Star Wars: Episode I: The Phantom Menace Movie Review and Analysis on Disney+
- Matthew Hemenway
- May 24, 2024
- 13 min read
Blog and Video Description: In this episode of the Mattacritic, I will be reviewing and analyzing Star Wars: Episode I: The Phantom Menace that is currently on Disney+. The reason to do this review and analysis of this movie is that there is relative stuff that is said in this movie. It also makes sense as this movie is now 25 years old. This movie has weaknesses, and the idea of the story is good. The idea of going back to understand why Anakin Skywalker became Darth Vader is important. It helps the viewer understand why it happened. It also helps the viewer understand how Emperor Palpatine came to power. He started out as a Senator from Naboo, but he wanted power and he wanted to create a crisis. Palpatine decided to have the trade federation attack Naboo so that he can say to those in the Republic such as the Senate that Chancellor Valorum is not worthy to be Chancellor, so you need to elect a new leader to run the Republic. This is remarkably like how every other dictator rose to power. Rome was a republic before the people there elected Julius Caesar before he decided the people needed a dictator to run the government for them. This is what this review will set out to prove. I will give you my rating at the end of this episode. I hope this episode will inspire you to read, watch, and learn.
Hello everyone, welcome to the Mattacritic. This is Matthew Hemenway. Before I start this episode, please subscribe to this channel, and hit that notification bell to be notified of any episodes in this video or blog post. Please consider signing up for my newsletter on my website of mattacritic.com on my website. Please follow me on my blog by clicking on my name so that you can stay updated when I post a new blog post on my website. That will be helpful. Thank you. In this episode of the Mattacritic, I will be reviewing and analyzing Star Wars: Episode I: The Phantom Menace that is currently on Disney+. The reason to do this review and analysis of this movie is that there is relative stuff that is said in this movie. It also makes sense as this movie is now 25 years old. This movie has weaknesses, and the idea of the story is good. The idea of going back to understand why Anakin Skywalker became Darth Vader is important. It helps the viewer understand why it happened. It also helps the viewer understand how Emperor Palpatine came to power. He started out as a Senator from Naboo, but he wanted power and he wanted to create a crisis. Palpatine decided to have the trade federation attack Naboo so that he can say to those in the Republic such as the Senate that Chancellor Valorum is not worthy to be Chancellor, so you need to elect a new leader to run the Republic. This is remarkably like how every other dictator rose to power. Rome was a republic before the people there elected Julius Caesar before he decided the people needed a dictator to run the government for them. This is what this review will set out to prove. I will give you my rating at the end of this episode. I hope this episode will inspire you to read, watch, and learn.
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Before I continue this review, please remember I will give you an analysis of the text and whatever rating I give you is my opinion. This does not mean that you must agree with me. I never always agreed with any of the reviewers that I would have read or listened to. What I always admired is that they gave what they saw in the text he or she was reviewing, and that individual would have given his or her honest opinion. This is what I do. Whatever rating I give, you need to know it is my honest opinion. I will never lie to you. If you do not agree with me no matter what rating I give you, that is fine with me. This channel or blog is meant for reading, watching, and learning. I always hope that inspires you to think critically. You know that I go through texts carefully as you can tell that I have looked at them and give detailed analysis of what I see. I hope that helps you. Thank you for being followers of my channel or my blog.
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As was mentioned before, Star Wars: The Phantom Menace came out 25 years ago in May 1999. This movie came out 22 years after the first Star Wars film of A New Hope. This movie tells the viewer that the trade federation was acting aggressively towards Naboo. The two ambassadors that were going to force the settlement of the trade federation were jedi knights. As the viewer finds out the jedi knights are Qui Quon Jinn and Obi Wan Kenobi. Qui Quon Jinn was Obi Wan Kenobi's master. Oui Quon Jinn tells Obi Wan Kenobi that this trade federation are cowards, the negotiation will be short. That is true. The trade federation is working for Darth Sidious who is known other becomes Emperor Palpatine. At this moment in the story, Emperor Palpatine is Senator Palpatine. He has not been elected the Supreme Chancellor yet. There is this belief that dictators rise to power through force. Most of the time it is more subtle than that. They are usually elected, and people will get duped by that individual thinking they have their best interests at heart when it is usually about them getting power no matter what. Julius Ceasar was elected in Rome. Adolf Hitler was elected by the people of Germany. Adolf Hitler promised the Germans, if you elect me, I will make your lives better. He told the Germans that your lives are bad because of the Jews. The Jews must be eliminated so that your lives can be better. These dictators promise that they will make their lives better, but it is a smokescreen at best. It is a bunch of hot air. Their egos are as big as a hot air balloon. Look at Donald Trump, his ego is as big as hot air balloon. Donald Trump like Senator Palpatine will promise a lot, but in the end, it is all lies. They are usually the agents of chaos and promise those, you must give them all the power to protect from the chaos. It is usually a vicious cycle. That is the irony at best.
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Qui Quonn Jinn will have to rescue Jar Jar Binks from getting killed by the Droid army. What is wrong with you? Jar Jar Biniks tells Qui Quon Jinn that I can speak. As Qui Quon Jinn tells Jar Jar Binks, the ability to speak does not make you intelligent. That is true. Jar Jar Binks is a bad version of Steve Urkel. If a person grew up in the 1990’s, Steve Urkel was clumsy. His clumsiness was used intelligently. Steve Urkel was intelligent but had coordination problems. There may be those that like Jar Jar Binks and that is understandable. It is the assessment of this review that this could be better. For example, in Return of the Jedi, Wicket threw the slingshot into his eyes. This was an effective use of comedy there. Jar Jar Binks was stupid, and it was hard to understand what the appeal was. It is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIZiVn-N9Y4.
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The Jedi later gets help from the Gunkans to help with the problem of the droid army. The Gunkans needed to help them. It is important for that to happen. They must go up and help Queen Amidala escape from the trade federation. It is important for this to happen. The Jedi rescued her and her court.
The governor tells Qui Quon Jinn and Obi Wan Kenobi that they would not dare to kill the queen. The captain of her royal guard tells them they need her alive to sign the treaty. They cannot afford to kill her. The governor tells Queen Amidala that you need to go with the Jedi to Coruscant. Senator Palpatine will need your help. This is true, she must plead her case to the Senate. This is the only way they will get where they need to be.
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They escape off the planet of Naboo and they are lucky to get through the blockade of the trade federation. The ship gets heavily damaged, and they are rescued by R2D2. This is where R2D2 came from. He was on Naboo. He was a droid that was always concerned about the mission. The captain tells Queen Amidala that R2D2 is the reason we survived. Queen Amidala tells Padme to clean this droid, it deserves our gratitude.
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Padme will meet Jar Jar Binks while cleaning R2D2 and this is where Padme talks to him. It is an enjoyable conversation here. She has a friendly conversation with Jar Jar Binks.
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The viceroy of the trade federation tells Darth Sidious that this ship is out of our range. Darth Sidious tells the viceroy; it is not out of the range for the Sith. Darth Sidious introduces the viceroy of the trade federation to Darth Maul. Darth Maul is cool as he is menacing, and he has a face that is menacing. Darth Maul is a great character. He wears a black hood. The good thing that this movie does is that it has Palpatine in the same hood that he was known to wear once he became the emperor. Return of the Jedi showed that as well. It is of a navy-blue color. It is a communication that the viceroy and his second in command have with Palpatine. The viceroy tells him after they are off with Darth Sidious, there are now two of them. The second in command agrees, this is getting out of hand.
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As Oui Quon Jinn tells them, this is the best place to take her is Tatooine. It is the place where we must hide from the trade federation. Tatooine is controlled by the Hutts. As the captain tells the Jedi, you cannot take her there, the Hutts are gangsters. It would be, if the Hutts were looking for her, but that gives us the advantage. Qui Quon Jinn is right, they need to take her there as they are not looking for her.
They get on Tatooine, and this will lead Qui Quon Jinn to go with Padme, Jar Jar Binks, and R2D2 to meet up with Wala and they will eventually meet up with Anakin Skywalker. As Anakin Skywalker tells Padme, are you an angel? Padme tells Anakin, what? An angel, as Anakin says. As Anakin describes, they are the most beautiful creatures in the galaxy. As he tells Padme, all the space pilots talk about when they come through her. Anakin Skywalker is a slave. Padme leaves and lets him know, I was glad to meet you, Anakin. Anakin tells her the same thing.
Anakin Skywalker must help down the road. Anakin gets Padme, Qui Quon Jinn, and R2D2 to shelter. Anakin Skywalker shows Padme C3PO and tells Padme that he was built to help his mother around the house. Padme tells them that the republic outlawed slavery. As Anakin’s mother tells Padme, the republic does not exist out here. Anakin suggests to Qui Quon Jinn that I will help you. Anakin suggests to Qui Quon Jinn, you can have me race in the Pod Race and that I can help you get the money you need to buy the parts necessary to fix your ship. There is no choice but to let Anakin help them as his mother tells Padme and Qui Quon Jinn.
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The movie will progress with Anakin Skywalker racing in the Pod Race against Sabula. Sabula is one of the best racers out there. There is one reason to why that is. He cheats. He will take pieces off the other racers' pods so that will give him the advantage. Anakin Skywalker will get help from Qui Quon Jinn, and this will allow him to win the race. This will give the parts that Qui Quonn Jinn, Padme, R2D2, and Jar Jar Binks need to get off Tatooine. The farting of the animal before the race is not necessary. There is no need to have fart jokes in Star Wars. The original trilogy did it with clever jokes, not fart jokes.
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The movie will progress with Anakin Skywalker, Padme, Qui Quon Jinn, Obi Wan Kenobi, Jar Jar Binks, along with Queen Amidala to Coruscant. As is shown in the movie, Coruscant is a city planet. There is no part of the planet that is not a city. You wonder how they get their food. They get it from the other planets in the galaxy. They will meet up with Chancellor Valorum. As Qui Quon Jinn tells Chancellor Valorum, he needs to speak with Jedi council at once.
Qui Quon Jinn tells the Jedi Council that the came into an encounter with Darth Maul. Darth Maul would have attacked Qui Quon Jinn on Tatooine when he was getting Anakin on the ship. This is where Anakin meets Obi Wan Kenobi. Qui Quon Jinn lets them know that Darth Maul is a Sith. As the Jedi council tells Qui Quon Jinn, the Sith had been extinct for a Millenia. Qui Quon Jinn lets the jedi council know that he discovered Anakin Skywalker, and you need to consider him to be trained as a jedi. The council is hesitant about this but agrees to have Anakin Skywalker come before them.
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Senator Palpatine tells Queen Amidala that you must consider a no confidence vote for Chancellor Valorum. Queen Amidala tells Senator Palpatine, he has been our biggest supporter. Senator Palpatine convinces her that he is corrupt, and he is in the pocket of the trade federation. She gets easily deceived by Senator Palpatine and agrees to have him voted out of office by the senate. As Palpatine tells her, the senate will elect a new chancellor, a strong chancellor. This is how Palpatine gets to power. It is no different from Julius Caesar or Adolf Hitler. They got elected and once they got their power, they make sure no one else can get it.
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The movie will progress as Qui Quon Jinn finds out that the Jedi council will not allow Anakin Skywalker not to be trained. As Yodi would have told Anakin Skywalker earlier, I sense great fear in you. As Anakin asks him, what does that have to do with it. Anakin Skywalker is worried about losing his mother. As Yodi tells him, it means everything. Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering. That is true. One of the four freedoms that Franklin Roosevelt talked about is freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom from want, and freedom from fear. If you give into fear, you will believe that you are free, but you are not. If you give into want, you are not free. To do what you want is not freedom, it is license. Palpatine wants power. If all do what they want, it can hurt other people and make them less free. You are not as free as you think you are.
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The movie will progress as Queen Amidala will go back to Naboo with the two Jedi that have been protecting her. This will lead them to having to fight off the trade federation droid army. They will need help with the Genkans. The fight with ships is awesome along with the fight with droid army against the Genkans. The battle is a diversion to allow Padme Amidala with her captain to take back the throne room. Anakin Skywalker will be a cockpit with R2D2. It is a Naboo starfighter. That type of vehicle is later used by the Mandalorian in the Book of Boba Fett, and the third season of the Mandalorian. The fight with the Jedi against Darth Maul is awesome. Anakin Skywalker helps Padme with the droids. The ship is on autopilot. The problem is having Anakin Skywalker put on a helmet that is child size. This does not make sense. He should be putting on a helmet that is too big. Yes, it is obvious, but obvious in this case it would have been funny. This is using ordinary situations and making it funny. Anakin Skywalker would have been forced to take it off and must fly without the helmet. This is not using fart jokes. It is not necessary to go to the lowest common denominator.
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As not to be revealed, nothing more will be revealed here.
I will give you, my rating. I give Star Wars: Episode I: The Phantom Menace, a 6 out of 10. This rating I gave is very comparable to other ratings given by other people. Most average ratings are around this. Most letter grades have it around a C. This movie is not the best of all, but it is not the worst either. The relationship between Anakin and Padme is good. Their connection feels real. Darth Maul is awesome and terrifying. Darth Maul using a double-bladed lightsaber is very cool. His lightsaber is based off a Bo staff. Bo Staffs are that length of his lightsaber. Instead of being made off wood, this lightsaber can cut you and can kill you. As was pointed out in this review, there is no need for fart jokes in Star Wars. Jar Jar Binks is a bad version of Steve Urkel. Steve Urkel is smart but clumsy. Jar Jar Binks is an uncoordinated buffoon. Steve Urkel is annoying, but you can get behind him. The movie showing how Palpatine got to power is good. Every dictator usually does it by more subtle means. It is usually not by force. Look at Donald Trump and tell me if he does possess those tendencies of wanting to be a dictator. The idea is good to go back to find out how Anakin Skywalker became Darth Vader. It helps to understand how the Jedi found him and trained him. The jedi council are hesitant to train him, but he does get trained by Obi Wan Kenobi. The idea is good, the execution needed work. I would have made Jar Jar Binks not to be so stupid. That would have been my improvement. Anakin Skywalker as mentioned before when he is in the Naboo starfighter, needs his helmet be too big for him. Yes, it is obvious, but it would have been funny. It would have been clever to use the ordinary and make it funny.
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Music: A Day to Remember and No Filter Trap by Clipchamp video editor
Presentation helped by Google Slides and Stream Yard
Reference: Star Wars: The Phantom Menace and image: https://www.disneyplus.com/browse/entity-e0a9fee4-2959-4077-ad8c-8fab4fd6e4d1
Reference: Star Wars: The Phantom Menace images on Google images: https://www.google.com/search?q=star+wars+the+phantom+menace&sca_esv=3cf5305f7235dc23&sca_upv=1&udm=2&prmd=isvnbtz&sxsrf=ADLYWIKi3N2X9ixIsP4amjs1i3CLNX8GKw:1715977415722&source=lnms&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiU1bmCwpWGAxXA4skDHdxYB7YQ0pQJegQIAhAE&biw=1920&bih=919&dpr=1
Reference: Wicket throwing slingshot in eyes video clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIZiVn-N9Y4
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