Phantom Menace Nostalgia
Mike Ryan for Moviefone:
I saw “The Phantom Menace” four times in theaters on its initial release. Each time, it got worse. Whereas, on its first viewing, I focused on the still glorious final lightsaber duel, the second viewing the next day (yes, the next day) felt like a different movie. Like most people, it became impossible to suppress my feelings toward Jar Jar Binks — who is in that movie a lot. By the time I saw it for a third time, I was bored. Other than for a few scenes, it became a boring movie. It became a movie about the illegal taxation of galactic trade routes. Shortly before it disappeared from theaters, I saw it one last time on a lark. Hey, it’s “Star Wars” in a movie theater, I thought. That’s the viewing that I noticed that one of Anakin’s slave friends had braces. Wait, there are orthodontists on Tatooine? I immediately regretted seeing it that fourth time.
I remember seeing The Phantom Menace when it premiered with my dad. The theatre was packed and I was probably more excited than I’d ever been. I was a Star Wars fanatic growing up. I collected all the trading cards and read all the graphic novels. I’ll admit that The Phantom Menace isn’t an incredible movie, but I would watch it again today and enjoy every minute of it.
