The Phantom Menace is good

The year is 1999. A new STAR WARS movie is about to hit theaters, and fans still have a sour taste in their mouths from the special editions released two years prior. However, the Extended Universe is flourishing, thanks to the well-orchestrated Shadows of the Empire and the iconic Thrawn trilogy. Expectations are high, and the stage is set for the best STAR WARS movie yet. Fortunately, everything turned out well.

I like the Phantom Menace. It is something I was always open about, and after watching the movie The People vs. George Lucas, I knew I would write this blog one day. It was a really good interview-style documentary about STAR WARS fans who (among other things) didn't like The Phantom Menace. Consider this blog my reaction to their testimony.

Many people's disappointment stemmed from the explanation of how the Force works. During the original trilogy, it was described as: "an energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us, penetrates us, and binds the galaxy together." From a certain point of view, this is anoter well-played hand from Bens side. Manipulating a naive farmer into your pseudo-religion doubles down on Bens character from the Episode V as well as the ways of the Jedi seen in the Episode I and rest of the prequels. With each new movie, people learn that late Old Republic Jedi were not the good guys like described in originals. They are far cry from their predecessors of the Je'daii order.[*]

The sudden appearance of midichlorians and the revelation of the Jedi's true nature are elements that don't align with the story of the original trilogy. Inconsistencies in fictional worlds can harm a brand's perception. However, expecting consistency in STAR WARS is a big stretch. The story was originally meant to be a standalone movie, but as soon as Lucasfilm smelled money, it was immediately renamed Episode IV. STAR WARS has been constantly changing, with alternative sequels, the removal of some materials from canon, and even changes to world elements like the Jedi's Kendo-inspired fighting style.

Regarding Jar Jar... I see strong parallels between his character and R2 & 3PO from the beginning of Episode IV. It isn’t exactly high sci-fi when you watch two robots arguing in the desert, expressing their feelings about each other. Yet, many people are disappointed that Episode I is too oriented toward a younger audience. This critique of a space fairy tale not being "adult enough" is often followed by complaints that it brings up too much politics. It's a paradox I just can't follow. To me, both the droids and the Gungan are just jesters in a technically exceptional Flash Gordon derivative.

Personally, I applaud the movie for exploring a time so close to A New Hope yet so different, as we witness the final years of the noble Galactic Republic. We finally see the Jedi Temple and its questionable role in maintaining galactic peace, as well as the harsh reality of how impoverished worlds remain untouched by the ruling apparatus in both eras. We see how the actions of unlikely heroes shape the lives and world around them—just like in every STAR WARS story before. Visually, the movie feels sleek and new with its advanced CGI, yet the set design and costumes still resemble the 1970s Ralph McQuarrie style. This is especially evident in the design of the Naboo starships.

But if there’s any letdown from my side, it's that they could have expanded a bit more on the different Jedi training schools that Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon practiced. The only hint was their saber colors, which is fine, I guess, but they could have spared a few words here and there about how the way of the Force is interpreted differently by each student. Then again, one should realize that the whole concept of "training schools" is more of an afterthought, since the saber colors were originally changed just to visually fit the scenery. In Episode VI, Luke originally had a blue lightsaber, but it didn't stand out against the blue sky of Tatooine, so they changed it to green.

Lastly, there's the Phantom Cut - The fan edit that streamlines the movie by cutting a few scenes with Jar Jar, some of the politics, and even the midichlorian explanation. I personally liked that the part where Queen Amidala asks for the name of the droid that repaired the ship was removed. (Why would she do that anyway?) The edit is also slightly sped up to reduce the runtime and make the movie feel less static. All in all, the Phantom Cut is nice and definitely worth checking out if you don't like the idea of the Force emitting bacteria.

All I'm saying is that you should enjoy the movie for what it is and not try to look too deeply into something with the depth of a glass of Bantha milk.