(dir.: George Lucas)

This is the first film the Lucas has directed since his imaginations made the very first Star Wars (Episode3: A New Hope). Unfortunately, these imaginations have been lost, under hype, lack of earnest, and being so far removed from when his dreams were but just that. One does not see the influences of Joseph Campbell, or Akira Kurosawa, and just traces of the mythological principles or inspiration that has made his original series so much the part of American life. These are the true menaces of this film.

It is ironic that it was cutting edge technology that made A New Hope such a wonder, but, on the same token, this is what made Phantom Menace such a blunder. The human elements were bleached out of Phantom Menace, as a soulless cast went about the task of simply making it plot progress to "something cool to see." Even Yoda, in which one should be excited to see, ends up "just being a puppet." Jar Jar Binks, Lucas’ first purely comical character, was also a blunder in epic proportions. The saving graces of the movie are Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Darth Maul.

Anakin is the breath of the film. It is this little boy in his pod-racer that makes movie going what it should be: full of life and vigor. It is his sadness that touches an audience, and the fatalistic quality of his character. It is hard to believe that this lively young boy would become the epitome of the dark side of the force.

Ewen McGregor plays a fine Obi-Wan Kenobi. Although he is mostly an errand boy throughout most of the movie, one can see the vitality and sense of adventure in the man that would be the beloved old hermit that would teach young Luke Skywalker the ways of the force.

Then, there is the one character with the least amount of lines, but the most menace in the movie. Darth Maul has definitely captured the attentions of the audience, and his well played by Ray Park. Park’s ability with Wu Shu, combined with a flair for being a bad ass, has made the final Jedi/Sith showdown a memorable fight in movie history. Sadly, his character had little development, much like his bad-ass predecessor Boba Fett.

To be fair, Phantom Menace still takes one to a world elsewhere. It is a realm that is childhood story brought to life. It is not so encumbered by the differences between men and women, or the ramblings of some serial killer, or gangbangers shooting at one another for the price of a nickel bag. It is a realm of escape, or perhaps idealism. Star Wars has always been a fantasy piece, not utopian in any way, but much larger than that which is seen and felt today by most. Phantom Menace may not live up to the the precedence of A New Hope, but it does deliver a world that is dream-like in its revealing. While Phantom Menace easily matches the imaginations of its predecessors, its problem is that it tries to surpass them, not compliment them.

Phantom Menace is the first of disappointments of the summer of ’99. What should have been the movie that would sink Titanic in all proportions found its reputations cast away on lonely, wind-swept crags. It can be said to be a "cool looking" movie, but it falls pale when held to the glory of what Star Wars once was .

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