high marks, as there is no blood in it, as all the action scenes involve mostly robotic things being dismantled.
As we read the screen for the opening scene, we learn that two Jedi are off to arbitrate a dispute caused by the Trade Federation against the planet Naboo, that is being interfered with unjustly by the Federation, who are blockading it. The two Jedi sent, are master Jedi Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson), who is a first-timer to the Star Wars series, and his apprentice, Ben Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor), who was played by Alec Guinness in Episodes IV, V, and VI. They encounter difficulties and get caught in a trap sprung by the evil Darth Sidious (Ian McDiarmid), who wants to take over the Galactic Republic, and they are forced to use their lightsabers to fight their way out of the jam, which they successfully do, then realizing that they could use someone familiar with this planet to be their guide, as they escape Naboo, they use this thing they came upon when entering Naboo, someone named Jar Jar Binks (Ahmed Best), a non-stop talking and jittery alien, who is some sort of a combination of a frog, who acts like a cartoon creature that children could gravitate to, but whom I found somewhat offensive because of his speech patterns, which were subservient and stereotypical, like Hollywood sometimes uses to depict certain ethnic groups, only in this case, he is only a representative of these Gungan creatures on Naboo, except he did talk in a West Indian patois.
After the Jedi rescue the 14-year old Queen Amidala (Natalie Portman) from the planet and her favorite droid, R2-D2, they are forced to land, due to broken parts, in a remote desert planet called Tatooine, that is not part of the Federation. Here the Jedi meet Anakin Skywalker (Jake Lloyd), a slave child, born by means of immaculate conception, working for a junkman that has the parts to fix the space craft. Qui-Gon Jinn recognizes in Ani, the possibility of him being "The Chosen One", that is, a special Jedi, with a tremendous potential in the Force, though there is, also, a sense of uncertainty about him. Darth Maul (Ray Park), is the evil force, with Jedi-like powers, who is sent here by Sidious to track and kill the Jedi and prevent help for the people of Naboo.
The pace of the film picks up with its most innovative addition, an exciting and, I might add, dizzying racing sequence featuring "pod" space ships, as Ani has to win the race to gain freedom for himself and for the Jedis to get their needed space craft parts, as a wager is made with Ani's junkman boss on the pod race. This is pure video game stuff, that should thrill its younger audience, perhaps more than it did me, but it was effective and added something new to the Star Wars legend.
What gives Star Wars all its charged up energy are its great duels, with lightsaber weapons, as good versus evil is clearly the theme that propels it, and here the duels are accomplished in a top-notch fashion, better than in other episodes, as the villain, with a painted black-and-red tattooed devil's face and short horns, and menacing sneers and graceful martial-arts movements, Darth Maul, battles the master Jedi, admirably portrayed, by a low key Liam Neeson, in a role that he doesn't seem to be having much fun in, but is, nevertheless, convincing as a wise Jedi, teaching his more rambunctious apprentice Jedi, Ewan McGregor, the ropes, as they both have a chance at dueling with Darth Maul.
Delving into the evil nature of politics, there is the dual role played by Ian McDiarmid, as Senator Palpatine/Darth Sidious, cast perfectly as a shadowy villain and a hypocritical senator, who in future episodes will become Emperor Palpatine and should provide more chills for viewer's to reckon with. Without its frightening villains, Star Wars would be stripped of its soul.
Some of the actors did not impress me enough as the above mentioned. It is probably not fair and not nice to criticize a youngster like Jake Lloyd who plays Anakin Skywalker, but I thought, that though he was sometimes bearable to see on the screen, as when he played with his computer toys, he was, nevertheless, miscast and did not have the skills to pull off the difficult role he was asked to fulfill. Anikin's mother, the great Swedish actress, Pernilla August, is just right for the part; in fact, she is too good for the part, because she makes the boy seem very amateurish and not caring enough when he is teamed with her and can't respond with the proper emotional responses expected from his role, while she is fluid and graceful in her role, even though she is stuck in a wooden part.
There were non-distinguished cameos by Samuel L. Jackson and Terrence Stamp, that have neither added nor distracted anything from the film. I would have preferred seeing unknown actors in those minor roles, giving them a chance to get known and earn some "bread."
Some of the more exciting scenes, that weren't crammed too tight with every computerized gizmo Lucas could throw at us, so that we were literally choking on too much alien and droid consumption, came from the just gorgeous and eye pleasing set designs on the planets, such as the submerged underwater city on Naboo, filled with dangerous sea monsters, and a Coliseum-like stadium on Tatooine, where the "pod race" transpired, covered by talking head sport's personalities. Then there's Coruscant, the Republic's capital - a planet where the single city encompasses the entire globe.With its soaring skyscrapers and a sky filled with exotic spaceships and its views of the world, that was just too stunning to fully grasp. That is where the council chamber is, where Queen Amidala makes a plea for her people, amidst the overwhelming effects of the Senate chamber floating in space. All these space landscapes gave the film all the color and spectacle it could ever need, making it a most entertaining and enjoyable movie experience, which is really what this movie is all about anyway, since I find it difficult to get too worked up over its so called "new mythology," Joseph Campbell blessed or not, since this movie only expresses what is just a shell of what myths can mean to a society. Be that it as it may, I do understand that many feel that what is missing in today's society, is some kind of positive myth, that there is something that has gone wrong with our culture, and this film does offer some encouragement for those who feel movies have caused a certain amount of degeneracy in this country's cultural war, and they should be pleased that Lucas's film reasserts, his personal belief, that good can triumph over evil, as many feel restless and unsure about the world they live in and need reassurance that we have the same positive values other generations of Americans have had, and they should look forward to seeing a film such as this one, that has such a rosy outlook.
And again, it should be remembered that this is an action film, that lives for its battle scenes, that has the "bad guy" droid army fighting the "good guy" army of Naboo, in a computer game war, as the victorious Naboos feel the pride and relief of victory over their enemy, for the moment, as the film ends with the insidious Senator Palpatine taking over the Galactic chancellorship.
It is a movie about the taming of nature in the future but made for the age we live in, and will be remembered by future movie viewers, not for its trite dialogue, but as a step up the ladder in our technical and computer skills, and in our deep yearnings to find hope in the world we live in. It seems regretable that we have to wait three more years for the next installment of these episodes to be released. I would say that this imperfect film, is still, a not-to-be missed film, and even if it has become tied-in with corporate America, nevertheless, George Lucas used his great technical skills to make this film as artistically good looking as he could, not aiming to make an exploitive film. And for that, we should all be grateful. I have immensely enjoyed the film for what it was and was not overly concerned about what it was not.
I think it is fair to say, that when you plunk down your money and see this film, you will be getting your money's worth.
"May the force be with you!"
REVIEWED ON 5/19/99
Dennis Schwartz: "Ozus' World Movie Reviews"
=A9 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED DENNIS SCHWARTZ
