| It’s hard to
effectively rate a movie like The Phantom
Menace. If you compare it to its previous
three films, it comes up a bit short. If the
first three films were never made, viewers would
likely be as floored as they were when the first Star
Wars film was released over twenty years ago.
Was I disappointed? A little. Am I going to see
it again? Yes. Two more times? Probably. Taking place
about forty years before the beginning trilogy (Star
Wars, The Empire Strikes Back and Return
of the Jedi), Menace shares only a few
characters familiar with audiences. Yoda (voiced
by Frank Oz) is back and appears to have less ear
hair. A much younger Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan
McGregor, Trainspotting) plays a limited
role, but promises to be a much bigger force in
the next two installments, due in 2002 and 2005.
But, most importantly, a very young innocent
named Anakin Skywalker (Jake Lloyd, Jingle All
the Way) – soon to become the enigmatic
Darth Vader, as well as the father of Luke and
Leia – is discovered by Jedi Master Qui-Gon
Jinn (Liam Neeson, Les Miserables).
Menace
seems like more of a set piece for Episodes Two
and Three of George Lucas’ current trilogy.
This is the first film Lucas has directed since
the first Star Wars film – and it
shows. Acting and story take a back seat to the
special effects, which are nothing short of
goddamned unbelievable. The script offers too
many flat one-liners and jokes geared to
pre-school-aged kids. And don’t get me
started on the Muppets and computer-generated
characters. The worst is Jar Jar Binks, a
horrible Roger Rabbit knock-off that is
immediately hated by anyone without either a
diaper or a pocket-protector.
2:11
–
 for violence and
the possible implication that Qui-Gon banged
Anakin’s mom
|
