‘The Phantom Menace’ is better than any ‘Star Wars’ movie of the past decade

• “The Phantom Menace” is often criticized as a weak film.
• But Episode 1 is a “Star Wars” film better than any made in the past decade.
• The numerous flaws in Disney films have undermined “Star Wars” as a whole
• Visit the Insider home page for more stories.

“The Phantom Menace” was considered the most “exaggerated film of the last decade” when it was released in 1999, but the truth is that all the most recent “Star Wars” films released by Disney deserve this title much more.

This is not to say that those films in the past 10 years have been terrible. “Rogue One” is excellent, and there are some great moments in Disney’s sequential trilogy as well. But George Lucas is “Star Wars”, and also, therefore, is “The Phantom Menace – much more than Disney’s polished trilogy.

The film is also crucial to the wider context of the “Star Wars” universe, and sets up things that are now appreciated by the “Star Wars” fandom, including a certain red-haired Sith wielding a double-bladed lightsaber.

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‘The Phantom Menace’ has flaws, but none as deep as the trilogy

It is no secret that “The Phantom Menace” could probably use a good edition. It has rhythm problems, and the affected dialogues that previous films are often criticized for is almost part of the “Star Wars” plot at this point. And yes, Jar Jar Binks is kind of annoying, but not as much as it is now widely accepted.

These are superficial level flaws, creases in an otherwise confident and secure start to a definitive new era of “Star Wars” with believable characters and clear storylines.

The last three Disney films, in turn, look like a messy, cohesive mess. It is obvious that the planning was bad, so “The Last Jedi” by Rian Johnson abandoned everything that came in “The Force Awakens”, by JJ Abrams. Then, when fans expressed their dissatisfaction with Johnson’s film, Abrams was brought back on board for the grand finale of the Skywalker saga, “The Rise of Skywalker”, which seemed essentially two hours of reconditioning and plots and characters that were shocking it’s confuse.

The flaws in Disney movies are not just creases, they are deeply rooted issues that have undermined “Star Wars” as a whole. From Palpatine’s return to Finn’s non-existent character, through Rey’s heritage and his sudden ability to heal by force, and Luke Skywalker’s betrayal in the series … nothing seemed cohesive, unlike the thoughtful, coherent and deliberate expansion of the universe that “The Phantom Menace” achieved.

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‘Star Wars’ is at its best when it’s new and daring, just like ‘The Phantom Menace’

“Star Wars” is the best when it offers new and innovative stories, as it did with its first episode, “A New Hope” and its sequel “The Empire Strikes Back”.

In an interview with Charlie Rose in 2015, shortly after the release of “The Force Awakens”, Lucas said of his six previous “Star Wars” films: “I worked hard to make them completely different, with different planets, with different spaceships. – you know, to make it new. “

I moved away from “The Force Awakens” feeling like I had seen a cashier tour: Alien bars – brand! A sinister army – tick! A bunch of rebels – tick! A beautiful android – tick! Instead of an innovative experience. As Lucas himself said about the film: “there is nothing new”.

That is why “The Mandalorian” works so well. Yes, it brings back old characters, but we can also see things in the “Star Wars” universe that we haven’t seen before, and it expands tradition and legend in an era completely different from “Star Wars”. We left “The Mandalorian” more enriched by “Star Wars”, but I never felt that way after one of the Disney sequels, or “Solo”. “Rogue One”, fortunately, achieved originality, but not to the degree of “The Phantom Menace”.

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‘The Phantom Menace’ is vital to the broader franchise and added to the ‘Star Wars’ tradition

Not only did we get to see a young Obi-Wan Kenobi in action, shadowed in the life of someone we used to know only as an old sage, but we also saw the beginning of the boy who would be Vader.

In addition, we learned more about the mythical Jedi and were able to see them at the height of their powers in an era never before seen before their fall. We learned about the rule of two of the Sith and how an expanding galaxy was governed before the Empire took over, not to mention the new planets, species, characters and civilizations that we know and are fascinated by, introduced by “The Phantom Menace.”

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We also have “The Phantom Menace” to thank Darth Maul, one of the coolest villains in cinema history who immediately became a fan favorite. The animated series “The Clone Wars” and “Rebels” have since expanded to make him one of the most complex and beloved characters in the saga – we have Lucas and “The Phantom Menace” to thank for the creation of the pointed-headed Lord Sith .

Meanwhile, Qui Gon Jinn, played with perfect serenity, spirituality and facial hair by Liam Neeson, is one of the most underrated characters in “Star Wars”. He is the Jedi par excellence, his desire for peace and calm is exemplified when he kneels and meditates in a pause in the battle with Maul in the Duel of Destinations.

Qui Gon’s impact is felt in the rest of the “Star Wars” films – Kanan Jarrus in “Rebels” has more than a hint of Qui Gon about him. And Qui Gon, let’s not forget, is who found the boy who would become Darth Vader.

Disney’s sequential trilogy are meringue movies – they look good, but there’s no substance

The Duel of the Fates battle between Obi-Wan and Qui Gon and Maul features two Jedi knights at their peak fighting a Sith Lord, and the stunning lightsaber style of combat is fascinating to watch.

But in “Disney Gallery: The Mandalorian”, Dave Filoni, co-creator of “Rebels” and producer and director of “The Clone Wars” and “The Mandalorian”, explains why this fight is much more than a flashy show.

Filoni said: “He is fighting for Anakin. That is why it is called the Duel of Fates, the fate of this child and depending on how this fight goes, Anakin’s life will be dramatically different … that’s all the three films previous ones bring. in. “

—Adam Hlavac (@adamhlavac) May 10, 2020

Qui Gon’s death adds weight to the film. On the other hand, the consequences seem mild in Disney films. It is a tired criticism now, but Rey, who has never held a lightsaber before, manages to defeat the fully trained Lord Sith Kylo Ren in a duel. This betrays the nature of “Star Wars”, where combat skills have always been crucial. The new trilogy does not follow the rules of the universe that Lucas’ films lovingly follow to create a believable, engaging and meaningful story.

That’s why “The Phantom Menace” is so underrated. It is considered for its superficial flaws when it has much more to offer.

Disney’s sequential trilogy are meringue movies. They are well made and look good, and are certainly more polished than the prequel series, but they are light and empty.

But “The Phantom Menace” is one of the most important and thoughtful parts of “Star Wars” we’ve ever received, and even Jar Jar Binks can’t stop it.