“Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace” Movie Review

    The excitement leading up to the release of “Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace” was beyond compare.  The original Star Wars trilogy were among the most popular films of all time.  I seriously doubt any film could have matched what fans had hoped for in terms of Episode I.  Still, on release day, we all did our best to be among the first people to see the movie.  I remember I didn't end up seeing it with my family for about a week or two after it came out because it was so popular that the theaters were literally selling out of seats.  Then we finally got seats to see it and I remember how excited me and my brothers were.  It was special for us.  My brothers were all very different people but the one thing we all loved was Star Wars.

    “Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace” depicts the Jedi trying to negotiate a deal between the Trade federation and the people of Naboo.  Little do they know, there is a darker power behind these events.  The evil Sith reveal their existence once again and plunge the galaxy into chaos.

    Liam Neeson led the cast as Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn.  Ewan McGregor portrays a young Obi-Wan Kenobi, a role previously played by Alec Guinness.  Jake Lloyd played Anakin Skywalker, a child destined to become Darth Vader.  Natalie Portman is also featured as the Queen of Naboo.  Ian McDiarmid, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, and Frank Oz all reprise their roles from the original trilogy.

    Upon it's release, the film ended up disappointing most fans and getting mixed to negative marks from critics.  The movie felt very different to the original trilogy despite it's familiar settings.  This is in large part to it's shift in using computer generated images over practical effects.  This is perhaps most obvious with one of the most hated characters in the franchise.  Regardless of how you feel about the character, Jar Jar Binks was revolutionary as he was the first all cgi character in a motion picture.  Unfortunately, Jar Jar Binks was an extremely annoying character.

    The film has also been panned by many who claim it was boring.  The film shifted the focus from a galactic civil war to the political turmoil that led up to that conflict.  From a story point, it would be very difficult to ignore the politics that leads up to war.  The film may have been flawed at inception but people often leave out the many good qualities of the movie when discussing this film.

    I enjoyed the actors a lot.  Liam Neeson and Ewan McGreogor felt like they belonged in their Jedi robes.  Ray Park made for a menacing Darth Maul.  I even thought Jake Lloyd did a good job.  A lot of people made fun of Jake Lloyd's performance in the film to the point he quit acting and suffered a breakdown.  I thought Lloyd did a remarkable job and I thought he was much better than Hayden Christensen turned out to be.

    There is also no denying how great the action scenes were.  The lightsaber duel between Qui-Gon Jinn, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Darth Maul remains one of the best of the franchise.  Set to John Williams’ “Duel of the Fates”, it is one of the most iconic themes of recent history.

    I am not going to lie and pretend their wasn't some serious issues with this film, but it was also the first Star Wars movie we got in what felt like forever, so that is something to be happy for.  I will also fondly remember this as a time I got to bond with my oldest brother.  He has since passed away but that bonding time spent over Star Wars can never be replaced.

Grade: B

“Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones” Movie Review

    “Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones” was released three years after Episode I and I remember there was a lot of hope that Attack of the Clones would be a return to form for the Star Wars saga.  The internet was becoming easier to access and more popular after Episode I so it was easier to keep track of the sequel.  I remember one of the first pieces of information they released was the title...which I hated.  Attack of the Clones started off on the wrong foot but I still didn’t know what to expect.
    Set ten years after The Phantom Menace, the film saw Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker investigating an assassination attempt on Padme’s life.  During the investigation, the Jedi discover a new threat in the form of Count Dooku all while  love blossoms between Anakin and Padme.  The film ends with galaxy divided and the Clone Wars beginning.
    Before I get into how I feel about this movie, I should note that George Lucas once again directed this film.  Cast members Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, Ian McDiarmid, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, and Frank Oz all return to the franchise.  Samuel L. Jackson, who had a cameo in The Phantom Menace, returns in an expanded role.  New additions to the cast include Hayden Christensen who takes over the role of Anakin Skywalker from Jake Lloyd in order to show ten years passed and Christopher Lee who plays the menacing Count Dooku.

    Now on to my feelings on the film, I will start with the positives.  The fight scenes were terrific.  The end battle scene which serves as the first battle of the Clone Wars is stellar.  It is shot in such a way that almost puts you into the battle.  You also feel the vulnerability of the Jedi more so than ever before.

    Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan Kenobi is a spot on performance and helps elevate this movie from being as bad as it could have been.  Lucas struck gold in casting McGregor because he remains a silver lining within the prequel films.  John Williams also once again delivered a moving score with great new musical pieces.  I also enjoyed the origin of Boba Fett.
    Now on to things I thought could have been improved upon in the film.  I know I said that I liked Boba Fett’s origin, but I did not love how they tied it into the formation of the Clone Troopers.  Boba Fett feels a little less special knowing he is basically a more skilled stormtrooper.
    The film feels fake overall.  While the cgi is undoubtedly  incredible for it’s time, it still doesn’t feel organic.  The perfect example of this is the lightsaber duel between Yoda and Count Dooku.  The lightsaber fight was fun but it was an example of spectacle over logic.  If Yoda can move like that and do all the flipy stuff he does, why does he even need to walk around with a cane?  It’s like no one told George Lucas that just because something can be done, doesn’t mean it should be done.
    The real nail in the coffin however comes in the form of the forced romance angle between Anakin and Padme.  Hayden Christensen and Natalie Portman have zero chemistry together and are given a weak script with terrible dialogue to work with.  What makes matters even worse is the fact that the movie relies on this romance to work to tell it’s story.
    Attack of the Clones improves on some elements over it’s predecessor but ultimately fails in it’s main goal.  It is not the worst film ever, but it may be the worst in the Star Wars Skywalker saga.

Grade: C

"Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith" Movie Review

    The Star Wars prequel trilogy up until Episode III may not have been what fans were hoping for, but regardless of what they thought of the previous two prequels, audiences were still eager to see how the prequel trilogy would end and link up to the original trilogy.  This was, after all, likely (at the time) the last time we would be able to experience a Star Wars movie on the big screen and we all were hoping George Lucas would manage to stick the landing.

    “Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith” tells the story of how Anakin Skywalker fell to the dark side to become Darth Vader in the aftermath of the Clone Wars. After becoming Darth Vader, the Government is turned into a dictatorship and the Rebellion is born as a result.

    Among the returning cast are Ewan McGregor, Hayden Christensen, Natalie Portman, Ian McDiarmid, Samuel L. Jackson, Christopher Lee, Peter Mayhew, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, James Earl Jones, and Frank Oz.  George Lucas once again directs and John Williams provides another good score.

    First of all, this movie was a vast improvement overall compared to the other two prequels.  It felt more like a Star Wars movie and it told the story we had been waiting to see, the fall of Anakin Skywalker.  Showing the “birth” of Darth Vader was a bit graphic and landed the series it’s first PG-13 rating.  I remember there were parents who wouldn’t let their kids watch the movie as a result.

    The film had a lot of great action sequences.  From the epic opening space battle to the last emotional lightsaber battle between Obi-Wan and Vader, the movie delivers in regards to eye candy.  The movie also features great performances from Ewan McGregor and Ian McDiarmid as the opposing forces and influences of Anakin.
    The film’s connection to the original trilogy is both a blessing and curse.  It is great seeing fan favorites like Chewbecca but it also crams in a lot to make it connect. It would have been nice to see things like the Jedi purge play out a little more.
    The film has some pacing issues but is still overall fun.  It would have been nice to see more than the first and last battle of the Clone Wars but I guess George Lucas figured the animated show could fill in the gaps.  General Grevious was a very promising character in animated form but was a useless side villain in the film.

    Hayden Christensen was a problem with this film just as he was for Episode II.  Christensen is more than capable of a good performance so it’s sad these films have tarnished his image.  I think maybe he either didn’t mesh well with George Lucas or the all cgi locations just took him out of his element.  Hayden Christensen did improve in this chapter but he was still the weakest link of the main cast.
    “Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith” doesn’t reach the levels of perfection the original trilogy is known for, but it is miles ahead of the rest of the prequel films.  It’s a fun ride with a few elements that don’t completely work.

Grade: B+