The Enduring Complexity of our Relationship with ‘The Phantom Menace’

Two decades ago, the legacy of the Star Wars franchise was irreversibly altered. 1999 saw the release of the first installment of a long-anticipated prequel trilogy that forever changed the course of the Star Wars canon and its public perception.

It was 16 years after The Return of the Jedi that we were introduced to a prequel trilogy by George Lucas’ more than welcoming arms. It was a world of racist caricature aliens, stilted emotional performances and an unbearably cringe-inducing shout of “Yipee!” from young Anakin Skywalker, the future Darth Vader.

Although audience and critic hatred towards The Phantom Menace is now referenced as much as the film itself, it’s often forgotten just how widely anticipated and subsequently panned the film indeed was. While massively popular in the contemporary nerd culture lexicon, the release of the film and its immediate aftermath left audiences with a bitter taste in their mouths. Something that they had anticipated so intensely had left them wanting more, while simultaneously scared of it.

While the quality of the entire prequel trilogy is up for debate, The Phantom Menace always has (and arguably always will) remain the stand out disappointment. It will always be remembered as the film that dashed all audience hopes straight out of the gate as well as being an early example of a whole new degree of studio interference. A rare redeeming quality of Menace, however, is its evolution into an almost camp classic. Audiences who grew up with this trilogy rather than the original learned to appreciate laughing at this very bizarre attempt at humor. Much of the films forced, Disney-esque comedy is uncomfortable and cringe-inducing. Its sickly sweet humor and portrayal of an adorable young Anakin almost feel like the creators possessed an eerie awareness of the future Disney/ Star Wars deal and were presenting themselves as a viable purchase.

Instead of laughing at Menace and Lucas’ failed attempts at humor in the vein of Jar Jar, we instead can choose to revel in them. Twenty years after the initial wound we can laugh at the ridiculousness and make memes of Jar Jar Binks. However, it is important to remember that the film’s absurdity was never an intentional move made with genuine sincerity by Lucas, but was instead a complete failure to appeal to audiences and studios alike.

Despite this, where Menace shines is in its moments of clarity and gravitas. Take scenes like that between Mace Windu and Yoda, where they discuss Anakin’s fate with an air of sadness. Young Anakin Skywalker’s fate itself is enough to carry the trilogy. The most basic premise of the film holds more weight than the final product ever could. A young Anakin Skywalker, the future Darth Vader, is discovered by a Jedi Master and his apprentice who take him under their tutelage as a political power grab occurs around them. Rather than rely on this simple synopsis alone, Lucas included a multifaceted blend of nostalgia and new faces to draw in crowds. Racist stereotypes masked as aliens, unnecessary subplots and dragged out pod racing scenes trivialize the tale of a traumatized young man destroyed by a hubris-filled emperor and complacent democrats surrounding him. This was the story that audiences had been waiting to see.

Upon rewatching, it’s evident to me as an adult viewer that one of the Phantom Menace’s gravest errors was its disregarding of this rich story and its excessive reliance on nostalgia. Vapid name drops and character reveals are scattered throughout its 2 hours plus run time in an attempt to maintain audience attention. It was the promise of this very nostalgia that left audiences in such high hopes before the film’s release. The return of their beloved characters at a younger age was teased in the very first trailer as well as throughout many subsequent teaser materials. The anticipation surrounding the film before its release was palpable. On November 17th, 1998, the very first trailer dropped for the upcoming Star Wars prequel and sent audiences worldwide into a frenzy. In an era before an available internet connection at your fingertips, audiences resorted to multiple cinema visits to view the trailer and further dissect and analyze it. Six months of teasing and a gradually building electric anticipation ended in a lackluster reception and tales of wasted cinema outings. An initial response made by both the press and general audiences was that of a feeling that Lucas had begun to destroy both Star Wars and his legacy.

It is, however, unfair to blame all of the films misfortune on Lucas and the film itself. In 1999, Menace faced an impressive roster of box office and critical competition. The year saw the release of enduring essential darlings such as American Beauty and The Sixth Sense, likely causing Menace to pale in comparison. While the film had a built-in audience and has since taken in over a billion at the international box office, it has failed to maintain the adoration and critical appeal of its counterparts.

Rather than be lauded for its artistic merits, Menace has suffered two decades of mocking directed at almost every aspect of its being. These include a gnome-like looking Yoda, bizarre trade subplots and emotionless performances. As previously mentioned, the film is more often referenced negatively than otherwise. A notable common critique of Menace is its reliance on visual stimulation rather than adequately rich characters. The progress of visual effects, as well as the introduction of CGI, allowed George Lucas to mostly go ham on the visuals. If there was something that could be achieved with CGI, Lucas made sure it happened. New droids, planets, and characters were CGI rendered and felt colder than their real-life counterparts both in Menace and the original trilogy.

These CGI characters were simultaneously the most unimpressive and insulting. While many performances and characters have been criticized, a standout is the offensively trivial Jar-Jar Binks. A distasteful caricature of Carribean islanders, Jar Jar, was met with instant disdain. Amongst many audiences, he was hated for both this reason and his complete lack of narrative or comical use. He is also joined by Watto, Anakin and his mother’s seedy slave owner who is a thinly veiled portrait of middle eastern men. Both characters feel like somewhat unnecessary and entirely offensive additions to an already convoluted opening to the trilogy.

The duration of Menace does not follow the simplistic fantasy inspired narrative of its predecessor trilogy. Instead, it meanders in a fashion that suggests little script revision and attention to the basic structure. The entire trade federation narrative thread feels unnecessary at worst and serpentine at best. Twenty years have passed, and still, nobody truly understands what was happening there.

While the film may not have been the epic that audiences were hoping for, it did introduce many beloved characters. The young Padme Amidala, Queen of Naboo, was portrayed by a still in high school and pre Oscar-winning Natalie Portman. While her acting skills pale in comparison to her current talent, the young actress’ youthful beauty, natural smile, and blank canvas personality allowed female audiences to project themselves onto her. This is a conventional technique seen today in many teen rom coms, making her a perfect albeit creepy choice of a love interest in subsequent installments.

Ewan McGregors portrait of a young Obi-Wan Kenobi is often stilted yet never strays too far from the original Alec McGuiness portrayal. McGregor shines in later films suggesting that he wasn’t given a chance here, notably seen in his lack of dialogue. The brunt of dialogue in The Phantom Menace belongs to newly introduced Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn, played by a somewhat wasted Liam Neeson. Despite lacking any semblance of a back story, Jinn held the potential to be a compelling protagonist. However, the often insightful Jedi was killed off in the films climatic battle between himself and the Emperors Sith apprentice Darth Maul to make way for Kenobi. Although Qui-Gon Jinns presence would have been welcomed in later films, his final battle and death scene are some of the few highlights of the film and have been parodied countless times in other media. The fascination with this final scene is also owed to Darth Maul. Being a visually impressive Sith apprentice, Maul excited fans who were quickly disappointed to see him killed by Obi-Wan. His death made for a  great scene and small scene of vengeance, but like Qui-Gon Jinn, fans were sad to see him go so abruptly.

Despite the apparent hatred for The Phantom Menace, it seems that audiences can’t help but reference and parody it almost as much as other installments. A complicated relationship with the film has caused many viewers to disregard it in the critical sense, yet revel in its camp appeal and iconic imagery.

In the twenty years since its release, public sentiment towards The Phantom Menace has evolved notably. Time has mellowed the initial distaste for the film but has yet to redeem it entirely. Instead, the initial insult has healed and left audiences laughing at their astronomical hopes. Although Contemporary audiences may not have loved The Phantom Menace, it’s impossible to deny the film’s enduring importance in contemporary pop culture. As it reminds us never to let our hopes get that high ever again.