Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace is historically significant for many reasons: it was the first Star Wars movie in nearly 16 years, the last Star Wars movie shot on film, and a polarizing, pulpy entry in the storied space fantasy franchise. It debuted on May 19, 1999, 25 years ago almost to the day, and earned over $1 billion at the box office, despite mostly mediocre reviews.
Its legacy is an interesting one: One of its characters, Jar-Jar Binks, was so detested that the actor who portrayed him, Ahmed Best, faced what he told The Hollywood Reporter was “the first textbook case of cyberbullying.” Several racially insensitive aliens featured in the film remain a mark on the series to this day. The dialogue is weak and often incredibly grating.
Yet its late-stage lightsaber battle is the stuff of legends, its production and costume design is intricate and beautiful, and the infamous podrace scene is exhilarating. It is a Star Wars movie full of contradictions, so when my partner asked if I wanted to go see The Phantom Menace at our local Alamo Drafthouse, I jumped at the chance.
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But despite all that is cringe and problematic in The Phantom Menace, watching it in theaters instilled in me a newfound sense of respect for the film.
I saw the prequel trilogy as basically a middle schooler and thought wow, is this a movie series for babies?
Then I went back to playing SWG and Rogue Squadron as I had already beaten the old X Wing and Tie Fighter MSDOS/early Windows games. I had many more experiences that to me felt like actual Star Wars in those games.
I still think the prequels largely suck, and good dear god the new trilogy.
I wish they had just taken some of the better stuff from the EU and made a new trilogy out of that. You know like a new non prequel trilogy based around taking on Thrawn, in a very fragmented, very politically complex environment? With complex, multi faceted characters?
I guess we have Thrawn now kind of but bleck.
I would say make a mini series around Boba Fett or Dash Rendar or Mara Jade. But seeing as how similar series have actually turned out, at this point I am just going back to 1998 and saying that nothing Star Wars since then is actually canon, in my mind fortress or whatever.
They even managed to fuck up Mando.
Christ, at least its not as embarrassing as the Master Cheeks show.
People tell me Andor is good but I am as used to a new Star Wars movie or show being bad as I am to a new Assassins Creed game being hokey, boring, time wasting and overpriced.