Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace

DVD, Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999) film

It's true, I don't feel the same thrill I did when I first saw this film (or the first several times I saw it!), but I do think it gets a bad rap from purists, and those who don't appreciate that a series needs continuing depth. I could agree that story was more important in the original trilogy, and that bombast and box-ticking is much the order of the day here, but they were attempting an impossible task: to make more of something that had gone down as the quintessential childhood wonder, and nothing would ever be able to live up to that marker. I was fortunate in that I was of an age, in my mid teens when it was released, having watched the Original Trilogy many times on TV and video over the years, and having built up a great appreciation for this fantastical universe full of strange creatures and untold mystery, so it came at just the right time. I was ready to see an expansion of 'Star Wars' lore, couched in an action-packed, roller-coaster of planet-hopping, and that's what I got, and absolutely loved it! Being so much older now, that kind of film isn't what I most enjoy, consequently it's more the culture, technology and look of the film that is more important to me now. I have to confess that over the years, having perhaps watched most of the films in the series too many times, they did fall in my estimation, supplanted by the majesty and nobility of 'The Lord of The Rings' trilogy, both influences of childhood, though the world of Middle-Earth is more interesting to me now than the galactic stage of 'Star Wars' (even if severely dented by the awful 'Hobbit' films), so in general I'm not as eager to watch these films again.

Yet the time has come when I must evaluate them once more in preparation for what at one point in life I would have been vastly excited for, but now can only muster mild intrigue: the approach of 'Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens.' Now's a good time to explore them again, even though I already know that through adult eyes and familiarity they have lost much of the magic, the lustre having become commonplace and the universe no longer one of unimaginable depth and fascination. I see it for what it is: a marketing tool to make money, rather than an opportunity to tell a narrative that spans generations. It's not just 'Star Wars' this applies to, it's pretty much everything, but that doesn't mean I can't still appreciate things, especially when I see this and think back to the that first couple of cinema viewings. That in itself speaks volumes about how exciting it was to see this film, because in the nineties I rarely went to the cinema, but for this film I went twice. I'm not sure how much, or little, I knew before going in, no doubt I'd seen the vast publicity and products, but I don't have any memory of thinking about it beforehand, I just went, and loved it. Never having been to a 'Star Wars' film at the cinema it was extra special: a visit to the cinema, new SW, and SW made in my time that would begin to set up the world of the previous films. How exciting could it be?

I vaguely remember reports in the local paper of people dressing up, and being slightly disappointed, but I didn't have any preconceptions, I was too young to know or care about things being derivative. I'd been primed by 'Blue Peter,' which I believe did a feature on the Podrace, so I at least knew about that, and I was ready to embrace the return of a much-loved world. The Podrace itself was the deciding factor in which games console I would buy, as I saw it on the N64 and was immediately impressed by the three-dimensional graphics, so I also have the film to thank for that, not to mention the excitement of buying the video the following year (yes, we had to wait that long in those days!), which was the height of entertainment emancipation, with many happy viewings. It took the slow decline of the following prequels for me to fall away from the SW camp and eventually see that the film wasn't quite the amazing experience it had been, but that's the way with everything. So although it is no longer a special thing (and SW is about to become a lot less special as it gets marketed to death, exploited until every last penny is squeezed from it, and it becomes a generic franchise that is no longer thought of as the defining childhood film experience), there's still a flicker of nostalgic joy to be had.

One of the reasons I've always felt Episode I to be the superior of the prequels is that it features two of the best characters of this trilogy, and a third character that promised so much. Stand up Obi-Wan, Jar Jar and Ani… and then sit right back down, because I'm not talking about you - no, I'm referring to Qui-Gon Jinn, Darth Maul, and Senator Palpatine. I'll examine the Senator first: one of the most thrilling things about the film was seeing the origins, or earlier lives of characters we knew from the OT, and the Emperor before he became the Emperor was simply a fascinating concept. He didn't just pop out of the ether, a fully formed ultimate being of evil, he was a real person (a Naboo native, or Noobian, or Nubian, I'm not quite sure which), whose clever power play machinations weave through this first chapter in the SW saga. He appeared to be a genuine, helpful, well-intentioned old man, and provided the link to why we should care about the planet Naboo: it birthed a monster. I think I was very impressed with how Palpatine came to power, having controlled the Trade Federation against his own planet and sovereign, creating a crisis that would force the Galactic Senate to search for new leadership, like the rise of the Antichrist. It's not all that clear how he got himself elected, but if he could control the Federation, then I'm sure it wouldn't take too much work to get willing conspirators to nominate him. And so his evil plan succeeds and, though he then proves pretty helpless, saying Queen Amidala will have to wait for assistance, he got what he wanted.

I think the most promising and portentous line in the film, the one that stuck with me was right at the end during the celebration, when, now Chancellor Palpatine, warmly claims he'll watch young Anakin's career with great interest, and all in the manner that you could almost imagine him fondly ruffling the boy's hair. When you think about the implications of the future Vader and Emperor it was just so much promise for what could happen in the next two films, and left me full of expectant joy at the thought of the unfolding drama. Ian McDiarmid is excellent, and I was so happy they had the actor back, for me the definitive Palpatine (we never saw Clive Revill's version in person, only on screen), and his cultured voice and (to the audience in the know), devious scheming was such a cool contrast and one of the things that we were waiting to see unfold. But back to the two characters that I think worked the best in the trilogy as a whole, and that I was particularly disappointed about never returning: I've heard that Maul makes a comeback in the cartoon, but whether that's canon or not is an issue for others more invested in this universe than me, to decide. If they could bring him back in a cartoon, why couldn't they have him return in Episode II or III?

Darth Maul had the most striking design, his crown of horns, his stark black and red face (is it paint? Tattoos? His race's natural look?), he was a big and fascinating question mark, not to mention an immensely hardcore fighter, a villain with presence, you might even say menace… I guess he is the Phantom Menace of the title, or it could refer to the creeping power of the two Sith (always two there are), or even Jar Jar and his clumsy antics (though he tends to work things out for the better with his mistaken interventions, more on which later). Regardless, he was a top screen villain, and I didn't realise back then that, like Darth Vader himself, his body was played by one actor, his voice another. It worked well to have this martial arts expert do the fighting, just as it worked for a huge bodybuilder to portray the imposing figure of Vader, with a more experienced actor dubbed over the top. It makes for an even cooler baddie, just like when you see a thuggish type, who suddenly drops his brute force, slips on glasses and shows himself to also be intelligent. There's something reassuring about nasty people being either intelligent, or strong, so the combination is chilling. Not that Maul is a savant, but, like the Borg, he's an unstoppable force that commands respect, if not fear. I like that Qui-Gon is shown to struggle against him in the surprise attack on Tatooine, and from that moment you know he's a force to be reckoned with.

Perhaps my favourite moment in the film is when the Queen and her guard are preparing to leave the hangar bay, the doors open, and there stands the dark form of Maul. "We'll take the long way round," says Padme meekly, and then Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan head for a two-on-one battle. And so we come to my favourite character of the prequels, Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn. He has all the grace and wisdom of Alec Guinness' Obi-Wan Kenobi, putting Ewan McGregor's younger version to shame. Full of wise words ("If you gamble, you'll eventually lose"; "Greed can be a powerful ally" - I assume he's talking about other people's greed, which can be used to manipulate them; "There's always a bigger fish"). The main thing is, the Jedi are shown to be ruthlessly efficient, despite their passive nature and lack of aggression, really emphasising their mythic legend. The Trade Federation leader (Nute Gunray?), doesn't really know what's so terrible about them, but his men are terrified by the very idea of Jedi on their station ("We dare not go against the Jedi"; "We will not survive this"). They're an unstoppable force, even blast doors won't hold them, and yes, they are 'defeated' in their purpose of entering the bridge by Destroyer droids ("Droideka!"), but it's only a momentary setback, and Qui-Gon's plans change to accommodate the development. He's a very fluid, flexible person who sees everything through the veil of The Force. Patient, kind, serious, but noble, he's an Aragorn-like character you can respect and always feel safe when he's around. Like Maul he has a cool look, unlike Maul, it's a simple, humble deportment: monk's robes, a neat, Christ-like beard, and a grace about his presence.

Yet Qui-Gon isn't without faults, as we find out. It's a tragedy that his resistance to the Jedi Council's rulings and views, and his own rebelliousness becomes the conduit for the rise of the Empire and years of brutality at the gloved hands of Vader. Yoda warns that Anakin is too old to be trained as a Jedi, but because of the prophecies, Qui-Gon believes that this boy, immaculately conceived by The Force bringing him into this universe, is The Chosen One who will bring balance to The Force. Was he right? In a way, the chain of events he sparked off brought Anakin to the attention of Padme, and later (much later!), they would have Luke and Leia, and I assume Luke Skywalker is The Chosen One, but it's never made clear in any of the films, as far as I can remember. So maybe I'm just being kind to poor old Qui-Gon, and it was a grave error for him to start the ball rolling for Anakin? Qui-Gon's renegade nature causes untold chaos, and the fact that he refused to follow the rules shows he was hardly the best suited to training someone so dangerous. Although Qui-Gon never loses faith, or panics despite the trials he's put through, and in that respect is an ideal teacher and mentor, remaining serene and confident, his stubborn streak may have been his undoing. I love the contrast between him and Maul, shown visually in the way each reacts to a pause in the lightsaber duel when the power gates activate, forcing an interval. Maul paces back and forth, snarling, keeping his anger fuelled, but Qui-Gon relaxes, rests and stays calm.

I suppose it didn't help him in the end, but was it overconfidence that was his downfall? It wasn't like Obi-Wan's defeat by Vader, as that was him allowing death to come, presumably so he could draw Luke to the hidden Yoda and continue his education. Qui-Gon is caught off guard, and it would seem crass to suggest it was simply the fact that Maul has the advantage of a double-bladed lightsaber. I could have imagined it working better if Qui-Gon had to sacrifice himself to save Obi-Wan, perhaps stopping a blow meant for him with his own body, or distracted by his apprentice, Obi-Wan struck by guilt and shame in consequence. But none of these things happen, he's simply bested. It makes Maul look tougher, even more so when he almost does away with Obi-Wan, but it is his overconfidence that settles the matter, Obi-Wan using all his training and, a bit like at the end of 'The Karate Kid,' a special move that combines what he knows (pulling the lightsaber to him, leaping over Maul, all in one fluid motion), and becomes the Jedi he's trained to be, though according to Qui-Gon he still has much to learn. It seems inconsistent for Qui-Gon to say that, then in the Council he says that Obi-Wan is ready to face 'the trials,' and become a Jedi Knight, but I suppose he means in other ways, and technically Obi-Wan has fulfilled all he needed to and has learnt all he can teach. It's another example of the failed judgement of Qui-Gon in that he gives Obi-Wan the commission to train Anakin, and he's hardly going to let his Master down, even if Yoda's not happy about. Obi-Wan seems too inexperienced to take on an apprentice so soon.

Yet the Council must bear some responsibility, too, as they were the ones to authorise Anakin becoming Obi-Wan's padawan against Yoda's advice. The Council was another fascinating element to the film, filled with exotic alien characters you long to know more about - is that scarred guy who looks like a pink, slightly taller version of Yoda, of the same race? Who else is on the Council, I want to see each and every one and know about them. That's something SW has always done well, making you wonder. Much of it can be pushed aside as silly names and the weirdest creature design they could come up with, but when you know all these are Jedi, and the Jedi are such rarities in the OT, there's an aura of mystery and power over the group. It's also amazing to see Yoda again, still voiced by Frank Oz, another of the returning actors of the OT. I liked that he looked different, as he would with a few less decades on him. It was also great that he was a real, flesh and blood (or rubber and glue), puppet, not CGI, the downfall of the subsequent films. I'm not sure I could say he looks younger, but definitely different, and it was simply a joy to see him again.

Other returning characters are, of course, R2-D2 and C-3PO. The latter has little more than a cameo, but I thoroughly enjoyed the idea that the boy who would grow up to become Darth Vader was the builder of 3PO. Nowadays, if a twist like that came up I'd dismiss it as ridiculous and for making the universe too small, everything apparently connected - it's what happens with long-running franchises because people like in-jokes about things they know. But I can forgive this example because I was young enough to accept it when I first saw it, and I still love the design of the unfinished droid. It whets the appetite to see him become fully C-3PO in future, one of the undeniable joys of Episode II. R2-D2 is the real hero of the SW saga, as everyone knows, so it was incredibly uplifting to see him blossom early and save Amidala's ship when it's getting pounded in its attempt to break through the blockade around Naboo. The whole sequence was thrilling, from the look of the sleek, chrome design, to the laser bolts bouncing off it, and then these brave little droids go out to fix the shield. They get blasted away in seconds, until only R2 is left, and he holds the course, finishing his task and saving the ship ("That little droid did it!"), earning praise and admiration from all. It's the first heroic moment of the film (leaving aside the heroism of the two Jedi almost getting into the Trade Federation's bridge), and sets R2 apart from the masses, the myriad droids that we see all over the place. And it was a lot of fun to see R2 and 3PO meet for the first time, too.

How the ship ended up going near Tatooine is one of those vague, fudged things, like how Palpatine got nominated and secured election, but it's for the same reason they have to go through the Planet Core (featuring a cameo from Godzilla!): dramatic licence. You can suggest that they headed to the Outer Rim to avoid any stray Trade Federation patrols, bounty hunters, or whatever, but I've always imagined Tatooine as the most out of the way place compared to the main planets of the saga. If they were going to follow the planet-hopping of previous films, and that's the name of the game, then they had to visit somewhere the ordinary person would recognise, and what was more recognisable than Luke's home? I would suggest that the Hutts would have some kind of droid satellites that would pick up on any new ship entering their territory, so parking outside one of the cities wasn't likely to stop them from being suspicious about such an opulent vessel. Let's give them the benefit of the doubt and say they were consumed with gambling fever ahead of the Boonta Eve Podrace and had no thought for anything else. Jabba The Hutt was another great returnee, another reference for us to soak up, and while they obviously didn't create a full-sized puppet again, he looks a lot better than his previous CG appearance in the 'Star Wars Episode IV Special Edition' that had come out a couple of years prior to this film.

The difference between Episode I and the subsequent entries in the series is that this was a kind of halfway house between the all-puppetry and practical effects of the OT, and the subsuming of everything into a CG environment that would dominate II and III to their detriment. At this time, CG characters were new and exotic, Jar Jar Binks proudly cited as the first fully CG character, a couple of years before Gollum took the cinematic world by storm. Gollum was better received than his forebear, unjustly in my mind. I always had a soft spot for Jar Jar and I don't remember at the time anyone I knew complaining that he was too stupid or annoying, it's as if this idea has been built up in later years. I can see why people don't like him, because he doesn't listen, he causes trouble, he's clumsy, a bit thick, and has little purpose other than to provide some comedy ("How wude!"). But I think it would have been a lot drier without him. Obi-Wan does his best to add some levity, but it's always as if he's a vicar making a joke, remaining sober-faced and deferential, you almost expect someone to say 'jolly good jibe there, Obi,' it's not coming across as natural expression. I believe the lack of a feeling of spontaneity and natural speech is one of the things people have a problem with, the biggest culprit being the Queen (or is she?), who talks in the most staid, monotonous tones imaginable. I say this suits a monarch, she's supposed to be removed and, if not aloof, unapproachable. Padme retains some of that, but in general she's a warmer character, especially when talking to Anakin.

She becomes like a big sister to the young boy, taken away from his Mother. When he leaves her (a good, real performance from Pernilla August), there's some real emotion in that he's leaving everything he's known to go and seek adventure. Who knows what her life would be, lonely, remaining a slave to Watto, wondering every day what became of her only child. That reality doesn't exactly permeate the film, but in moments like this we see the beating heart, it's not just cold space and sci-fi. Padme looks after Anakin, despite her own burdens and I like their interactions. Another complaint is about Jake Lloyd's performance as the young Anakin, but child actors tend to come across as a bit precocious, probably because they are, because they need to be to stand out from the crowd. I don't find young Anakin annoying (especially compared to what he'd become in Episode II!), and while he's not one of my favourite characters, the film isn't really about him, and he carries off what he's given, perfectly adequately. I think of the SW saga as a story about one family, the Skywalkers, and it is, but it doesn't have to be exclusively about them all the time, and the surrounding drama is important in setting the stage for them - these events occurring at the child stage of Anakin's life means that he isn't the mover and shaker, though he has his part to play in the Podrace.

So while these three characters, Jar Jar, Padme and Anakin, aren't the most integral to the plot, not having the pull to shape and mould the story, they are the protected members of this fellowship of people trying to bring about peace. Blessed are the peacemakers, and there are none more peaceful in intent than Jar Jar. I think the reason I warmed to him initially is that he is clumsy and out of his depth, but he's goodhearted - he often makes mistakes, and if you're a person that lacks confidence you identify with those characteristics. To those that suggest he was completely redundant to the story, I would say that he's the instrument of peace between two races. He brought the Jedi to Boss Nass, he was the olive branch, a member of the opposition that Padme finds herself talking to, and while he's pretty much oblivious to his role, a tool of 'fate,' he does provide a bridge between the two sides at the most crucial time in the planet's history. Of course it would all have been for nothing had Nass and Padme remained stone-hearted and refused to humble themselves. But in the best twist of the film, Padme walks out from behind her loyal bodyguard, and reveals herself as the true Queen Amidala. I have to wonder who knew she was the Queen, because everyone looks surprised. Did her advisors know? Did Captain Panaka? Or has she been cloistered away as a handmaiden since becoming old enough to be Queen? For that matter I still can't tell if it's ever Padme in the Amidala outfits or if it's always the bodyguard, because they do look similar, and under the white face-paint, who could tell? She couldn't have played both roles, because we see them together at times…

Padme bows before Boss Nass, and her show of humility pleases him - the Gungans aren't an evil race, but they are strict and tribal, and it's clear they aren't very tolerant, Jar Jar banished for his mistakes. But when their generosity is appealed to they can be enthusiastic allies (Brian Blessed did a wonderful job of performing the vast Boss' voice and his trademark flapping of the jowls), and dedicated warriors. Jar Jar isn't typical it seems. It does feel a bit like a setup for an Ewok-like triumph of simple native forces against the might of technology, but they would have been crushed if not for Anakin's accidental destruction of the droid control ship. The diabolical army of droids was impressive, they have a shine and a texture and a movement to them that made them look real (and I love the buzzy voices, "Roger, Roger"), just as the Gungans had a shambling gait and mottled skin texture that still holds up years later. The resolution lacks the punch of the earlier films, taking out the Death Star gave us characters we got to know a little from their chatter, the Gungans, aside from Jar Jar and the General he keeps crossing paths with, were a mass of unknowns. The battle looked big, but simple, it didn't have the strong narrative structure of the Battle of Hoth, and with Anakin helping out by mistake, it lost the depth, sacrifice and tension of battles in the OT.

Still, the battle scenes are secondary to me now, aside from perhaps the greatest duel in the series, when Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan and Darth Maul face off. The double-bladed lightsaber was another piece of visual coolness that made this film seem as imaginative and inventive, but in a logical way, as the OT, although I have to say, the other lightsabers looked somewhat slim and weedy than when I think of examples from the OT. Maybe it's just me, but they looked more toy-like than the weighty weapons of old, with a little red button on them and a lightness to their construction. Perhaps they were intentionally weaker, just as earlier versions of 'Star Trek' phasers were created for the prequel series, 'Enterprise,' but these are weapons of millennia so it doesn't make much sense. In contrast, Maul's appears solid and powerful. The fight itself is still well choreographed, though again, the old buzz has gone. It was a strangely silent fight, with no witty repartee or taunts, making it more desperate, in a way, but also uncomfortable. I wonder what the rationale was. We don't really get a sense of two opponents (or groups), that have any reason to fight except for being opposing factions, so they're more like soldiers fighting than the incredibly personal duels of Luke and Vader. It's a bit like the Harold Lloyd film they made, 'Feet First,' which had a similar death-defying sequence as 'Safety Last,' his earlier, seminal silent film, audiences terrified by the sounds of his struggles in the later 'talkie,' as it completely changed the mood. I'm not suggesting a duel in the style of 'The Princess Bride' was in order, but a better context between the parties would have been an improvement.

One thing I've always wondered is why Qui-Gon didn't disappear in the style of Obi-Wan and Yoda when they met their deaths. Was it because life was taken from him, and in their case they died at a time of their choosing? Or was he just not as strong in The Force due to his rebellion against the Council? The real reason is so that he can ask his pupil to carry on his work with Anakin, with a sad, head-in-arms death, but it always stood out for me as an odd way to go. Mind you, we can assume that Anakin was still whole when he died, but he'd been close to the Dark Side, so I assumed he would die differently. The Force itself gets more explanation than was necessary, another common complaint against the film. I'm not sure why George Lucas felt the need to give a pseudo-scientific explanation for how The Force works, but it may be part of the 'Star Trek' colour that I sensed in the film. Trek had been hugely successful throughout the nineties, now seen as the golden age of the franchise, with many spinoffs and imitators duplicating the format and style to lesser or greater effect. Perhaps Lucas felt it was time for Wars to go a bit more Trekky, and that may add even more reasons why I loved this film whereas I wasn't as keen on the later ones. The Trade Federation, the political manoeuvring, the religious facets, the thematic rather than narrative focus, even the sleek and high-tech ships and technology, far from the usual beat-up SW look… all give the film a Trek feel, perhaps why it wasn't as well received as it might have been?

It's ironic, because Trek would later be 'rebooted,' by a SW fan (JJ Abrams), and that felt more SW than Trek, and I suppose this is what SW would look like if it was done in a more Trek-like way. This may be the reason why science came to the fore to give us the midiclorians, microscopic lifeforms in all living cells that symbiotically link one to The Force. The more you have in you, the better able you are to use it. It does take away somewhat from the mystery and magical nature of this supernatural power, but when you think about it, not that much: The Force is still something separate, the midiclorians are the measure of a person's effectiveness in control and ability, so this doesn't actually affect The Force itself. Even so, it was unnecessary technobabble that could easily have been dispensed with, but it doesn't bother me too much. While some things are explained in greater detail, I like how the trademarks we all know so well are shown to be less familiar to the denizens of the universe we're watching: the halting way Panaka announces R2-D2's designation makes it evident that he's not known beyond being a droid, one of a pack of droids, only his courage and dedication brings him to the attention of those around him. The same with lightsabers, which young Anakin refers to as a 'laser sword' as if Jedi are so legendary out there in the Outer Rim that the correct name of the weapon isn't even known. It gives the Jedi that mythic edge you don't feel when you're on Coruscant where they're common as Bantha pudu.

What also draws me to this film is its strong themes against racism and environmental awareness. It could be seen to be a bit New Age-ey, but it's true that an ecosystem relies on its hierarchy of creatures to keep things ticking along, so when the technology-heavy Trade forces crash through the Gungan forests, taking out trees and causing a stampede of animals, it's a striking visual representation of what technology can mean when it's unleashed against the natural world without ethics or control. A strange metaphor for a SW film you might think, but the OT tended to show the Empire as the tech-rich faction, the Rebellion having to make do with beat-up old crocks (sorry Han, I don't mean it), and outdated equipment. That's always been part of the charm. The most fulfilling part of the story for me, is the coming together in peace and harmony of the Naboo and the Gungans, overcoming their racial prejudices to form a brave new world, realising they're all part of the 'circle of life.' It's what gives the film's ending its power, everyone rejoicing together on this small world. What was so exciting was that this was just one little corner of the galaxy, all a platform to raise Palpatine into the highest recesses of control and begin the downfall of the Jedi. I like that it's not really what it seems, the focus on one thing, but behind the scenes, manipulation. So while there was cause for great joy and celebration at the end, there's also a slightly menacing, portentous air, perfectly captured by the end theme and concluding with my favourite attention to detail: the ominous breathing of Vader…

So why do I think 'The Phantom Menace' is a worthy addition to the SW line? It keeps things fairly tight, story-wise, but also succeeds in opening up an expansive universe that had had sixteen years to gestate in the mind of its creator, the sense of grandeur and opulence in the rich parts of this world (the Royal Palace; the Senate; the Jedi Council), show what the SW universe was like before the good rulers were overthrown and everything became dark and seventies in design! I like that there are nods to the seventies aesthetic in such things as the hairstyles and uniforms of the Captain and crew of Amidala's ship, which internally has that same feel. I like the impression of power and speed in the flight of the vehicles, whether in space, battling droid ships, or podracing just above the ground in a stunning race sequence at impossible speeds, inspired by 'Ben Hur' (it doesn't match that classic film's chariot race, but it remains impressive). I like that there are less CG environments, more reality, and much of the casting works well. I like that it has the best music of the prequels and that you can respect the main heroes and villains. It is derivative of previous SW films, but there are also surprises (look out for cameos from Warwick Davis), and twists in the tale, and that's what you wanted, wasn't it? More 'Star Wars.' And more 'Star Wars' was what you got. Best of all, it leaves open so many possibilities for Episode II, how could they fail to deliver when the building blocks were so solidly put in place. Well…

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