The Phantom Menace

So this past Sunday I decided to complete my Star Wars Saga DVD collection. I already purchased the originally trilogy in early July, and with Revenge of the Sith being released November 1st, that meant picking up The Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones.

Later that night I sat down and watched The Phantom Menace, my first time seeing it in a couple of years, and I'm scared. Why am I scared? Is it because Jar Jar is damn annoying? Is it because Jake Lloyd should have shut up through the whole film? No. I was scarred because I actually didn't hate the film; I was rather entertained by it.

Maybe I've softened up over the years, maybe I've become less bitter, or maybe I've just become less critical, but I actually enjoyed sitting there watching The Phantom Menace. While not an amazing film and one of the worst of the Star Wars films to be sure, I simply had fun.

Yes, Jar Jar should never have been written and Lloyd can't act for shit (a cardboard cut out could have played his part better), but overall it did have that Star Wars feel.

I found it was paced well for the most part, the lightsabre battle between Maul and the 2 jedi was very well done (much better than the lousy Yoda/Doku fight from Attack of the Clones), and the plot wasn't that aweful (though still needed work).

I can't really explain it. When I first saw this flick and after a few subsequent viewings I hated it; really hated it. Hell, maybe I'm just getting too damn old or something.

Oh, and I should point out that Gungans>Ewoks. Why? While Jar Jar and the Gungan leader are annoying as hell, the rest of the Gungans were at least trained warriors with energy shields and energy based weapons, though used in a more primitive fashion. They had a realistic chance against the Trade Federation's army; while those fucking fuzz balls should have been crushed under the Imperial might. Twigs and pebbles my ass. Damn Care Bears ruining Return of the Jedi.