The Phantom Menace… 24 Years Later

Star Wars: The Phantom Menace was released 24 Years Ago. In this thought-provoking video essay, join us as we dive deep into the legacy of Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, examining its impact and significance two decades after its release. From the exhilarating build-up to the film's controversial reception, we explore the lead-up, the historical context of film criticism, the intricate plot, the memorable characters, and the climactic Battle of Naboo.

🌟 The Lead-Up: Discover the anticipation and excitement that surrounded The Phantom Menace before its highly anticipated release. Explore the trailers, merchandising frenzy, and the fervor among fans that built up for 16 long years since the last Star Wars film.

🎥 A Historical Perspective: Uncover the historical context of film criticism and its impact on The Phantom Menace's reception. We analyze the shifting expectations and the evolving landscape of the industry, shedding light on how the film was received critically and by the passionate Star Wars fanbase.

📜 Unraveling the Plot: Delve into the intricate narrative of The Phantom Menace and its contributions to the larger Star Wars saga. From the political machinations of the Trade Federation to the emergence of Anakin Skywalker, we dissect the story's themes, symbolism, and connections to the original trilogy.

👥 Memorable Characters: Explore the diverse cast of characters in The Phantom Menace, from Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn to the young prodigy Anakin Skywalker. We analyze their development, motivations, and relationships, examining the strengths and weaknesses of their portrayal in this iconic installment.

⚔️ The Battle of Naboo: Witness the epic Battle of Naboo, a visually stunning spectacle that showcases the Jedi's prowess, the Gungan warriors' bravery, and the menacing Sith Lord Darth Maul. We dissect the choreography, the emotional impact, and the significance of this climactic clash.

Join us as we revisit the cultural phenomenon that is Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, shedding new light on its legacy and offering fresh perspectives on its strengths and weaknesses. Whether you're a die-hard Star Wars fan or a curious observer, this video essay provides a comprehensive analysis of the film's impact 24 years later.

🔔 Don't forget to like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell to stay updated on our in-depth explorations of Star Wars and other captivating cinematic experiences!

#StarWars #ThePhantomMenace #FilmAnalysis #StarWarsSaga #BattleOfNaboo #FilmCriticism

Chapters:
0:00 - Dawn of the Menace
2:45 - A New Fandom
7:41 - The Phantom Plot
17:29 - The Characters
35:38 - The Battle of Naboo
44:25 - A Phantom's Legacy

Music:
-Duel of the Fates - Epic Version (Samuel Kim)
-A.L.I.S.O.N - Golden Dust
-A.L.I.S.O.N - Passenger
-A.L.I.S.O.N - Sentinel
-A.L.I.S.O.N - Warm
-Duel Of Fates 8-Bit

For business inquiries please email:

✪ Thumbnail ✪

❗️WANT TO WATCH MORE OF ME?❗️

[romanejro]

It's probably one of the most curious films in all history. Full creative freedom. It's just fascinating

[michaelsnow]

I agree wholeheartedly about the scene with Anakin emotionally dumping about the Tuskens.
Hayden's performance was fantastic in this scene, right to the point where his eyes water, his voice cracks and his lip quivers when he yells 'I hate them!' It tells you a lot about his emotional state, his volatility and his reactions to his loved ones.

[roman_wallcrawler]

I have to disagree especially with the phantom plot section. The coruscant sequence isn’t a pointless detour compatible to canto bight and passana. It’s essential to the story because it shows the incompetence and crumbling state of the republic which forces Amidala to take matters into her own hands which results in the alliance with the gungans. It wasn’t just so we can see Palpatine’s rise to power, that is just a clever byproduct of the plot at hand. Also I’m not sure how you can say that Anakin’s introduction to the Jedi council is only “kinda important”. It’s a focal point of the whole saga.

I agree that the film as a whole feels like an anthology film because of how disconnected it is from the rest of the series but I’d rather see a film that overemphasises the start of a war (The Phantom Menace) rather than one that bypasses it completely (The Force Awakens) because in spite of the claims you made, TFA did not show us the start of a war. It throws us right in the middle of it without any context to why it started in the first place. So in the end, it’s really just a case of which extreme you prefer.

[lotus]

Personally, I think the scenes with Palpatine on Corusaunt are the more intriguing ones in the entire movie. He’s the one prequel character I can consider to be thoroughly great.

[bensneb]

I was seven when this movie came out, me, and my friends were all so excited and went to see the movie together, I think this was the first movie I was ever “hyped” for. And while looking back the movie definitely has its pros and cons, I’ll always remember the excitement me and my buddy had and fondly remember that.

[balancedboys]

I actually love Filoni's thoughts on the "duel of the fates" lightsaber fight. Simply because if that fight had a different outcome, and Qui Gon were to live, Anakin wouldn't have turned to the dark side. He would've had the Father Figure he never had. Well he probably could've still turned because he is so emotional, but it would've made an incredible difference. Also Qui Gon was practically mocked or rejected by the council when he told them of his encounter with Maul on Tatooine. So it makes sense why he and his apprentice would be the ones to face him in the end. (This was explained in Tales of the Jedi, Which I know probably bugs you lol). His rejection, which led to his death is what massively aided to Dooku's turn to the dark side as well, which adds to the title of the song "Duel of the Fates". Fates is plural in the name so it does have multiple directions. Anyway, great video and I enjoy your takes!

[gameragodzilla]

The Phantom Menace definitely feels more like setting up the world of the Prequels rather than the overall plot itself. It’s a self contained adventure that’s resolved within the story itself while introducing all the major characters and even some plot points that will be important later. Attack of the Clones then sets up the main plot of the Clone Wars and Anakin’s fall.

Don’t actually think that’s a bad thing, honestly. It allows us to experience a “normal” story to get to know the characters before the tragedy that happens later, but the execution is spotty, which was always the problem with the Prequels. Great ideas and concept but bad execution. A good story told poorly.

But I don’t necessarily think TPM needs to be more tied directly with the rest of the trilogy plot wise since it serves a different purpose.

[aLostShinobi]

I was 4 when TPM came out, I was raised with the prequels and by a Star Wars loving dad, I've always loved them and always will.

[enzmondo]

42:31 for this particular argument Qui Gon and Obi-Wan were the only ones who believed the Sith lords were back. As usual, the Jedi Council were cautious but not proactive in dealing with newly emerged Darth Maul. So they sent Qui Gon and Obi-Wan to handle the measly threat, not knowing the actual danger Maul possesses. Ending with him murdering Qui Gon and leaving Anakin to Obi- Wan’s care.

[DrakeAurum]

The palace battle may not be important dramatically, but tactically it's very sound. It and the space battle are essentially acting as backup for each other. If the fighters can't take down the command ship to deactivate the droid army, Padme can strong-arm Gunray into ordering them shut down, and vice versa.

[unbabunga]

I like Palatine's rise to power in The Phantom Menace, he is the Phantom Menace.

It's his trilogy, hes the character with the true journey, arc and growth.

[maja.z.pszczola]

I think another perspective shift around 2015 is the perspective of kids who grew up alongside the prequels. The Force Awekens was the first Star Wars movie I saw in theaters, aside from The Clone Wars, because I was two years old when Ep. 3 came out. As such, I don’t think we ever held the prequels to such a high standard because we don’t have years of expectations, something that definitely changes the way the sequels are watched by children now. So, basically we as children simply experienced a fun movie, and over time became vocal about it. Also, the Clone Wars definitely had a huge impact on the whole era…

[funguy]

32:07 I kinda disagree here.
Vader's sacrifice was ruined by bringing back Palpatine imo but not because of the ''prophecy'' (I too hate the prophecy thing).
Vader standing up to Palpatine and killing him was his character arc being completed.
Palpatine was Vader's nemesis, more than Luke's or Rey. Both of these characters are complementary to each other.

Great video btw

[unluckygamer]

Crazy channel growth from this guy! I think people really appreciate your balanced reviews. There's way too many channels that try too hard to just dump on movies, so this channel can feel quite refreshing. Even if I don't always agree with you I will keep tuning in 👍

[Isenlyn]

A point I'd like to make.
All that "prequal hate" is far more secluded to United States. Not that everyone else in the world loved them, but clearly the balance was more tilted toward liking them.
I honestly think that is due to dubbing which improved the dialogues deliveries in non native English countries. But maybe because Star Wars was less of an obsession in other countries.
I mean, I remember going to every prequal on theatre and there wasn't people in lunes for days. Every session was full, but not crazy either, and I never heard real bad things about them before 2010 out so when cinema critics started to copy American cinema critics and such.
(I'm french btw, and this mainly apply to france.)
I was a hardcore movie fan and only heard about Han shot first around 2013 or so...
My generation grew up with Special Edition and the generation before didn't make a fuss about it, so I didn't know it was a thing.

[RayOfTruth]

The Filoni interview about Duel of the Fates isn't meant to be Qui-Gon's thoughts, he's talking about dramatic irony with the viewers having information and foresight that the characters don't.

[tacotown]

wow. I personally wasn't around for this so I don't know what the particular feeling of seeing how long it's been is for this movie, but it really does feel like time has just gone out the window. for me personally it was when I heard that it had been 9 years since the lego movie released, which was mind boggling to me.

[dantheman_cunningham]

I recently introduced my girlfriend to Star Wars, a few months ago, and Phantom Menace actually turned out to be one of her favorite films in the saga. I was kind of surprised by this, as I had thought she would hate it as so many people before seemed to express.

But for her, she found the character of Qui-Gon absolutely fascinating, loved the world and character designs, and she got quite emotional when Anakin was saying goodbye to his mother. For the record, she knew nothing about Star Wars outside of Luke being Vader's son. But she didn't care about the technical issues with the film or the faulty acting. There was just something in the film that really resonated with her, and every now and then she'll occasionally quote the movie out of nowhere.

I think it really goes to show just how much the power of hype and expectation can cloud the judgement and nuance of film and discussion around it. Yes, this and the prequels all have problems, but frankly, every film does.

[waccentertainment]

Duel of the fates is saying the outcome of the duel would decide Anakins fate, not that the characters actually think that at the time 😂

[T.E.K_studios]

No way it’s been this long since this film, time flies 😭😭