Star Wars Episode One The Phantom Menace- The Review to Remember.

Hey lets get this straight: I grew up with Star Wars. The first film I can remember ever watching at the cinema is probably Return of the Jedi, back home in Sri Lanka. At least it was the first film that made an impression. I can still remember the awesome sight that unfolded as the belly of the immense Star Destroyer engulfed the huge screen while the breathtaking arc of the forest moon of Endor lay below with an incomplete Death Star 2 in orbit. That was the start. Then there was the speeder-bike chase through the trees. Nobody who saw that as a kid will ever forget it.

The climatic space battle in the Return of the Jedi as the Rebel Alliance attempts to destroy the second Death Star. Note the sheer amount of spacecraft on screen simultaneously in this one single sequence.

Since then I would probably have watched the trilogy on video more times than I would have ever jacked off in my life. I have studied every single special effect sequence of all three movies: gone through them frame by frame trying to judge for myself how exactly they have been created and find even the slightest discrepancy with the process, the minutest fault in the shot that would give away the illusion of reality. Most of the time I found the illusion convincing, if not perfect. Such is the wizardry at work in these creations.

Yet how George Lucas managed to perfectly balance these effects elements with the story, the characters and the dialogue amazed me even more. In the first two movies all these elements were perfect while the third- Return of the Jedi- was slightly jaded in the story department relying on a vast arsenal of effects to cover up the problems with the script and the acting. Yet it persevered.

So when I first heard about the plans to make Episode One, way back in 1996, I was fucking ecstatic. Also I figured one of the biggest challenges of this monumental task would be to develop an effective storyline that would be the backbone of entire the Star Wars mythology. How it all began. But how do you top or even equal the story, the characters, the action of something as epic and perfect as the first three movies? Needless to say 'I had a bad feeling about it'.

Star Wars without Solo? Nah.

So fearing the worst and hoping for the best I eagerly awaited the Australian release of The Phantom Menace. I felt the immense level of anticipation and hype surrounding the movie would kill it before it was even released. How can this movie, however good it may be, live upto the hopes expectations and the fanaticism of the galaxy of Star Wars fans who have been waiting for this for almost a generation. I personally had long made up my mind that even if it was fucking amazing it could NEVER top the classic trilogy. One of the major reasons for this would be the lack of Harrison Ford. Star Wars without Han Solo wouldn't be right, I figured. Turns out I was right. Partly.

I sat down in the darkened theatre sporting full Dolby Digital surround sound knowing not what to expect. The opening crawl slid upwards and I was already confused. Something about a trade federation blocking off shipping routes to Naboo. What the fuck would that have to do with the rise of the Empire and the subsequent Rebellion? But hey it's George's story, I figured, let him tell it the way he wants to. Just hope it's not as bad as some of the early reviews suggested.

As in the earlier movies the camera pans down from the receding crawl to reveal the crucial opening sequence, which in this case is not as stunning or jaw dropping as I would have liked and pales in comparison to the Star Destroyer entrance in A New Hope. The first reason for this is probably because I have seen that exact camera move mirrored in most of the space movies of recent times and 'saw it coming a mile off'. George should have thought of something new.

As the movies unfolds the true nature of the galactic conspiracy becomes apparent. But its done in such a way, that the dazzle of the action set pieces, stunning locations and the amazing visual spectacles mask the real plot intricacies that are constantly and brilliantly been set in motion just beneath the surface. This only becomes apparent after seeing the movie a few times and being able to tune out from the special effects being bombarded at you.

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