As imminent conflict brews between the powerful Trade Federation and the peaceful planet of Naboo, Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn and his apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi travel to Naboo to warn the Queen of the galactic fallout which is to follow. Eventually, Naboo is invaded, forcing the Jedi to evacuate the planet with the Queen. With their ship damaged in the escape, they're forced to land on the desert planet of Tatooine, where they meet a slave boy named Anakin Skywalker, who is evidently one with the Force. They enlist his help in fighting the war, while the Jedi confront one of the Lords of the Sith, Darth Maul. Following the original trilogy movies, The Phantom Menace is the first of 3 prequel films that show the events that led to the first features. I would also add that watching the originals first before starting with episode 1 since they came before and have some shocking revelations best experienced by new viewers. Personally, I adore the prequels. Now I know they get a lot of hate and were constantly ripped apart by fans and critics alike, however, as time has passed, they have become so widely loved and appreciated. I grew up with the prequels and thoroughly enjoyed them from the get-go although I must admit, this was probably my least favourite, but still a good movie. The prequels use a great deal of CGI, which was mainly due to Lucas trying to push it to its boundaries. Whilst accomplishing such amazing work in the later movies, this film has moments that feel very dated due to the bad CGI, which at the time, was like nothing ever done before. Plus, if it wasn't for the work pushed on this flick, such effects of today wouldn't have come to be at such a standard they are now if it wasn't for Lucas pushing ILM. We follow two Jedi knights, Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi, who are some of my favourite Jedi in Star Wars. They have such great scenes together, especially the final duel, which is the best sequence in the whole film. It was so cool finally seeing the Jedi at the height of their power, especially since they were all but extinct during the originals. It was also great visiting a different region of Tatooine and witnessing a pod race, which was an exhilarating experience. The race is exceptionally entertaining and includes plenty of phenomenal sound effects for the pods. We even get to see the return of some familiar characters. From R2-D2, C-3P0, Yoda and Obi-Wan, it was so much fun to see some of these beloved characters' origins and see them during an earlier period. Once the 3rd half is reached, this production drastically excels. My favourite part of the adventure is the duel between Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon against Darth Maul. The choreography is unbelievable, the location is visually stunning and the music is unmatched. The song composed and performed by John Williams (who did the exquisite soundtrack of the originals) is called 'Duel of the Fates' and is by far his finest, and most listened-to track ever. He went above and beyond in creating such an impactful piece, especially thanks to all those involved. It elevates the action and makes the whole fight all the more epic. It was that good, it is even used in the following two films. Maul is one of the coolest characters and the most loved part of the film amongst all fans. Although not saying many lines, he looks so menacing, has a double-bladed lightsaber (which had never been seen before) and was able to hold his own against two Jedi Knights. Overall, The Phantom Menace is an enjoyable tale that is not without some flaws. I personally, rather enjoyed this story and can acknowledge its issues, like the constant talk of politics and Jar Jar, but I find them interesting and quite fun. Other issues, like the wooden dialogue and acting, don't affect me. I can still have a delightful time with this entry into the Star Wars franchise. I even end up quoting so many lines from this one too. Thanks to all those countless hilarious memes. The rest of the film is simply incredible and an exciting escape to the wondrous galaxy far, far away. So give this sci-fi fantasy a look over and the next in the saga: Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002), and may the force be with you, always.
When released, as seen in the trailer, Yoda was originally a puppet, like he was in the original trilogy movies. This puppet was made to look much younger however, it didn't really look quite right. After the latter two prequel films were released, Yoda was made CGI since he took part in duels and fights, which led to him being changed in this one, to fit in with the following two and feel cohesive.
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