STAR WARS EPISODE I:

THE PHANTOM MENACE

REVIEWED BY CHARITY BISHOP

Our rating: 3 out of 5

Because of: language, thematic elements

Rated:

Fans packed the theaters opening day for one of the largest films ever to hit the box office. Generations young and old alike were eager to see where it all began... the saga of Anakin Skywalker and the Jedi Knights. They wanted a glimpse of Darth Vador as a child, a deeper insight into Obi-Wan's own training, and a new cast of characters to root for. They got all this and more. The Force still flows strongly through George Lucas' pen.

The peaceful planet of Naboo has been blocked from all trades by the greedy Federation. In desperation, the ruler of the Naboo, Queen Amidala (Natalie Portman), requests swift aid and two Jedi are chosen from the council and sent to meet with the leaders of the Blockade. The younger is an apprentice, Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor); the elder his master and trainer Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson). They are not welcomed but manage to escape with their lives onto the planet of Naboo, where they enlist the aid of a native, Jar-Jar Binks, to rescue the Queen from the invading Federation. Their plan is successful, but their ship is damaged and they are forced to land on the small planet of Tatooine, which is entirely controlled by the Huts, a band of bounty hunters. Here they meet the boy who would become king... or rather, Darth Vader. Young Anakin Skywalker (Jake Lloyd) and his mother are slaves of a greedy tradesman. Qui-Gon Jinn is strangely drawn to the boy. His midi chloron count is even higher than the Master Yoda's, which means that this sweet-faced but conniving little boy is completely made of the Force itself. Qui-Gon desires to take Anakin back with them to the Jedi Council, but Amidala and young Obi-Wan are against the idea.

In the meantime, Darth Sidious, their would-be enemy, has sent after them his own apprentice, Darth Maul, and Amidala's people are dying by the thousands as the Trade Federation begins an all-out assault on Naboo. Can the Jedi return in time to save them? Visually, this film is a lot of fun, with spectacular special effects and enjoyable battle scenes, particularly in favor of the light saber struggles. The villain has a two-headed light saber that makes the fights all the more interesting and acrobatic as he battles Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan.

The underwater city is a gorgeous layout of color and design, but at times the film feels almost like an arcade game, particularly in the pod racing sequence. The costuming is inventive and interesting, and Lucas was wise in investing in two exceptional actors... Academy Award-winning Liam Neeson and young favorite Ewan McGregor. The rest of the cast comes off reasonably well, such as Senator Palpotine, and Darth Maul has virtually no lines but is an ideal demonic presence to be contended with. Natalie Portman stumbles through her lines with a flatness of tone that perhaps was intentional, but the young actor cast as Anakin is way out of his league. His acting is so bad it makes my teeth hurt. (Which, apparently, made little difference in the long run, since I and everyone I know purchased the video.)

While reasonably clean and a lot of fun for even the younger viewers, Episode II does carry over a few cautions. There is an abundance of violence that range into the thousands as droids are systematically hacked, smashed, and battered. Characters are blown up in the pod-race, and two leading characters are killed. One is stabbed by a light saber, the other hacked in half. (We momentarily view the pieces falling down a hatch.) Although Anakin has not yet turned to the dark side, older viewers can see the signs of rebellion, hatred, and anger already forming in his young heart. This could be a valuable lesson that should be discussed in detail.

Some Christians voice concerns about the "Force" in the film series. Episode I gives us our first real look at precisely what "The Force" really is. It is a gathering of all things living, an illusive spider's web of the universe. George Lukas has admitted to borrowing a lot of his plot points and developments from Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, which has a distinctly Christian undercurrent. While The Phantom Menace -- and the other three films -- are not avidly Christian-based, it is clear to see that Lukas is seeking answers to many questions. And while caution should be used, it is unwise to avoid the films entirely. The Jedi Knights, the workings of evil, even Anakin, who becomes Darth Vador... much like an angel-turned-devil we are all more than aptly familiar with. The one thing that may drive some Christians away is Anakin himself, and his mother's claims that he has no father. He was conceived of the midi chlorons, the "chosen one" of the Force. While many would digress, I do not believe it to be a parallel of Christ, but rather of Lucifer. He, too, was the "chosen one" among the angels... and like Anakin, will fall to pride.

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