‘The Phantom Menace’ Turns 25: It’s Worse Than Ever
There was a time when Star Wars was innovative. Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace was the moment George Lucas allowed the series to become a shell of its former self. While some fans feel that time has been kind to the movie, it’s only gotten worse with age.
25 years later, 2 elements of ‘The Phantom Menace’ are inexcusable
The Phantom Menace is a boring movie about political shenanigans starring a bunch of characters who rarely emote and a large orange lizard named Jar Jar Binks. If it was one of the many science fiction films made in the direct aftermath of the original Star Wars, like Message from Space or The Black Hole, no one would defend it. Because the movie has the phrase “Star Wars” in its title, it will always have defenders.
The movie was always bad, but age has made it worse for two reasons. Firstly, more and more fans are recognizing that Jar Jar Binks is not just annoying and hideous. He’s a gross stereotype of Afro-Carribean people. In fact, he’s a stereotype who is so abrasive and obvious that it’s a little surprising Hollywood considered him acceptable in 1999. He’s more like a character from a 19th-century minstrel show than a 1990s blockbuster.
The film’s other major problem, its visuals, were once a strength. In 1999, The Phantom Menace looked state-of-the-art. Even critics who didn’t care for its story praised its CGI. Today, it looks sterile and phony. Mid-century stop-motion effects have a lot more charm and personality than Watto or any of the other grotesque aliens in the movie.
25 years later, the defenses for ‘The Phantom Menace’ aren’t great
Some fans defend The Phantom Menace. If somebody likes the movie because it’s nostalgic for them, that’s their prerogative. As someone who loved it as a child, it’s issues have only become more egregious to me over time.
Some fans feel that at least The Phantom Menace is superior to Disney’s Star Wars films. That’s not much of a defense. The Phantom Menace is the result of a filmmaker trying too little, while the Disney Star Wars films are the result of a corporation trying too hard to please everyone.
George Lucas defended ‘The Phantom Menace’ from fans
During a 1999 interview with Empire Magazine, George Lucas was asked how he dealt with the fact that The Phantom Menace was a children’s movie that many adults wanted to see. “Basically, I didn’t,” he replied. “I kept it as it was originally intended. You can’t play too much to the marketplace.
“It’s the same thing with the fans,” he added. “The fans’ expectations had gotten way high and they wanted a film that was going to change their lives and be the Second Coming. You know, I can’t do that, it’s just a movie. And I can’t say, now I gotta market it to a whole different audience. I tell the story.
“I knew if I’d made Anakin 15 instead of nine, then it would have been more marketable,” the director continued. “If I’d made the Queen 18 instead of 14, then it would have been more marketable. But that isn’t the story. It is important that he be young, that he be at an age where leaving his mother is more of a drama than it would have been at 15. So you just have to do what’s right for the movie, not what’s right for the market.”
