Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999)

Review Date: May 7th, 2022

Hi everyone. It’s been almost a week since I had last done a movie review. However, I wanted to give myself some time to think about the email for my website that will be revealed in the next few movie reviews, so that people can request me to do a review on a movie & give me feedback as well.

Since I want to have the requests & feedback to go good, I’m also thinking about making a Facebook page for my Movie Blog (not a personal account). But enough talk about the email & Facebook page. Time for the movie.

The Phantom Menace (1999). The 1st chapter the Star Wars Prequel Trilogy. New character introductions galore, & the 1st Star Wars movie chronologically. But anyways, let’s get down to the review.

CAST:

Ewan McGregor - Obi-Wan Kenobi

Liam Neeson - Qui-Gon Jinn

Natalie Portman - Padmé Amidala

Jake Lloyd - Anakin Skywalker

Ian McDiarmid - Senator Palpatine/Darth Sidious

Ahmed Best - Jar Jar Binks

Anthony Daniels - C-3PO

Kenny Baker - R2-D2

Perilla August - Shimi Skywalker

Frank Oz - Yoda

Samuel L. Jackson - Mace Windu

Ray Park - Darth Maul

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD!!

The Trade Federation creates turmoil in the Galactic Republic, by blockading the planet Naboo in protest of recent legislation, taxing major galactic trade routes. 2 Jedi Knights named Obi-Wan Kenobi & Qui-Gon Jinn are sent by Chancellor Valorum of the Republic, to negotiate with Viceroy Nute Gunray. Darth Sidious, a Sith Lord & the Trade Federation's secret benefactor, orders the Viceroy to kill the Jedi, & begin an invasion with an army of battle droids. But the Jedi escape & flee to Naboo.

During the invasion, Qui-Gon rescues a Gungan outcast named…

Jar Jar Binks.

Indebted to Qui-Gon, Jar Jar leads the Jedi to Otoh Gunga, the Gungans' underwater city. The Jedi fail to persuade the Gungan leader, Boss Nass, to help the planet's surface dwellers. But manage to obtain Jar Jar's guidance & underwater transport to Theed, the capital city of Naboo.

After rescuing Queen Amidala, the group make their escape from Naboo aboard her Royal Starship, intending to reach the Republic capital planet of Coruscant.

Passing through the Federation blockade, the ship is damaged in the crossfire, & its hyperdrive malfunctions. The ship lands for repairs on the outlying desert planet of Tatooine, situated beyond the Republic's jurisdiction. Qui-Gon Jinn, Jar Jar, R2-D2, & Padmé Amidala visit the settlement of Mos Espa, so that they can purchase a new part for their hyperdrive. They encounter a junk dealer named Watto, & his child slave named Anakin Skywalker, a gifted pilot & engineer who has built C-3PO. Jake Lloyd did have some issues associated with his schizophrenia as an adult years after his role in Phantom Menace though.

Qui-Gon senses a strong presence of the Force within Anakin, and is convinced that he is the prophesied Chosen 1, destined to restore balance to the force. With Watto refusing to accept payment in Republic currency, Qui-Gon wagers both the required hyperdrive part & Anakin's freedom in a podrace. Anakin wins the race, & joins the group to be trained as a Jedi, leaving his mother behind reluctantly.

En route to their starship, Qui-Gon Jinn enecounters Darth Maul, who was sent to capture Padmé Amidala by Darth Sidious. After their brief lightsaber duel, Qui-Gon escapes aboard the starship with the others. In this movie, Darth Maul has a few minutes of screen time. He also doesn’t talk much in the movie as well. But he talks so much more in other media though.

Sometime after, Qui-Gon & Obi-Wan escort Padmé Amidala to Coruscant, so that she can plead her people's case to Chancellor Valorum & the Galactic Senate. Qui-Gon informs the Jedi Council that his attacker was a Sith & subsequently asks for permission to train Anakin as a Jedi. Concerned that Anakin Skywalker is vulnerable to the Dark Side of the Force, the Council refuses his request. Undaunted, Qui-Gon vows to take up Anakin as his new apprentice.

Meanwhile, Senator Palpatine persuades Padmé Amidala to call for a vote of no confidence in Chancellor Valorum to elect a more capable leader, & to resolve the crisis on Naboo. Though she is successful in pushing for the vote, Padmé Amidala grows frustrated with the corruption in the Senate, & decides to return to Naboo. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan are ordered by the Jedi Council to accompany the queen, & investigate the return of the Sith, whom they had thought to be extinct for over a millennium.

On Naboo, Padmé Amidala reveals herself as the Queen of Naboo before the Gungans to gain their trust, & persuades them to help against the Trade Federation. Jar Jar Binks is promoted to general, & joins his tribe in a battle against the droid army, while Padmé leads the search for Gunray in Theed. Qui-Gon tells Anakin to hide inside a starfighter in the palace hangar. But he accidentally triggers its autopilot, & takes off into space, joining the Naboo pilots in their battle against the Federation droid control ship.

With R2-D2’s help, Anakin pilots the fighter into the ship, & causes its destruction from within, deactivating the droid army. Meanwhile, Darth Maul, who has been sent by Darth Sidious, so that he can help Nute Gunray, engages in a lightsaber duel with Qui-Gon & Obi-Wan. During the awesome 2 vs. 1 duel, Darth Maul mortally wounds Qui-Gon. But is then sliced in half by Obi-Wan, & falls down a shaft. Qui-Gon asks Obi-Wan to train Anakin Skywalker, before dying in his arms. However, it seems to be unusual for a main antagonist to be given a few minutes of screen time, instead of a lot of screen time though.

Following the battle on Naboo, Nute Gunray is arrested by the Republic, & Palpatine is elected as Chancellor. Yoda promotes Obi-Wan to the rank of Jedi Knight, & accepts Anakin Skywalker as Obi-Wan's apprentice reluctantly. A funeral is held for Qui-Gon, attended by the other Jedi, who contemplate that there is still 1 Sith remaining, since there are always two of them. I know a lot about the Sith Prophecy of the Rule of Two though.

During a celebratory parade on Naboo, Padmé Amidala presents a gift of thanks to the Gungans to establish peace.

THE END (for now)

The Phantom Menace (1999) is a great start to the entire Star Wars Skywalker Saga though. However, C-3PO’s not in his usual golden color in this movie. But it’s also the return of seeing Star Wars on the big screen back in 1999 as well though.

OVERALL: 9/10

End of Review