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I like the Phantom Menace
- Thread starter Napalm_Frank
- Start date
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DukeLongfellow
Member
I would never dare to give it anything above 6/10 (and even THAT is seriously, seriously stretching it due to personal feelings and nostalgia). But hell, compared to Clones (which I find no redemption for) I do find a certain kick out of this one.
I made a topic a few years ago in the Jedi Council forums which basically covered the same thing as OP so I'll copy a portion of it as my feelings are basically unchanged:
"I have come to a conclusion that, bad points and all, I cannot hate TPM because of one thing only – I kind of see what George was going for. I don't think he was aiming for the same feeling that the OT had (which is what older fans despise), he was aiming for a huge story set in a huge universe that introduced areas of his world he was not able to cover until now – the political arena, planets with massive and ancient civilizations, underwater worlds and so on. He wanted it to feel massive, different, with a sense of impending doom.
Darth Maul was never intended to be a developed character we need to care about – we were meant to fear him. Just look at his design – he is the physical representation of an ancient force that has started to resurrect after ages of silence. His mysteriousness is the point. This whole idea is, IMO, perfectly represented in the Duel of the Fates track of from the soundtrack – it screams of something powerful, horrible and elusive.
Now, I do hate Nute Gunray and his lackeys with a passion and I am convinced that they are the worst characters Star Wars has ever seen, bar none. Their motivations make no sense and are the black hole of the movie. But Jar Jar? I am about to commit a treason – but I don't hate Jar Jar. Again, nostalgia goggles may be talking, but I do not see the massive **** this character gets. Sure, he isn't funny at all and he fails as a comic relief – but I sympathised with the damn bastard. He is an honest, clumsy outcast trying to prove himself to his people and he not only succeeds in that but also (in the end) gains redemption for being instrumental in bringing the world together and saving it. I don't think he is a GOOD character at all but is he really the worst thing since polio?
Hell, I also kind of like the Gungans themselves, at least a tiny bit more than the Ewoks (and Ewoks are really my only problem with the OT). Even though I felt the last battle was way too crowded with too many scenes (the space portion in particular), I always found the Gungain-Droid battle to be exciting, maybe because I cared more for the Gungans than your average Joe.
Also – the Qui-Gon Jinn dilemma. Sure, his acting was a bit on the flat side and is a bit hard to like, but I disagree with the premise that he has no personality – people just didn't care enough to acknowledge it (when the movie is as boring as it is, I don't blame them). I see him as a risk taker that isn't afraid to go to the „gray area” of the Jedi way to help the Jedi Order itself. He still remains one of my favorites in the prequels.
And as for the rest goes, I simply felt the movie had a certain character that I thought Attack of the Clones did not. TPM had some interesting locations, most locations shoots than any other prequel film and these are just some things that make my rank it higher than the other PT films. It is still, however, far below the OT in my books, childhood and all."
I made a topic a few years ago in the Jedi Council forums which basically covered the same thing as OP so I'll copy a portion of it as my feelings are basically unchanged:
"I have come to a conclusion that, bad points and all, I cannot hate TPM because of one thing only – I kind of see what George was going for. I don't think he was aiming for the same feeling that the OT had (which is what older fans despise), he was aiming for a huge story set in a huge universe that introduced areas of his world he was not able to cover until now – the political arena, planets with massive and ancient civilizations, underwater worlds and so on. He wanted it to feel massive, different, with a sense of impending doom.
Darth Maul was never intended to be a developed character we need to care about – we were meant to fear him. Just look at his design – he is the physical representation of an ancient force that has started to resurrect after ages of silence. His mysteriousness is the point. This whole idea is, IMO, perfectly represented in the Duel of the Fates track of from the soundtrack – it screams of something powerful, horrible and elusive.
Now, I do hate Nute Gunray and his lackeys with a passion and I am convinced that they are the worst characters Star Wars has ever seen, bar none. Their motivations make no sense and are the black hole of the movie. But Jar Jar? I am about to commit a treason – but I don't hate Jar Jar. Again, nostalgia goggles may be talking, but I do not see the massive **** this character gets. Sure, he isn't funny at all and he fails as a comic relief – but I sympathised with the damn bastard. He is an honest, clumsy outcast trying to prove himself to his people and he not only succeeds in that but also (in the end) gains redemption for being instrumental in bringing the world together and saving it. I don't think he is a GOOD character at all but is he really the worst thing since polio?
Hell, I also kind of like the Gungans themselves, at least a tiny bit more than the Ewoks (and Ewoks are really my only problem with the OT). Even though I felt the last battle was way too crowded with too many scenes (the space portion in particular), I always found the Gungain-Droid battle to be exciting, maybe because I cared more for the Gungans than your average Joe.
Also – the Qui-Gon Jinn dilemma. Sure, his acting was a bit on the flat side and is a bit hard to like, but I disagree with the premise that he has no personality – people just didn't care enough to acknowledge it (when the movie is as boring as it is, I don't blame them). I see him as a risk taker that isn't afraid to go to the „gray area” of the Jedi way to help the Jedi Order itself. He still remains one of my favorites in the prequels.
And as for the rest goes, I simply felt the movie had a certain character that I thought Attack of the Clones did not. TPM had some interesting locations, most locations shoots than any other prequel film and these are just some things that make my rank it higher than the other PT films. It is still, however, far below the OT in my books, childhood and all."
Well cheating in a card game to get someone's money is hardly comparable to beating up/killing the person and taking the money.
Wasn't Watto using loaded dice. Seemed like it because he was sure he was going to win.
AlteredBeast
Fork 'em, Sparky!
The Phantom Menace has redeemable qualities, Attack of the Clones has almost zero.
I will say that I enjoyed TPM when it came out (i was only 13), but wouldn't say that I am a fan in my adulthood. The entire PT should be wiped and redone, but I don't trust Disney or LucasWorks to do so after a very uneven Rogue One.
I will say that I enjoyed TPM when it came out (i was only 13), but wouldn't say that I am a fan in my adulthood. The entire PT should be wiped and redone, but I don't trust Disney or LucasWorks to do so after a very uneven Rogue One.
The excuse of being 14? She's queen of an entire planet, it's very strange that someone as wealthy and powerful as Padme would just leave a friend's mother to live as a slave. But then again Padme is a callous moron as shown by her reaction to Anakin killing the sand people. Everyone in the prequels is a stupid dick.
Razgriz-Specter
Member
The angle of the shot, the angle of padme with the actual angle of the windows.
It looks like she is looking more towards the corner than actually out the full windows.
The angle on Padme is a beautiful shot however if it was lined up right that piller would be blocking alot of the shot.
Or you just get the back of her looking out the windows which is a dull shot.
Triggerhappytel
Member
Brofist, dude. Totally agree.
Also, for anyone who hasn't seen it, Belated Media's rewrite of the PT on YouTube is very good. Well worth watching: https://youtu.be/VgICnbC2-_Y
Like I said in the comment you quoted: He's had theatrical entrances in the OT, but it was a lot more overwrought in Rogue One. I kept expecting pyrotechnics on both sides of the ramp.
I personally think the drama of a character's entrance should be in line with their importance to the plot. Vader had a far lesser role in Rogue One than in the OT, so introducing him with so much flair felt out of balance to me. They did the same thing to a far lesser but still noticeable degree earlier in the film with Jimmy Smits, and in a scene where he didn't even have dialogue.
Yeh, and it's to save a life so not sure what else qui gon was suppose to do.
It's not like anyone was hurt
except those podracers
dragonbane
Member
Enjoyed it quite a bit back then and still do. Clones aged terribly and definitely isnt very good at all. Revenge is kinda decent in my eyes
HideyoshiJP
Member
My not know. Meesa gonna agree that i's fun. Thinkin' the worst part not even Jar Jar. So bad watchin' Anakin pander to da kids shoutin' like a 90's kids movie.
Meesa also like makin' Jar Jar haters bery mad. Doin' da voice makin' jokes. How wude!
Meesa also like makin' Jar Jar haters bery mad. Doin' da voice makin' jokes. How wude!
Mr. Pointy
Member
Phantom Menace is still the best looking prequel because of all the real sets. It's not a good film, but it's a better film than Attack Of The Clones.
Jar Jar should have been a secret Sith Lord.
Jar Jar should have been a secret Sith Lord.
Dorsal Axe
Member
I think TPM has aged much better than it had any right to. Also the CGI is hilariously/sadly much better than in AotC.
ATOC had a lot of real sets too
SaviourMK2
Member
Being honest, I have never understood Jar Jar hate. He is annoying for sure, but nothing like: OMG, I need to hate him! He is the worst thing Lucas ever created in Star Wars!
Mesa stupid I guess.
Recently rewatched this one and Attack of the Clones and I kind of like the first one. Pod Racing was superb and so Qui Gon. The second one... doesn't have anything redeemable, except perhaps Obi Wan. Can't wait to see the third one and remember how bad that was.
UNLIMITEEEED POWAAAAH
PeskyToaster
Member
It would have been way better to have the first scene of the prequels be like the first scene of TPM except with Anakin and Obi Wan. Also they needed a good villain throughout. I did like how Palpatine used his current apprentice to bait Anakin into the dark side. I think that's a cool idea and gives Palatine the puppet master better than a lot of other stuff in the prequels. Having a consistent villain like Maul used throughout instead of these one-offs would have been cool and it would have been a great moment when Anakin finally offs him in a moment of rage. A moment of triumph and tragedy as he as given in.
I have to stop doing this to myself, I just want the prequels to be better.
This moment is fantastic because not two seconds before he's on the ground pretending to be weak and beaten. Then he blasts Mace Windu out the window screaming unlimited power and Anakin is like this guy seems to have my best interests in mind.
I like a lot of The Phantom Menace
The first 20 minutes are pretty good
Gungan city is visually great
Podracing was legitimately great (not to mention the game it spawned!)
The battle of Naboo had a nice sense of urgency to it (let's not talk about Anakin winning it tho)
Duel of the Fates
The problem is, everything inbetween sucked and the movie is worse than the sum of its parts.
Still miles above AOTC tho, that one has exactly a single good scene (Obi Wan vs Jango).
The first 20 minutes are pretty good
Gungan city is visually great
Podracing was legitimately great (not to mention the game it spawned!)
The battle of Naboo had a nice sense of urgency to it (let's not talk about Anakin winning it tho)
Duel of the Fates
The problem is, everything inbetween sucked and the movie is worse than the sum of its parts.
Still miles above AOTC tho, that one has exactly a single good scene (Obi Wan vs Jango).
Chuckie
Member
Yeah that was pretty horrible. But Obi-Wan did say Anakin was already a great pilot when he met him. Lol.
Had it have better pacing, a good love story, better dialog and acting, and Hayden actually been good in the 1st half, it would had been decent, only the Obi Wan stuff is worth it and even that's not great either.
At least with TPM was more engaged early on than Clones, which doesn't really get interesting until over an hour into the movie.
Yes, easily.
Count Dookkake
Member
Ganzlinger
Member
Savage
I can't remember seeing female gungans, probably only in the scene when they first arrive to the underwater city.
PdotMichael
Banned
It also helps that the movie mostly stays at few locations and doesn't jump to another world every 10min like the other two movies.
Wolfe
Member
Good example, I was actually going to use the Jackie Chan vs Benny the Jett fights as mine heh.
cane sales rose 500% though
Imp the Dimp
Member
Watched it twice in 1999 in the theaters and had more fun with it than with any SW movie afterwards. SW ep. 2, 7 and Rogue One bored me to tears. The pod race in ep 1 is better than any scene in any of these movies. Ep 3 was enjoyable too but I have little nostalgia for that movie to be honest.
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