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Article IndexBY JOHN SOLTES
NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM
MOVIE REVIEW
This column will either cause you to kill me with your fake lightsaber or scream to the heavens like a Tusken Raider. But here goes … I’ve bit my tongue for too long …
I am overly excited to experience ‘Star Wars Episode One: The Phantom Menace’ in its new 3D format. I will be one of those stereotypical nerds lined up for a showing, waiting expectantly with bated breath. I won’t wear a costume, but I will give myself over to be transported to “a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away.”
For fans of the Star Wars saga from George Lucas, this enthusiasm might seem odd. The prequel films (Episodes One, Two and Three) are largely seen as a disappointment, and many Jedis-in-training have decided to write them off as mere cash cows for the film studios involved. After all, isn’t ‘The Phantom Menace’ the film that includes an annoying Jar-Jar Binks and equally grating Jake Lloyd? Isn’t Episode One needlessly childish, featuring stilted dialogue and weak acting performances?
The answers to all of these questions are “yes.” But that doesn’t mean the prequels should be forgotten, and it certainly doesn’t mean that fans should boycott their 3D release.
Where are all the Star Wars fans jumping at the chance to watch a lightsaber duel on the big screen? Where are all the fans gushing with delight over the chance to once again experience the unique wisdom of Yoda? What about those people who want to relive the exquisite performance by Ian McDiarmid as Palpantine?
Don’t let the negatives outshine the positives. Each of the Star Wars films, including the prequels, has enough eye candy to be worth the price of admission. ‘The Phantom Menace’ features one of the most action-packed, high-adrenlaine sequences in the entire saga (the pod race, of course). Plus, although Jar-Jar Binks is annoying, Boss Nass is a unique addition to the space drama. Ewan McGregor grows into the role of Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Liam Neeson is perfectly cast as Qui-Gon Jinn. I’m also a big supporter of Ray Park as Darth Maul, one of the best villains to appear in any Star Wars film.
Many fans are upset over the franchise not because it’s re-releasing the prequels, but because they are coming in different formats with several changes. I’m a purist at heart, and I will always relish the chance to experience the six films in their original presentations. But let’s not be archaic about these movies — they’re not historical snapshots; they’re forward-thinking sci-fi films. Technology changes, and today’s audiences expect many more fireworks than moviegoers from even 10 years ago. If the 3D format will pop a few more things off the screen and make everything look sharper, why not just embrace the updating?
