The Saga Begins... Again
Episode I Rekindles Childhood Memories

Everyone has been asking me how I can review Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace and remain objective. The fact is, I can't. The original Star Wars trilogy influenced me more than any book, television show, or other film in my life. I grew up on the story of Luke Skywalker and its mythology of good vs. evil. Aside from being a personal inspiration, it also turned me on to the entire science fiction genre.

That said, it should be obvious that - for me - seeing Episode I wasn't just about seeing another film. Nostalgia played a big part in my desire to see it. I even returned to my hometown of Overland Park, Kansas, to see it at the Glenwood Theater (where I saw the original trilogy in 1977, 1980, and 1983). And yes, I waited in line for nine hours to buy my tickets. Call me crazy, but it was worth it.

The 12:01 a.m. premiere was something between a rock concert and a science fiction convention. The atmosphere crackled with energy. People joked and laughed with nervous anticipation. Lightsabers flashed and costumed creatures roamed through the lines. This was Christmas, New Year's Eve, and Halloween all rolled into one. But the hoopla outside could not compare with the excitement in the theater as the lights darkened and those famous blue words "A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away..." appeared on the screen.

From the familiar opening scrawl to the thunderous overture, Episode I, does everything possible to recapture the magic of the original movies. Kids for whom Star Wars is just an old movie on cable television may not be able to make that connection through time, but for those members of the "Star Wars Generation," it made a tingle down our spines. After 16 years, the wait was finally over.

Set 30 years before the events in Star Wars, The Phantom Menace tells the story of a Jedi Master, Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson) and his apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor). The duo has been dispatched by the Supreme Chancellor of the Galactic Senate (Terence Stamp, still looking like General Zod from Superman II) to settle a dispute between the Trade Federation and the planet Naboo. The Federation has created a blockade of the planet, which quickly escalates into an invasion.

The Jedi must rescue the queen and deliver her to the Senate on Coruscant. Along the way, however, destiny forces the starship to land on an outer-rim world familiar to Star Wars fans: Tatooine. There the Jedi Master and the Queen's bodyguard, Padmé (Natalie Portman) are befriended by a young slave boy named Anakin Skywalker (Jake Lloyd).

The buzz surrounding Episode I has centered - for the most part - on the digital effects employed in this movie. Almost 2000 special effects appear in this film, more than any other to date. The digitally created characters -- like Jar Jar Binks, Watto, Boss Nass, and the Battle Droids -- are interesting and very realistic.

Jar Jar (voiced by Ahmed Best) provides a certain amount of comic relief, but the inability to clearly understand his pigeon English and squeaky voice soon became tiring. In fact all the Gungans, including Boss Nass (voiced by Brian Blessed), suffered from the same effect. In addition, Boss Nass has a strange affectation thst appears to be not so much a part of his speech pattern as a sight gag for children.

Even though the digital age has allowed George Lucas more freedom to create his universe as he sees it, the real strength of Episode I is in the people. Neeson gives a good performance as Qui-Gon Jinn. He is a paragon of a Jedi Master, always focused, always at peace, never willing to let anger or fear overcome him. By contrast, his young apprentice Obi-Wan is rash. Portman shines in the dual role as Padmé and young Queen Amidala. As the Queen, she becomes weighted-down (literally and figuratively) by the trappings of her office. When she appears as Padmé, she glows with a sweet innocence.

Despite some opinions that Lloyd fails in the role of Anakin, I thought he did a good job with a difficult role. As Anakin, he was required to be childlike at times and mature at others. He handled both well, and the scenes involving his interaction with his mother Shmi Skywalker (Swedish actress Pernilla August) were particularly moving.

In addition to the main cast, there are a number of supporting characters who are equally enticing. The Jedi Council brings the return of everyone's favorite muppet Yoda (voiced and controlled by Frank Oz), as well as new Jedi Masters like Mace Windu (Samuel L. Jackson). We are also introduced to a new apprentice of evil, the red and black faced Darth Maul (stuntman Ray Park), whose beautiful acrobatics and sword-fighting abilities make the lightsaber duels a sight to behold.

If I could have helped Lucas to create Episode I, I would have encouraged him to add another lightsaber duel (or at least lengthen the first one) and to lengthen the space battle as well. For my mind, Star Wars has always been about space, first and foremost. There was very little space fighting, and virtually no dog-fighting at all. With all the digital effects at his disposal, I'm sure he could have easily added more footage. If the movie turned out to be three hours long, so what?

The biggest thrill for me, however, was hearing and seeing events that echoed the original trilogy. From the introductions of our favorite droids to the ominous foreshadowing of Senator Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid), each of these moments brought a sense of continuity to the saga. Although average moviegoers might not catch all such instances, they no doubt rang true with Star Wars fans.

For pure nostalgia, the fan in me would like to give Episode I a 10 out of 10. It gave me everything I was looking for in a new Star Wars film. As a reviewer, I'll have to be more objective. It wasn't a perfect film, but it was fun for me.

MY RATING: 7 out of 10.

RATED: PG
RUN TIME: 131 min.