Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace

[Montana Smith]

I gave in to the Dark Side, and saw this in 3-D, mostly out of curiosity, because I've always thought Star Wars, if any series, would be phenomenal in the format.

Sigh, that's not the case for Phantom Menace, at least. And yeah, rewatching it, I definitely get the criticisms of the plot and pacing. Good God, this film is SO long-winded and bland at times. Only two scenes stand out as excellent, and those don't need to be repeated, as you all know what I refer to. Jar Jar is still an awful annoyance, and Jake Lloyd's performance makes you facepalm every ten minutes. So, yeah, TPM is a very weak, dull entry in the Saga. But does it sucessfully introduce characters and set the stage for the epic tragedy to come? Sure, I'd say so. That's it's only saving grace.

Here's hoping AOTC is more visually pleasing in 3-D next year...

You have a bad feeling now, as well?

Could TPM be the worst movie per budget of all time?

 

[Montana Smith]

I gave in to the Dark Side, and saw this in 3-D, mostly out of curiosity, because I've always thought Star Wars, if any series, would be phenomenal in the format.

Sigh, that's not the case for Phantom Menace, at least. And yeah, rewatching it, I definitely get the criticisms of the plot and pacing. Good God, this film is SO long-winded and bland at times. Only two scenes stand out as excellent, and those don't need to be repeated, as you all know what I refer to. Jar Jar is still an awful annoyance, and Jake Lloyd's performance makes you facepalm every ten minutes. So, yeah, TPM is a very weak, dull entry in the Saga. But does it sucessfully introduce characters and set the stage for the epic tragedy to come? Sure, I'd say so. That's it's only saving grace.

Here's hoping AOTC is more visually pleasing in 3-D next year...

You have a bad feeling now, as well?

Could TPM be the worst movie per budget of all time?

Now there's some homework for somebody. TPM had an estimated budget of $115,000,000 (IMDB.com).

 

[Rocket Surgeon]

Thanks for the link, had a couple of laughs running it while doing some work.

I have to say Obi Wan IS my favorite character in the film, as he IS the only one I can relate to.

He's annoyed and generally bothered by everything.

Meesa called Tara Reid, messa need booze and coke!

...rewatching it, I definitely get the criticisms of the plot and pacing. But does it sucessfully introduce characters and set the stage for the epic tragedy to come? Sure, I'd say so. That's it's only saving grace.

I guess it succeeds in showing you the characters and telling a story really badly.

Does THAT save it for you?

 

[featofstrength]

Thanks for the link, had a couple of laughs running it while doing some work.

I have to say Obi Wan IS my favorite character in the film, as he IS the only one I can relate to.

He's annoyed and generally bothered by everything.

Haha! too true!

 

[kongisking]

Thanks for the link, had a couple of laughs running it while doing some work.

I have to say Obi Wan IS my favorite character in the film, as he IS the only one I can relate to.

He's annoyed and generally bothered by everything.

Meesa called Tara Reid, messa need booze and coke!



I guess it succeeds in showing you the characters and telling a story really badly.

Does THAT save it for you?

Not quite. What I meant was that it at least establishes certain character traits and arcs that will become crucial later on (such as Anakin's attachment issues, Obi-Wan's relationship with his own master, and Palpatine's rise to power). So in that regard, it is, I guess, a necessary film to watch if you really want to get the whole story Lucas is trying to (retroactively) tell. Or you can just skip ahead to Episode III, which is a terrific film with sporadic bits of stupidity, and actually acts as a much better Episode I than the real Episode I.

 

[Mephisto]

Does anyone else think that one of the reasons Phantom Menace sucked wasn't really because of Jake Lloyd but the fact they decided to start with Vader SO young. I don't even really remember disliking Lloyd watching this film. I really disliked him in Jingle All The Way so I figured he wouldn't be too good in this. However, a lot of the scenes were just too cheesy. They could have stuck in just about any other kid actor his age and it would have still sucked. When I met your father he was all ready a great pilot...**** he was 10! Come George you need better writing than that. He seems to really be stuck on the kids market after the Ewoks. Can't say I blame him but he may overshooting a little going that young. Perhaps he figures going that young will guarantee the kids will want the toys and other merchandise and won't realize the stuff sucks until they are older and the old diehards are going to buy the merchandise anyways because it is Star Wars.

 

[featofstrength]

Does anyone else think that one of the reasons Phantom Menace sucked wasn't really because of Jake Lloyd but the fact they decided to start with Vader SO young...

psst...Plinkett has all the answers you seek...

 

[Montana Smith]

Does anyone else think that one of the reasons Phantom Menace sucked wasn't really because of Jake Lloyd but the fact they decided to start with Vader SO young. I don't even really remember disliking Lloyd watching this film. I really disliked him in Jingle All The Way so I figured he wouldn't be too good in this. However, a lot of the scenes were just too cheesy. They could have stuck in just about any other kid actor his age and it would have still sucked.

George created a problem for himself in presenting Annie so young and innocent. The journey to the Dark Side is then so brief and fairly irrational.

Of course, that arc goes back to the reveal of Anakin's face during the destruction the second Death Star. All of a sudden the sins of mass murderer were washed away, because he'd finally made peace with his son.

All those years knowing that Obi-Wan and Vader had fought (back in the early '80s the story was that the battle took place on the edge of a volcano, and Vader had fallen into it), I had expected so much more from the telling of this pivotal story. To begin with little Annie, and then twist his fate so unconvincingly, undermines the story of Vader.

 

[HJTHX1138]

George created a problem for himself in presenting Annie so young and innocent. The journey to the Dark Side is then so brief and fairly irrational.

Of course, that arc goes back to the reveal of Anakin's face during the destruction the second Death Star. All of a sudden the sins of mass murderer were washed away, because he'd finally made peace with his son.

All those years knowing that Obi-Wan and Vader had fought (back in the early '80s the story was that the battle took place on the edge of a volcano, and Vader had fallen into it), I had expected so much more from the telling of this pivotal story. To begin with little Annie, and then twist his fate so unconvincingly, undermines the story of Vader.

This . . .

Although, I really do want to say this:

Star Wars is better when you don't know as much about what's going on.

When I was younger, and quite a die hard, I always loved how mysterious the Clone Wars, Vader's origins, The Empire's founding and the Jedi Order was.

It gave me space to think and enjoy the world. It was fun. It gave us a reason to love every background character and soak-up every guide book.

When you're explicitly told everything and in such a dismally boring way, it looses it's edge.

I liked SW when the Villians were just the bad guys, no mystery plot, no politics and no clowns with horns . . .

(When I was a kid, I though every Sith, aside from the Emperor 'cuz he's old, was a badass cyborg. You had no idea how devastated I was when I saw that wasn't true).

 

[Montana Smith]

Star Wars is better when you don't know as much about what's going on.

When I was younger, and quite a die hard, I always loved how mysterious the Clone Wars, Vader's origins, The Empire's founding and the Jedi Order was.

It gave me space to think and enjoy the world. It was fun. It gave us a reason to love every background character and soak-up every guide book.

When you're explicitly told everything and in such a dismally boring way, it looses it's edge.

I liked SW when the Villians were just the bad guys, no mystery plot, no politics and no clowns with horns . . .

(When I was a kid, I though every Sith, aside from the Emperor 'cuz he's old, was a badass cyborg. You had no idea how devastated I was when I saw that wasn't true).

Yes. The story was better back in the old days, before the Clone Wars became a postmodern covert power struggle.

The universe was much more inviting in the days of Brian Daley, L. Neil Smith and Alan Dean Foster.

Today it seems little more than a vehicle for over-saturated merchandizing. I gave up buying Star Wars figures some time ago. It feels like George's universe is collapsing in on itself.

 

[HJTHX1138]

Yes. The story was better back in the old days, before the Clone Wars became a postmodern covert power struggle.

The universe was much more inviting in the days of Brian Daley, L. Neil Smith and Alan Dean Foster.

Today it seems little more than a vehicle for over-saturated merchandizing. I gave up buying Star Wars figures some time ago. It feels like George's universe is collapsing in on itself.

T_T I couldn't agree more . . .

Subtlely was one of it's many strong suits. Lucas could have ridden the merchandise gravy train forever, there was no need . . .

There was still good in him . . . (Sniffle)

 

[Montana Smith]

There was still good in him . . . (Sniffle)

But not any more...

 

[HJTHX1138]

But not any more...

I think he's just a confused old sod . . .

Just look at that face . . . he's like a confused puppy.

It must take a lot out of you to just reimagine things you liked from your childhood . . . wait . . .

 

[AndyLGR]

I thought the 3D conversion was quite good. But I hadnt watched this film for a number of years now. For whatever reason I noticed the bad points more on this viewing. It strikes me how they jump straight into the action with little explanation of whats going on and what for. Cutting up droids repeatedly. Jar Jar's stupid speak. No point to the journey through the core other than to show off effects. The first hour especially was a mess I thought. Dialogue, Sidious introducing Darth Maul twice to the same character by name in the film incase you didnt catch it first time. Casting Anakin so young really painted them into a corner and made them cram stuff into episodes 2 & 3 I think. So much so, as Montana mentioned, its all very unconvincing when he turns in such a short space of time. Making Anakin older in at least half of the TPM would have given them more room to develop him (and ultimately get more Vader in EP 3).

The positives, the pod race looked good as did the final battle and the lightsaber fight. Visiually stunning places and in fact I thought the 3d conversion made the effects and the settings look better.

All in all it made me remember why I was so disappointed when I first saw it back in 99.

 

[featofstrength]

There was still good in him . . . (Sniffle)

but no eyebrows.

 

[YouNeverKnow]

I will side with Andy and say that the 3D was very well done. In my opinion. I don't go see many 3D movies and the last one I did was Alice in Wonderland, which had awful 3D. There was great depth of field in earlier scenes, although admittedly by the end I stopped noticing it was there.

Movie is still painfully bad. I kept apologizing for taking my lady to it but we were laughing and she said she had a good time.

 

[Thugee]

I saw last Friday and I was impressed. It was neat to see that movie on the big-screen again, but with an adult's perception of it. Thought the 3D was pretty well done, and I have never seen a movie in 3D before because I'm a stubborn purist . Can't wait to see the others!