Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace
Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace is a 1999 American epic space opera film, wrote and directed by George Lucas. Liam Neeson, Ewan McGregor, Frank Oz, Pernilla August, Kenny Baker, Ian McDiarmid, Jake Lloyd, Ahmed Best, and Natalie Portman are among the actors who feature in it.
It is the first movie in the prequel trilogy, the fourth installment in the Star Wars movie series, and the first installment in the “Skywalker Saga” chronologically. In the Galactic Republic, thirty-two years prior to the events of the original trilogy and thirteen years before the creation of the Galactic Empire, the story follows Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn and his apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi as they attempt to defend Queen Padmé Amidala of Naboo in an effort to mediate a peaceful resolution to an interplanetary trade dispute. Together with Anakin Skywalker, a young slave possessing very powerful innate Force abilities, they must deal with the Sith’s unexplained reappearance. Lucasfilm produced the movie, and 20th Century Fox handled distribution.
Talks of a sequel were suggested when Return of the Jedi (1983) came out, but Lucas had little desire to revisit the property. The backstories he wrote for the characters—especially Anakin’s—during the break attracted interest in his plans to write a prequel trilogy in the 1990s. When Lucas realized that visual effects for the prequel trilogy could be achieved using computer-generated imagery (CGI), he started scripting The Phantom Menace in 1993 and started production in 1994. June 1997 saw the beginning of filming, which took place in the Tunisian desert and at Leavesden Film Studios. It concluded in September. Following the 1977 release of the first Star Wars film, Lucas took a 22-year break before attempting to make another picture.
On May 19, 1999, The Phantom Menace debuted in theaters, over 16 years after Return of the Jedi. A significant amount of media coverage and much anticipation surrounded the film’s debut due to the enormous cultural following that the Star Wars series had amassed. Critics gave The Phantom Menace varying reviews when it first came out. Critics criticized the film’s exposition and characters, especially Jar Jar Binks, while applauding the visual effects. Still, the movie smashed a lot of records and was a box office hit.
During its first theatrical run, it brought in $924 million worldwide, making it the highest-grossing movie of 1999, the second-highest-grossing movie of all time in North America (after Titanic), and the highest-grossing Star Wars movie at the time (without accounting for inflation). The movie has had many rereleases, including a 3D rerelease in 2012 that increased its total global revenue to almost $1 billion. In 2024, it was also reissued in honor of its 25th anniversary. The Phantom Menace was followed by Attack of the Clones (2002) and Revenge of the Sith (2005), completing the Star Wars prequel trilogy.
Plot of the Movie
By covertly blockading the planet Naboo in anticipation of a full-scale invasion, the Trade Federation has upended the balance of power in the Galactic Republic. Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn and his disciple, Obi-Wan Kenobi, are sent by Supreme Chancellor Finis Valorum, the head of the Republic, to negotiate with Trade Federation Viceroy Nute Gunray. The Viceroy receives orders from Darth Sidious, a Sith Lord and covert sponsor of the Trade Federation, to assassinate the Jedi and launch an invasion using an army of battle droids. Escaped, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan make their way to Naboo.
Qui-Gon saves Jar Jar Binks, a foolish Gungan outcast, in the midst of the invasion. While Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan are unable to convince Gungan leader Boss Nass to assist the planet’s surface inhabitants, they are successful in securing Jar Jar’s leadership and an underwater vehicle to Theed, Naboo’s capital. Following Queen Padmé Amidala’s rescue, the party departs Naboo in her Royal Starship with the goal of arriving at Coruscant, the capital planet of the Republic.
After the ship sustains damage while navigating the Federation blockade, the crew docks on the distant desert planet Tatooine, which is outside of the Republic’s purview, to undergo repairs. To buy a replacement part for the hyperdrive, Qui-Gon, Jar Jar, the astromech droid R2-D2, and Padmé—posing as one of her handmaidens—visit the colony of Mos Espa.
They come upon Anakin Skywalker, a talented pilot and engineer who has created the protocol droid C-3PO, and Watto, a trash merchant, along with his nine-year-old slave. Qui-Gon believes Anakin is the “Chosen One,” the one foretold to bring the Force back into balance because he feels a strong presence of the Force inside him. Watto won’t take Republic money, so Qui-Gon bets on Anakin’s freedom in the podrace as well as the necessary hyperdrive component. After winning the race, Anakin leaves his mother Shmi behind and enlists in the Jedi training group. As they make their way to the spacecraft, Darth Maul, the apprentice of Sidious, who was assigned to seize Amidala, attacks Qui-Gon. Qui-Gon and the others flee on board the spacecraft following a brief lightsaber combat.
Padmé deceives the Gungans on Naboo by presenting herself as the queen and convincing them to form a coalition against the Trade Federation. As Padmé oversees the hunt for Gunray in Theed, Jar Jar receives a promotion to general and fights alongside his tribe against the droid fleet. After Anakin escapes from a hangar battle and unintentionally sets off the starfighter’s autopilot, it travels to the battle against the Federation droid control ship, whereupon it is destroyed from the inside, deactivating the droid army.
Darth Maul sneaks inside the Theed Palace in the meanwhile, where he challenges Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan to a lightsaber combat. Qui-Gon is gravely wounded by Maul, who then gets split off by Obi-Wan and falls down a shaft.[d] Qui-Gon requests that Obi-Wan instruct Anakin before he passes away.
Palpatine is chosen as Chancellor and Gunray is taken into custody by the Republic. Obi-Wan receives a promotion to Jedi Knight status from Grand Master Yoda, who also unwillingly takes Anakin on as his pupil.
