The Phantom Menace… 24 Years Later

Star Wars: The Phantom Menace was released 24 Years Ago. In this thought-provoking video essay, join us as we dive deep into the legacy of Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, examining its impact and significance two decades after its release. From the exhilarating build-up to the film's controversial reception, we explore the lead-up, the historical context of film criticism, the intricate plot, the memorable characters, and the climactic Battle of Naboo.
🌟 The Lead-Up: Discover the anticipation and excitement that surrounded The Phantom Menace before its highly anticipated release. Explore the trailers, merchandising frenzy, and the fervor among fans that built up for 16 long years since the last Star Wars film.
🎥 A Historical Perspective: Uncover the historical context of film criticism and its impact on The Phantom Menace's reception. We analyze the shifting expectations and the evolving landscape of the industry, shedding light on how the film was received critically and by the passionate Star Wars fanbase.
📜 Unraveling the Plot: Delve into the intricate narrative of The Phantom Menace and its contributions to the larger Star Wars saga. From the political machinations of the Trade Federation to the emergence of Anakin Skywalker, we dissect the story's themes, symbolism, and connections to the original trilogy.
👥 Memorable Characters: Explore the diverse cast of characters in The Phantom Menace, from Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn to the young prodigy Anakin Skywalker. We analyze their development, motivations, and relationships, examining the strengths and weaknesses of their portrayal in this iconic installment.
⚔️ The Battle of Naboo: Witness the epic Battle of Naboo, a visually stunning spectacle that showcases the Jedi's prowess, the Gungan warriors' bravery, and the menacing Sith Lord Darth Maul. We dissect the choreography, the emotional impact, and the significance of this climactic clash.
Join us as we revisit the cultural phenomenon that is Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, shedding new light on its legacy and offering fresh perspectives on its strengths and weaknesses. Whether you're a die-hard Star Wars fan or a curious observer, this video essay provides a comprehensive analysis of the film's impact 24 years later.
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#StarWars #ThePhantomMenace #FilmAnalysis #StarWarsSaga #BattleOfNaboo #FilmCriticism
Chapters:
0:00 - Dawn of the Menace
2:45 - A New Fandom
7:41 - The Phantom Plot
17:29 - The Characters
35:38 - The Battle of Naboo
44:25 - A Phantom's Legacy
Music:
-Duel of the Fates - Epic Version (Samuel Kim)
-A.L.I.S.O.N - Golden Dust
-A.L.I.S.O.N - Passenger
-A.L.I.S.O.N - Sentinel
-A.L.I.S.O.N - Warm
-Duel Of Fates 8-Bit
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[@romanejro1906]

It's probably one of the most curious films in all history. Full creative freedom. It's just fascinating

[@starwarsprequelsandsequels7582]

True

[@thegoldman25]

it's really the most expensive indie film ever

[@tufab3494]

@@thegoldman25 you really hate the prequels don't you?

[@isaachernandez2592]

Romanejio…unless either the big name Company thought the idea sounds dumb or personal or the place is shutting down and go all screw it lets go all out. That happend to the lego movie when warner bros did not had faith on that movie and also happend to the invisible man when universal gave up on there dark universe.

[@starwarsprequelsandsequels7582]

@@tufab3494 no

[@michaelsnow3536]

I agree wholeheartedly about the scene with Anakin emotionally dumping about the Tuskens. Hayden's performance was fantastic in this scene, right to the point where his eyes water, his voice cracks and his lip quivers when he yells 'I hate them!' It tells you a lot about his emotional state, his volatility and his reactions to his loved ones.

[@thegoldman25]

Even though I was VERY harsh on this movie, I'm going to be a lot more positive on Attack of the Clones

[@juniorramirez3153]

I fully agree with you, seeing Anakin came up it makes sense how anakin would display his emotions

[@broncojuan]

That is actually one of the scenes that completely turned me from the PT. Forget that Padme doesn't instantly distance herself from a psycho who admitted to slaughtering innocents (really, the entire village was responsible?), but the performance choice was laughable. Instead of playing the scene as a brooding teenager full of internal rage and reflecting on the loss of his mother and innocence in one night, he comes of as a petulant child who has been denied his dessert. Hate is one emotion that should never have to be screamed (or said out loud at all). Imagine that same speech, remove "I hate them," have Anakin speak in a calm voice that is little more than a whisper, while his eyes are slowly moving between two fixed spots on the ground, as if you are reliving, and being tormented by, every kill (sure to never look to Padme out of fear that she is gone). Silent rage is so much more effective than stomping and screaming.

[@ninobrown4516]

@@broncojuan shut up go back to watch your disney movie you know nothing

[@Personaje-de-ficcion]

Hayden shines the most in dramatic scenes. The reaction of Anakin is what it needs to be, and is actually realistic, because you can't expect a person to react all calm and colected after finding that his mother has been tortured for months and killed by some people whitout any reason. And of course he did something bad, he did something terrible! Thats precisely the conflic, that he used his power in a fit of rage and violence and hate. That is exactly why a jedi, that possess that kind of power should not have personal attachment Of course we would like Anakin to be all cool and brooding, but that wouldn't make sense tematically In this seminal moment in the creation of darth vader, a good person does something monstruos after losing a loved one in a particularly cruel manner. And real life is like that, is complex, and not as easy as black and white. Those are the complicated morals of having power and being imperfect beings I've always been amazed by how many people see such a powerful and complex scene in such a simplistic way.

[@lotus8709]

Personally, I think the scenes with Palpatine on Corusaunt are the more intriguing ones in the entire movie. He’s the one prequel character I can consider to be thoroughly great.

[@jordanread5829]

Plus those sceens also show just how far gone the Republic actually is. Instead of acting fast, it is grinded to a halt by bureaucrats and red tape. Hell the Trade Federation, a corporation has a seat at the table.

[@thegoldman25]

They are interesting for sure, I just wish it was done better

[@scotchwars3425]

​@@jordanread5829 We all put our personal life experience into how we interpret art/films. I'm Canadian and loathe American government corruption and war mongering. That's what I pull from the prequels. America hasn't given corporations like the Trade Federation an official cenate representative, but through lobbyists, they de facto have

[@felixdittrich5469]

​@@scotchwars3425The trade federation is not in the senate. But their homeworld kato nimodia, where the trade federation holds a strong and firm grip in power, is part of the republic and as an independent system granted a seat in the house of senators.

[@IronfistPZC]

​@@scotchwars3425do you think canada isn't compromised too?

[@roman_wallcrawler8226]

I have to disagree especially with the phantom plot section. The coruscant sequence isn’t a pointless detour compatible to canto bight and passana. It’s essential to the story because it shows the incompetence and crumbling state of the republic which forces Amidala to take matters into her own hands which results in the alliance with the gungans. It wasn’t just so we can see Palpatine’s rise to power, that is just a clever byproduct of the plot at hand. Also I’m not sure how you can say that Anakin’s introduction to the Jedi council is only “kinda important”. It’s a focal point of the whole saga. I agree that the film as a whole feels like an anthology film because of how disconnected it is from the rest of the series but I’d rather see a film that overemphasises the start of a war (The Phantom Menace) rather than one that bypasses it completely (The Force Awakens) because in spite of the claims you made, TFA did not show us the start of a war. It throws us right in the middle of it without any context to why it started in the first place. So in the end, it’s really just a case of which extreme you prefer.

[@Fatsaver]

The guy needs to see this comment because you nailed this.

[@Chrysobubulle]

@@Fatsavermost of the analysis of Star Wars on this channel are shit, i think this guys thinks he understand SW or movie making, but really doesn’t

[@kubabrezina8038]

​@@Fatsaverexactly

[@hectormontes7056]

The incompetence of the Senate and the Jedi Council is something that’s explored in the other movies. Considering the Senate scenes are only really set up to show Palpatine’s rise as Chancellor (something that doesn’t need to be shown), it really isn’t vital. Amidala forming an alliance with the Gungans because of senatorial inaction could’ve been shown without most of those Senate scenes. Also the conflict that is resolved in RoS starts when the Hosnian system is destroyed by Starkiller Base, the conflict before that is a more passive cold war against opponents of the New Republic, similar to the way the OT trilogy starts. The only conflict that TPM emphasizes is the Naboo crisis (which is resolved by the end of the movie), the Separatist crisis doesn’t begin until way later and it doesn’t start because of inaction at Naboo, hence why Naboo isn’t Seperstist but the Trade Federation is.

[@rcdune7132]

The way Goldman thinks episode 1 is crap but makes all the excuses in the world for Rey and The Last Jedi is just mind-boggling hilarious 😂🤦🏻

[@bensneb360]

I was seven when this movie came out, me, and my friends were all so excited and went to see the movie together, I think this was the first movie I was ever “hyped” for. And while looking back the movie definitely has its pros and cons, I’ll always remember the excitement me and my buddy had and fondly remember that.

[@thegoldman25]

That was me with TFA, but I was older

[@ahetzel9054]

Same, I think I was 6 or 7 and I loved this film. Personally I really liked jar jar, I thought he was funny and kooky like me, wasn't till I got older that I realized most people hated him 🤣

[@kdusel1991]

I saw it as a kid too! I'm ashamed to admit that as a kid I thought Jar Jar was one of the best parts. But I did like darth maul and the fight at the end.

[@kdusel1991]

​@@ahetzel9054 same! Of course now I know that Jar Jar is one of the worst things in the prequels. I'm just happy that ahmed best was able to make a comeback in mando season 3 as this badass jedi master that saves grogu.

[@ninobrown4516]

@@ahetzel9054 jar jar is better than every character in disney movie

[@balancedboys]

I actually love Filoni's thoughts on the "duel of the fates" lightsaber fight. Simply because if that fight had a different outcome, and Qui Gon were to live, Anakin wouldn't have turned to the dark side. He would've had the Father Figure he never had. Well he probably could've still turned because he is so emotional, but it would've made an incredible difference. Also Qui Gon was practically mocked or rejected by the council when he told them of his encounter with Maul on Tatooine. So it makes sense why he and his apprentice would be the ones to face him in the end. (This was explained in Tales of the Jedi, Which I know probably bugs you lol). His rejection, which led to his death is what massively aided to Dooku's turn to the dark side as well, which adds to the title of the song "Duel of the Fates". Fates is plural in the name so it does have multiple directions. Anyway, great video and I enjoy your takes!

[@thegoldman25]

Thanks for watching!

[@samkornrumph8545]

⁠​⁠@@domenicoruoppolo5875 Pretty sure people had this view before Filoni said it.

[@Historyexplorer4563]

one of my beleifs in the name duel of the fates is qui gon death [anikins fall]darth mauls death darth vader redemption

[@balancedboys]

@@domenicoruoppolo5875 I see what you are saying. When I was 5 and saw this film, I definitely did not have this kind of analysis lol But this story does age like fine wine. Being a big fan of SW, the meanings grow and evolve. The idea of Qui Gon dying, leaving a lot more room for Anakin to turn can very well be detected with the films alone. The Dooku arc did need more exploration, and wouldn't have come if it weren't for the great writer Filoni, or others like him.

[@ryansarafin12]

Also you can make the argument that Maul was RIGHT there, it's not like Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan could just ignore him and carry on lol

[@enzmondo]

42:31 for this particular argument Qui Gon and Obi-Wan were the only ones who believed the Sith lords were back. As usual, the Jedi Council were cautious but not proactive in dealing with newly emerged Darth Maul. So they sent Qui Gon and Obi-Wan to handle the measly threat, not knowing the actual danger Maul possesses. Ending with him murdering Qui Gon and leaving Anakin to Obi- Wan’s care.

[@thegoldman25]

I hate that the other jedi didn't believe them then

[@samkornrumph8545]

@@thegoldman25I agree, but that’s the point. They’re arrogant and complacent. It’s frustrating to see them not take the threat more seriously and send more Jedi. But it does make sense since they are too caught up in politics and think that they would have been able to sense the Sith before encountering one. Not being able to sense Darth Maul should have been setting off alarm bells.

[@maja.z.pszczola]

I think another perspective shift around 2015 is the perspective of kids who grew up alongside the prequels. The Force Awekens was the first Star Wars movie I saw in theaters, aside from The Clone Wars, because I was two years old when Ep. 3 came out. As such, I don’t think we ever held the prequels to such a high standard because we don’t have years of expectations, something that definitely changes the way the sequels are watched by children now. So, basically we as children simply experienced a fun movie, and over time became vocal about it. Also, the Clone Wars definitely had a huge impact on the whole era…

[@thegoldman25]

You are not wrong!

[@Humans_Eh]

You are absolutely right. You have a vastly different view of the prequels to us older fans. For context I was 10 years old when A New Hope came out and changed everything we loved about Sci fi. So we watched the prequels with the hope of reigniting the sense of wonder and joy that blew us away in the seventies. So our experiences are naturally different. I myself was a huge SW fan for over 3 decades.... Before the dark times... Before the Disney Empire.

[@DrakeAurum]

The palace battle may not be important dramatically, but tactically it's very sound. It and the space battle are essentially acting as backup for each other. If the fighters can't take down the command ship to deactivate the droid army, Padme can strong-arm Gunray into ordering them shut down, and vice versa.

[@thegoldman25]

good points

[@RayOfTruth]

The Filoni interview about Duel of the Fates isn't meant to be Qui-Gon's thoughts, he's talking about dramatic irony with the viewers having information and foresight that the characters don't.

[@aLostShinobi]

I was 4 when TPM came out, I was raised with the prequels and by a Star Wars loving dad, I've always loved them and always will.

[@thegoldman25]

As you should! Star Wars is always about the bond between parent and child!

[@gameragodzilla]

The Phantom Menace definitely feels more like setting up the world of the Prequels rather than the overall plot itself. It’s a self contained adventure that’s resolved within the story itself while introducing all the major characters and even some plot points that will be important later. Attack of the Clones then sets up the main plot of the Clone Wars and Anakin’s fall. Don’t actually think that’s a bad thing, honestly. It allows us to experience a “normal” story to get to know the characters before the tragedy that happens later, but the execution is spotty, which was always the problem with the Prequels. Great ideas and concept but bad execution. A good story told poorly. But I don’t necessarily think TPM needs to be more tied directly with the rest of the trilogy plot wise since it serves a different purpose.

[@Wade_Fucking_Wilson]

Anakin's downfall started in tpm when he left his mom. "Fear"

[@tacotown4598]

wow. I personally wasn't around for this so I don't know what the particular feeling of seeing how long it's been is for this movie, but it really does feel like time has just gone out the window. for me personally it was when I heard that it had been 9 years since the lego movie released, which was mind boggling to me.

[@thegoldman25]

isn't it crazy, 24 damn years

[@Isenlyn]

A point I'd like to make. All that "prequal hate" is far more secluded to United States. Not that everyone else in the world loved them, but clearly the balance was more tilted toward liking them. I honestly think that is due to dubbing which improved the dialogues deliveries in non native English countries. But maybe because Star Wars was less of an obsession in other countries. I mean, I remember going to every prequal on theatre and there wasn't people in lunes for days. Every session was full, but not crazy either, and I never heard real bad things about them before 2010 out so when cinema critics started to copy American cinema critics and such. (I'm french btw, and this mainly apply to france.) I was a hardcore movie fan and only heard about Han shot first around 2013 or so... My generation grew up with Special Edition and the generation before didn't make a fuss about it, so I didn't know it was a thing.

[@thegoldman25]

you are not wrong

[@ImVeryOriginal]

I'm from Poland and everyone I know of similar age (we were kids or teens when the prequels came out) think they were a steaming pile of garbage. I remember when we went to the premiere of RotS with a bunch of friends and it felt almost like an obligation - we knew we were in for one more shitty movie but cared about Star Wars too much to just skip it. So no, the prequel hate isn't just a US phenomen - they're genuinely terrible movies, I don't care if you enjoy them because of nostalgia or whatever.

[@Wubulixi]

The dub cannot be the reason. In German the content of dialogue is still the same, just slughtly better or worse on certain places

[@homelessjesse9453]

@@ImVeryOriginal That's the exact same mindset in America. Although, to be fair, the prequels look like masterpiece compared to the sequels. Especially Rise of Skywalker. Which I think is the worst movie ever made.

[@ImVeryOriginal]

@@homelessjesse9453 Yeah the sequels weren't much better (although just as with the prequels, I enjoyed bits and pieces). Skipped Solo and Rise of Skywalker because I got burnt out on the franchise at that point.

[@SmartiHunter]

my prequel favourite is Episode III but the phantom Menace brought star wars back, so big respect for that one

[@thegoldman25]

Even as someone who doesn't like the movie, I do feel nostalgia for it

[@BlackenedSunsets]

Idk why people hate TPM I love it it’s pretty good, but of course ROTS was better

[@starwarsprequelsandsequels7582]

@@BlackenedSunsetspartially for the same reasons they hate the sequels

[@waccentertainment4563]

Duel of the fates is saying the outcome of the duel would decide Anakins fate, not that the characters actually think that at the time 😂

[@trainfire2008]

Qui Gon did

[@swingmattuk]

@@trainfire2008at what point did the films show that?

[@dantheman_cunningham]

I recently introduced my girlfriend to Star Wars, a few months ago, and Phantom Menace actually turned out to be one of her favorite films in the saga. I was kind of surprised by this, as I had thought she would hate it as so many people before seemed to express. But for her, she found the character of Qui-Gon absolutely fascinating, loved the world and character designs, and she got quite emotional when Anakin was saying goodbye to his mother. For the record, she knew nothing about Star Wars outside of Luke being Vader's son. But she didn't care about the technical issues with the film or the faulty acting. There was just something in the film that really resonated with her, and every now and then she'll occasionally quote the movie out of nowhere. I think it really goes to show just how much the power of hype and expectation can cloud the judgement and nuance of film and discussion around it. Yes, this and the prequels all have problems, but frankly, every film does.

[@unbabunga229]

I like Palatine's rise to power in The Phantom Menace, he is the Phantom Menace. It's his trilogy, hes the character with the true journey, arc and growth.

[@blodgarn6355]

I won't argue that the phantom menace was a great movie. But I will argue the world building was integral into setting up some of the best shows and movies alike. Some may not like peeling back a layer to shed light on the mysterious jedi order, but I love it. One of the main reasons I love star wars is the force and force users. The movie was really more like a prequel to attack of the clones, not a stand alone.

[@bigman7856]

This came out a month after I was born. My parents actually took me when they went to go see it. I am and always will be a Star Wars fan!

[@thegoldman25]

Same here! Except i wasn't a month

[@bigman7856]

@@thegoldman25 yeah I kinda had to give it another watch haha! Btw, I love your channel. I’ll listen to your long format videos while I do wood work!

[@thegoldman25]

Thanks! I appreciate the support

[@funguy5624]

32:07 I kinda disagree here. Vader's sacrifice was ruined by bringing back Palpatine imo but not because of the ''prophecy'' (I too hate the prophecy thing). Vader standing up to Palpatine and killing him was his character arc being completed. Palpatine was Vader's nemesis, more than Luke's or Rey. Both of these characters are complementary to each other. Great video btw

[@thegoldman25]

That's a perfectly fair argument, but too many people bring up the prophecy which pisses me off. and thanks for watching!

[@VorticieFilms]

So I think what people miss here is that the prophecy was not in fact referring to Anakin, but rather his son, Luke. The Jedi were wrong about it… kind of. That was a bit of a twist on the prophecy thing, which is extremely unique. And no, that’s not an opinion. Yes, Luke is the main character of the original trilogy, but the entire saga is about Anakin’s turn to the dark side, and then being saved by his son, who essentially revived Anakin after Vader “destroyed him” and Anakin killing Palpatine. Due to this fact, his arc was exactly that: destroying what made him. Turning on what turned him, almost like a cousin approach to the Rule of Two. Vader didn’t kill his master and take in an heir, he killed his master and reverted to the light because of Luke (and stopping the cycle). And after taking this in, remember that Vader SACRIFICED HIMSELF to kill Palpatine because he was electrocuted by Palps’ force lightning which is what appeared to take his life shortly after. Even if it was another circumstance, it doesn’t change that this was his arc. In short, he died as a result killing Palpatine. Palpatine returning completely ruined his Anakin/Vaders arc. #copeharder

[@thehahvokexperience]

@@thegoldman25 Bro the chosen one prophecy 100% brought depth to the franchise. Anakin was the chosen one and was always destined to bring balance to the force; even when he was Darth Vader he was STILL the chosen one. Him turning good, saving his son, and killing Palpatine brought balance to the force, which was what he was always destined to do. But Palpatine being alive in ROS completely ruins his sacrifice and makes Anakin no longer the chosen one, and Rey is now the chosen one for actually killing Palpatine. Which is stupid

[@thehahvokexperience]

@@doctahwahwee2237 His sacrifice was the fulfillment of the chosen one prophecy

[@jamestolbert1856]

I don’t mind bringing back Palpatine, what I do mind is how they did it and how it wasn’t set up. And how it wasn’t important to Rey’s arc cause she has no relationship with her whatsoever. If they did on Luke, I would’ve cared a little more

[@unluckygamer692]

Crazy channel growth from this guy! I think people really appreciate your balanced reviews. There's way too many channels that try too hard to just dump on movies, so this channel can feel quite refreshing. Even if I don't always agree with you I will keep tuning in 👍

[@thegoldman25]

Thank you so much for the kind words! I try my best to always be fair. Thanks for watching!

[@rcdune7132]

​@@thegoldman25how come you only chose to focus on the very vocal minority of people who hated Phantom Menace when it came out but chose not to give any attention to all the love and appreciation it had as well? Why do Disney fans always do this?

[@starwarsprequelsandsequels7582]

We Don’t have even deleted scenes showings the sufferings of the Naboo people. I mean I am not against using my imagination but showing a glimpse of that could have reinforce the story

[@thegoldman25]

Agreed

[@starwarsprequelsandsequels7582]

@@thegoldman25yup

[@petersarubbi]

Qui Gon Jinn... Played by Liam Neeson... Greatest Jedi ever played by one of the greatest actors ever... TPM will always be amazing... 💙

[@createdforthemoment6740]

Despite all it's flaws, and despite not growing up with it, i think i've rewatched this one more then any other besides RotJ. The world is facinating, and for those that don't like it (now) they enjoy the hate-watch and enjoy the details. By all means, it shouldn't be rewatchable, and yet it is....

[@T.E.K_studios]

No way it’s been this long since this film, time flies 😭😭

[@thegoldman25]

24 years man, that's a whole lifetime

[@GlennDavey]

Literally just came out. wtf

[@Wubulixi]

​@@thegoldman25Yup, it came out when I was a baby

[@entertainingblackmanvideos7691]

​@@GlennDavey24 years is not a long time people act like it's 100 years old lol

[@KimSulYong]

You know, your edit of just moving Episode I closer to Episode II honestly makes a hell of a lot of sense. I think the political narative of Palpatine's ambitions combined with how slow and cumbersome the Coruscant scenes could then better emphasize how not only ineffective and detrimental to the plot both the Jedi Order and the Republic Senate are, but could aslo easily paint how those at the top of society are just out of touch with the citizens they represent and protect. Only issue with this is that I don't believe Lucas's political opinions at the time (which I have always felt is what powered his vision for the prequels) are that nuanced. As for how Obi-Wan was portrayed in the film, the fact that he is more submissive and reactive to Qui-Gon while expressing frustration with Qui-Gon further explains why he is the way he is in the rest of the trilogy. Obi-Wan was more by-the-book, to where he struggled a lot with Anakin's impulsiveness and recklessness. Comparing Obi-Wan's behavior as a Padawan here to Anakin's behavior as a Padawan in AotC further cements his character's struggle with Anakin, and also allows one to infer more on their relationship. As for Qui-Gon, yeah, i definitely felt we were told more about him than what we were shown. To the point I have zero ideas as to what kind of personality he has. Like, he seems a bit passive for the most part in this film (and other media) that his renegade status always felt dubious to me. Honestly, I just feel that all the characters could be much more passionate and reactive to the plot. More scenes of Padme stressing about the Naboo and frustration with the Senate, scenes of Qui-Gon being more vocally against the Council (or conversely, the Council being more vocal against Qui-Gon just doing what he does.) And also we should have gotten more of a reaction from the council about the appearance of Darth Maul. The first sighting of a Sith should have been treated with the Jedi going on high alert, and further adding meaning to the name "The Phantom Menace."

[@ThreadBareHope1234]

While I personally like the Phantom Menace, I like that you are addressing actual problems with the plot or presentation, instead of -in your words - nit picking. Most people hate on the jedi or the midiclorian stuff, and "why didn't they go back for Shmi?"

[@Naoto-kun1085]

It is quite refreshing to see a nuanced opinion like this! A movie can still be good or enjoyable and still have lots of flaws, and I think Phantom Menace is a great example of this. While I love the Phantom Menace, I can't help but feel it was a flawed introduction to the trilogy. Still, there are tons of really cool and interesting parts that make it interesting to rewatch!

[@ThreadBareHope1234]

@aidenc1085 Yeah I agree. I still get personal enjoyment out of the story despite its issues

[@mr_feudal]

Unbelievable that this came out TWENTY FOUR years ago. Where has my childhood gone

[@thegoldman25]

As a 24 year old, it feels so weird to think this movie is basically the same age as me

[@starwarsprequelsandsequels7582]

@@thegoldman25true

[@Gandalf914]

You bring up some great points here. As an Original Trilogy fan, I actually enjoyed how The Phantom Menace was different though than the other films. I specifically enjoyed the exploration of statecraft and space politics and Qui-Gon’s examination of The Living Force. It was a pause in the canon narrative that I actually enjoyed.

[@VorticieFilms]

So I think what people miss here is that the prophecy was not in fact referring to Anakin, but rather his son, Luke. The Jedi were wrong about it… kind of. That was a bit of a twist on the prophecy thing, which is extremely unique. And no, that’s not an opinion. (I will die on this hill). Yes, Luke is the main character of the original trilogy, but the entire saga is about Anakin’s turn to the dark side, and then being saved by his son, who essentially revived Anakin after Vader “destroyed him” and Anakin killing Palpatine. Due to this fact, his arc was exactly that: destroying what made him. Turning on what turned him, almost like a cousin approach to the Rule of Two. Vader didn’t kill his master and take in an heir, he killed his master and reverted to the light because of Luke (and stopping the cycle). And after taking this in, remember that Vader SACRIFICED HIMSELF to kill Palpatine because he was electrocuted by Palps’ force lightning which is what appeared to take his life shortly after. Even if it was another circumstance, it doesn’t change that this was his arc. In short, he died as a result killing Palpatine. Palpatine returning didn’t only completely ruin Anakin/Vaders arc, but rendered his death kinda meaningless. #copeharder

[@ghostlyfieldclub2930]

About Anakin doing right things on accident, it's so out of place that as a kid I genuinely believed he was completely aware of what he was doing, and just feigning ignorance, like "oops I accidentally blasted the reactor!" as if for R2 not to tell on him to Qui Gon for not staying still in the hangar

[@thegoldman25]

hahaha thats funny

[@davemac9563]

Ngl, even as a massive prequel and clone wars era fan, I can’t lie to myself and say they’re great films, especially the phantom menace. But revenge of the Sith is the best one to me, and probably my favorite Star Wars movie, tied with Empire

[@thegoldman25]

I respect the objectivity, thanks for watching!

[@fjnemo]

Yes I think it's an old head thing to hate on the prequels coz everyone my age range tend to say episode 3 is their fav and they generally like the prequels

[@kdusel1991]

I agree!

[@redstonemaster1638]

No they are great films

[@davemac9563]

@@redstonemaster1638 you haven’t watched many films then lol

[@dw1419]

Prequel and Sequel immediate reactions were very different. Fan disappointment with or backlash to Ep 1 was obvious pretty quickly, with Ep 3 being a clear improvement on the first two that somewhat stuck the landing for the prequel trilogy. After Ep 7, even those who pointed out it was a rehash of Ep 4 were pretty optimistic that they would go somewhere interesting with it, and then 8 was very divisive and 9 angered supporters of 8 without really winning over anyone else. Knowing now that JJ had no answers to all the mystery boxes he set up retroactively makes 7 seem much worse than when it originally came out, whereas now Ep 1 is more appreciated than it was at first.

[@cubescihist6737]

Good point!

[@kolaranze]

Didn't liked 7 from the beginning and I was hoping that 8 and 9 would be better. But after 9 I saw that 8 and 9 couldn't have been better because how bad 7 was.

[@sbentsen2714]

Dude It's been a long time since fans were this excited about a Star Wars film or product coming out

[@Foslopac]

Lucas stated many times that the story is about how a good boy turns evil and is redeemed by his son. I'm baffled how people miss that point so often.

[@TheGreatLKHS]

There were some folks that waited overnight at my usual theater at the time. However, I was able to walk right in on the day of release and get a ticket. 😂

[@thegoldman25]

I would wait overnight

[@doenerbax274]

I always liked the prequels growing up and still love them today for what they are but I have to admit that especially the phantom menace lacks a lot to be considered "a great movie". thank you very much for this and all your other videos, been enjoying it a lot

[@thegoldman25]

Nothing wrong with loving the prequels, thanks for watching and for the kind words!

[@thephilosphermichael]

I think the work you do is phenomenal, very in-depth and explore different mindsets and perspectives on movies and shows. Great work man, think you got a future in this :)

[@thegoldman25]

Wow, thank you!

[@homelessjesse9453]

People don't understand these days. But back then, a Star Wars release was like the World Cup, Olympics, Superbowl, World Series, NBA finals, Oscars, all rolled into one. That was how much hype there was to these movies. I still remember leaving the theater with a feeling of shock and a sort of bizarreness. It was like "Did I just watch a bad Star Wars movie? What happened?"

[@chasehedges6775]

I remember when I first went to go see Force Awakens and the hype was just like this.

[@starwarsprequelsandsequels7582]

True

[@thegoldman25]

It was a great time

[@starwarsprequelsandsequels7582]

@@thegoldman25before the dark times before the fandom menace

[@derekneese9497]

While the prequels were the dominant Star Wars property during my childhood (born same year as TPM release), actually experiencing the hype of TFA has probably made it my most nostalgic Star Wars movie for me. There were some annoying things about the discourse at the time, but it was overall magical

[@starwarsprequelsandsequels7582]

@@derekneese9497 same

[@IsaacV2495]

You know what’s funny? Despite this coming out before I was born, I actually saw this in theaters when it got released in 3D when I was 12. It’s moments like these that make me realize 12 years old aren’t the brightest bulbs on the planet.

[@thegoldman25]

I should've seen the 3D release, never did

[@HufflepuffBaseball42313]

@@thegoldman25I actually have a vague memory of going. I would’ve been 7 at the time (I think it was a 2011 release?) it could’ve genuinely been the first time I saw the movie. I know my first viewing of Star Wars was in no particular order and not all at once, I must’ve watched the original trilogy in various snippets between the ages of 4 and 6, AOTC after Revenge of the Sith. Revenge of the Sith is the only one of the OG 6 I can pin down the day I watched it, at my grandmother’s for my 8th birthday. Of course, everything since 2015 I’ve seen in theaters. Still have clear memories of watching Han die and nearly being late to the Solo movie.

[@Naoto-kun1085]

I also got to see that rerelease thankfully, it was my first introduction to the Star Wars movies! I was very disappointed they didn't show the rest of the movies after the Disney buyout, I was really looking forward to seeing Revenge of the Sith in theaters!

[@user-ef7kt5sf6o]

Even though I haven’t watched the video fully yet I’m so glad that when you make your content you aren’t biased on how much you like it and actually make a depth video

[@thegoldman25]

I always try my best. I will never be able to remove all my biases, but I can be objective

[@henrypeters6980]

Remember seeing this with my Dad on VHS. I wasn't born when it came out. But he was so excited to show me. He hates it. Would fast forward through the talky bits, and stop on the action. He was an orignals boy and so was I. Not my favourite movie by any means but, got some great memories around it.

[@thegoldman25]

That's the dream!

[@simtonporestudio4427]

Okay first off, I might have predicted that you will make more star wars years later series for the prequels, second, I wasn't expected this will come out literally right now.

[@thegoldman25]

I eventually will do every Star Wars movie, I just got a lot of other things I will talk about too

[@ChaosCustard]

New Gold Man video. Guess I'll pause working for 46 minutes. Edit: I'd add midichlorians to the "chosen one" problem, since they separate power in the force from training, discipline and passion. Also, Maul gets huge nostalgia / retcon benefits - which are not on screen in the movie, so your point stands, however because he looked cool and fought well, he was then a platform others could build on (sure an actual character would have been better, but then I suspect that he'd have stayed dead) - including Lucas when he retcons Maul's death in the Clone Wars series.

[@thegoldman25]

hahaha thanks!

[@TheLastPrime38]

One of the most fun experiences I've ever had in a theater was force awakens opening night, waiting 8 hrs in line, packed theater, and when the crawl starts the theater erupted. Such a great moment and something I'll never forget.

[@thegoldman25]

TFA opening night was magic

[@TheLastPrime38]

@@thegoldman25 That night re-awakened my love for star wars 100 fold. It's been going strong ever since lol

[@JMorgful]

I remember seeing the Phantom Menace in theaters in 1999. That was a time unlike any other I was 6. My parents took me and brother to see it. Ticket were sold out everywhere and merchandise was everywhere. After I saw it I was floored by it. Growing up I don’t feel the same about it but its an decent movie. I think all star wars movies has something making them worth watching I miss the hype i had for movies

[@mrfnaf9600]

I think the clone wars also made people like the prequels more, which makes complete sense because the clone wars really focused on the characters and anakins turn to the dark side is made much more sad and ultimately better.

[@starwarsprequelsandsequels7582]

I agree

[@thegoldman25]

definitely true

[@sanderspijkers2495]

I never really liked the clone wars. It is to childish for me. For some reason Lucas thought star wars is for kids and kids need an other kid to star in it to like the movies. 2 things I disagree with. Phantom menace also suffers from this a lot and it ruins anakin & jar jars characters.

[@mrfnaf9600]

@@sanderspijkers2495 I personally disagree, clone wars was and still is the most violent and mature star wars project ever made in my personal opinion

[@sanderspijkers2495]

@@mrfnaf9600 I liked the original clone wars cartoon made by Tartakovsky. That was cool. From the filoni one I admittedly only saw the movie and the first few episodes. And they where just to silly for me.

[@IsaacV2495]

My most fond recent memories are when I was in high school and all my friends would make fun of my over-the-top hate for Jar Jar Binks. Aside from that, it’s a disgrace this had to be the SW movie the year I was born.

[@thegoldman25]

Same here man

[@FATE522]

I respectfully disagree with Palpatine's scenes on Corruscant as unimportant. The film is called The Phantom Menace because the majority of the audience going into the films knew that Senator Palpatine/Darth Sidious was the Emperor in the original trilogy. George Lucas didn't tip toe around this making it a shock of the twist of Palpatine being the bad guy all along. If anything all of Palpatine scenes are planting seeds for the prequel trilogy where he can reap in the benefits of bringing the galaxy to it's knees. Even The Clone Wars cartoon made it clear that Palpatine in the prequel trilogy is simply playing a game of chess with himself and everyone but himself as the King piece is expendable for his gain. George Lucas purposely put in those scenes in the Phantom Menace to show the absolute realistic way of hell democracies become dictatorships and republics can become empires. One of the reasons I absolutely love the Phantom Menace is you can see Palpatine at work with what he is trying to accomplish. The random conflict at Naboo is what caused many systems to lose faith in the Republic and what caused the Clone Wars in the first place. And it's very incredibly smart that Palpatine who represented the Naboo is the one who caused the random conflict in the first place. The question I have is how do you interpret the title of the first film of the Skywalker Saga?

[@Spongebrain97]

Man I really love the points you bring up in your criticisms. The main one that sticks out is when you're discussing the flaws of The Phantom Menace such as the robotic acting or a half baked plot point and the response from somebody defending the film always involves "George intended for them to talk like that" and "you gotta read the books and watch the Clone Wars". Like you said they're unable to judge the film solely on it's own as something as its own thing and constantly referenced outside factors like behind the scenes interviews and other media. As much as I like all of the expanded lore, it honestly serves as a get out of jail free card for the shortcomings of the films especially with basic stuff like character motivations and the screenplay

[@thegoldman25]

Thank you! Just because "it was the point" or "that's what the creator intended" it doesn't make it good!

[@Spongebrain97]

​@The Gold Man yeah exactly. With Attack of the Clones for example when talking about the obvious issues of Haydens line delivery and how Anakin's relationship with Padme is bad and unconvincing, the worst response Iv seen several times now is "well Anakin is a teenager so of course he's not going to know how to properly talk to girls" 😂. Im like no, theres countless films about teenagers trying to form relationships with girls that are good and convincing. Essentially they're trying to explain away the bad acting and writing as intentional when it's obviously not. The film Superbad has characters that are awkward and dont know how to talk to girls but you know that it actually is intentional because the writing is good and feels natural

[@Deathlygunn]

As much as i like your rewrite for The Phantom Menace/Attack of the Clones, I think it opens up something of a plot hole. If the Separatists come together as a result of the Republic neglecting to help Naboo, then Padme (as a representative of Naboo) would likely be a Separatist or at least more aware orlf the Republics faults, and when Anakin's Mother is murdered, then Anakin should go through the thought process of "The Republic never helped us here on Tatooine, if they had then maybe my Mother would have survived, it was Padme and Qui-Gon who stepped into help, and it was them who went to Naboo's aid when no-one else would" Anakin would become a Separatist, he'd likely be against Palpatine because the Republic's reluctance to act has now cost Anakin bith his Mother, and the closest thing he had to a father (Qui-Gon).

[@thegoldman25]

that's a good point. Maybe one day I'll do a more in depth rewrite where I can flesh out some plot holes

[@graysonlane8878]

I watched The Phantom Menace for the first time this year….and I liked it a lot. I liked the Palpatine backstory, Qui Gon as a character, how the Darth Maul fight plays into Qui Gon, Obi Wan, and Anakin’s story. Not saying that this movie was the way this story should have been told, or that it was great, but that I found it enjoyable and an important piece of the Skywalker saga. This, on the other hand, I couldn’t say of the sequel trilogy….

[@thegoldman25]

glad you like it!

[@jasonleetaiwan]

Beginning of Episode 1 in 1999: Everyone so excited after waiting 16 years. End of film: Everyone walks out quietly wondering what they just saw. Months later: Everyone hates Jar Jar Binks. Episode 2 comes out: Jar Jar Binks shows up and everyone still hates him.

[@morgankingsley8711]

The prequels are my favorite from a plot / lore perspective But probably my least from a execution perspective since its rough

[@oal8430]

Vader doesn’t save his son because of the prophecy. Prophecy is because he saved his son… Also I think that united vision is generally more valuable than a mess with better visuals (especially when it’s big franchise that should have clear continuity)… PS: Visuals in prequels were far more creative and interesting than visuals we see in sequels. Atleast that is how I see it…

[@ThreadBareHope1234]

30:08 That is also a good point. I think making him the Chosen one did make his entitlement in the next movies make more sense, but it's mostly just an easy way to make Anakin special without showing him do much. I have to agree that Chosen ones are a goofy trope edit: Also, thank you for calling out Dave's explanation of Dual of the fates. I don't get why people listen to it, or why they think he is the second coming

[@Naoto-kun1085]

I also find it odd how vague the prophecy seems to be in the prequels! Not knowing of any reference to the prophecy outside the movies, it seems like it could have been just any extremely powerful jedi, like how did they even know they found the right kid? There could be an even more powerful force user out there who's the real Chosen One! I think they should've given a more specific explanation of the chosen one that made it clear how they knew who the Chosen One would be.

[@ThreadBareHope1234]

@aidenc1085 They also mentioned that because Anakin had no father, he must've been "a vergence in the force", so maybe that was in the prophecy, but that isn't confirmed, so you're right. Its vague, and (sorry to start assuming things, but) that could be the reason that jedi didn't take it that seriously. Sure it's mentioned a lot, but they don't mention it to Anakin much. Plus, they felt his future was uncertain and dangerous from the start.

[@Naoto-kun1085]

@@ThreadBareHope1234 That is a good point, and that seems likely why the Jedi Council was hesitant to make Anakin a padawan! And that's also true that no one talks to him about it, and Anakin never talks about being the Chosen One, so it seems that he either doesn't know much or doesn't really care. The meaning behind "bringing balance to the force" is also rather odd, as it implies that the force is currently out of balance. However, considering the lengths Palpatine had to go to outsmart and overthrow the Jedi order, it doesn't seem like the dark side was necessarily greater than the light side, so why did the Jedi need a Chosen One at that time? I haven't read much supplementary material so it's probably explained somewhere else, I'm just going off of the movies, because the movies leave a lot of questions about the prophecy unanswered!

[@hunterbatten4011]

I was 13 going on 14 and there will never be anything like the lead up to this film. I was feral. The Force Awakens was an amazing build up as well, and as an adult with adult money I went nuts. We should all stop and appreciate all of the amazing memories these films have given us. Standing in line at Toys R Us with hundreds of people that love what you love. The enthusiasm is always amazing.

[@LateNightModels]

I've always enjoyed the prequels. I can look through all of the criticism towards movies, plots, effects, and actors because for me, they are entertainment. All of the Star Wars films are great for their own reasons, and yes, I even like Jar Jar. May the force be with you!

[@wickdaline8668]

TPM used to be one of my least liked SW movies but it has grown on me some over recent years and not because of the sequels. But because of the consequences that proceed after Qui-Gon's killing. Which are the fall of both Douku and Anakin. TOTJ elaborates so much more on the former especially.

[@thegoldman25]

glad you've found a new found love for it!

[@kdusel1991]

Tales of the jedi is great! I can't wait for season 2!!

[@chudy383]

The point of the prequals isn't about the war at all,its about anakin,we see his start as a jedi and then we see him struggling with the jedi council and with his feelings,and then there is the conclusion

[@thegoldman25]

it could be about both. The originals are about the rebellion and Luke

[@chudy383]

@@thegoldman25 yea but the prequals don't focus at the war,its focuses on how the republic has fallan and how anakin became vader,and i forget to tell you but when you said the jedi are idiots and they should be smarter but i belive they should be so we can see how courapeted the republic and the jedi are and that shows both why they need to die and will die

[@mitchvechart7164]

I must’ve been 3 when I saw this movie in the theater. As controversial as it is to say, this movie is my favorite Star Wars film.

[@Alienkiwi730]

If you were there, you know exactly how hyped this movie was. I'll never forget. It was ridiculous. It was everywhere, like Coca Cola. The toy craze was real. I remember going into The Warehouse (my country's version of Walmart), and there was an entire chunk of the store completely made up to look like a scene from Star Wars, like a halloween decoration. And it was just hundreds of boxes of toys all around me, from the original trilogy to Ep 1. First time seeing adults buying toys in bulk haha

[@kadegetslaid634]

Love the phantom menace, grew up on it aswell as the other prequels and the clone wars, i didnt even see the orignals until i was 12

[@starwarsprequelsandsequels7582]

Me too

[@thegoldman25]

That's awesome!

[@kadegetslaid634]

​@@starwarsprequelsandsequels7582 a fan of culture I see

[@starwarsprequelsandsequels7582]

@@kadegetslaid634thanks

[@spartanisland9977]

I don’t think Phantom Menace was that bad, is it amazing? No. But I think it’s perfectly fine and it’s best moments are great. Way better than AOTC imo. Hell that duel is my personal favourite. Regardless of what you say about the movie I wish I could’ve been around in the PM hype that seems special 😢

[@thegoldman25]

So glad you love the movie!

[@spartanisland9977]

@@thegoldman25 it’s perfectly solid doesn’t deserve sm hate

[@spartanisland9977]

@@thegoldman25 also I just saw the part where u talk abt the senate. I agree I don’t think it’s super interesting but I also agree to your point that the senate can be As well. The senate scenes in Bad Batch S2 i thought they were fantastic and super interesting because so was the issue

[@chungkingexpress94]

I remember downloading the trailer over dial up. Took hours and I kept watching whatever little bit was downloaded so far every fee seconds. Best trailer ever made. I love Phantom Menace so much

[@SentientHoodii]

idk if youre a youtuber that only reads recent video comments, but one thing rubbed me the wrong way about the "Vader's sacrifice means nothing" 'rebuttal' if Palpatine survives, most people I've seen make the argument (Including me) don't do it because "Chosen One Prophecy" but because Vader returning to the lightside to save his son is one of the few examples of "the power of Love/Friendship saves the day" that is actually good, for lack of a better term him saving his son is a somewhat selfish action (emotionally) because his son can only offer him things emotionally, everything material he could receive from Palpatine anyways like he's been doing, yet his Love for family returns from his time with Padme and Ahsoka and overpowers what was years of repression to turncoat and take out the evil himself, the story is saying these connections are more important than any objective positions, authority, and possessions an evil can offer you, but if Palpatine survives it undercuts that whole message of the connection he had for his son triumphed over the gaslighting and manipulation Palpatine put him through. It denies the metaphor of escaping an abusive relationship simply by Palpatine living in any capacity.

[@starwarsprequelsandsequels7582]

Darth Maul is one of the most overestimated characters ever. Although unlike another overestimated character (boba fett) I can understand a bit why some people (even among a few among those who hate the phantom menace) find him cool and badass

[@thegoldman25]

overestimated?

[@starwarsprequelsandsequels7582]

@@thegoldman25well like you said in the movie he has not a personality apart for being a good fighter. And even with the clone wars giving him some kind of arc he is still overestimated to my taste

[@HugoSoup57]

Darth Maul is a flat character in the Phantom Menace, but he’s a legitimately great character in the Clone Wars series and Rebels.

[@Surllio]

I, too, hated the chosen one narrative. At the time, it was EVERYWHERE. However, once we got to Revenge of the Sith, I started to look at the prophecy as a red herring. It was something planted to MAKE the Jedi look for something. Because of the prophecy, they were too strict or not open into letting Anakin be Anakin, which leads to Anakin making irrational, terrible decisions. I believe Yoda brought it up in what otherwise was a throw away line that Prophecies can be misread/misinterpreted. This opens up a ton of takes because it plays back into the Dune roots. Prophecies are made by those with reasons to make them. If you are a chosen one, WHO did the choosing? For all we know, the string of hidden sith have been gearing up exactly for this, as its suggested that Palpatine or Plagus are the ones that created Anakin.

[@thegoldman25]

fair point, but George Lucas confirmed the prophecy was a real thing, thus I hate it

[@Surllio]

@The Gold Man I hadn't heard Lucas confirm it, but again, he backpedaled a lot over the years. If he confirmed the prophecy is real, yeah that's ugly bad.

[@berengustav7714]

Yes,we need more stories were the Dark Lord manufactures a Chosen One Prophecy so no one will resist him unless they find some special "they have green eyes or violet eyes" bollocks.

[@TubeTAG]

13:20 The entire Palpatine arc exists so we can get him as a through-line for the prequels. I think your criticism is justified in that it's not a good part of the plot, but I think rather than cutting it, it would be better to change his involvement. For those folks who didn't *know* already that Darth Sidious and Palpatine were the same person, there could have been *more* done to create dramatic irony that Palpatine who seemed to be trying to "help" Naboo and was a Sith who seemed to be against it.

[@MikeyFC]

You have no idea how excited I am for Revenge of the Sith… 18 years on 🙏

[@thegoldman25]

I'm hoping to do attack of the clones in august and revenge of the sith in september. sorry for the wait!

[@justinsinger2505]

I think Qui gon and Obi wans dynamic was Obi wan was afraid to become a Jedi Knight and didn’t feel ready to become a knight despite Qui Gon saying that he thinks Obi Wan is more than capable of being a Knight and is ready for the trials. This is somewhat explored in the 2003 Gendy Clone Wars series hints at often with Obi Wan often feeling hints of regret that he was never ready to take on someone like Anakin or become some Jedi General leading an army or how he feels a sense of regret that Qui Gon couldn’t of been the one to train Anakin. Revenge of the Sith’s video game adaptation also has a really great line in the final battle where Obi wan says to Anakin “I wasn’t ready to train someone like you.” This whole fear and self doubt Obi Wan seems to have is something that could of easily been more explored in Phantom Menace as this does seem like something that ended being somewhat crucial to Obi Wans character especially in the long run of Star Wars. Obi Wan was afraid to leave Qui Gons shadow. And it all ended going to show how he he was never going to properly train Anakin. Qui Gon was always going to be the master Anakin needed.

[@thegoldman25]

Interesting observation

[@michaelgiammarino6962]

I was 24 when The Phantom Menace came out. I was a fan of the film then. I'm a fan of the film now. I was a defender of the film then. I'm a defender of the film now. I can respect your criticism of the film, even though I don't entirely agree with your assesement. Respectfully, when you suggest that the Coruscant section ignores the situation on Naboo to concentrate on Palpatine's attempt to become Chancellor, I have to disagree. Palpatine accompanies Amidala to make her case for a strike against the Trade Federation. That's why they're there. And when Valorum calls for a motion to defer, that's when Palpatine sees his chance to vy for the Chancellor's seat. Palpatine is using the situation on Naboo to get what he wants. The situation on Naboo was never sidelined or ignored here. It's what Palpatine was using to get what he wants. And as far as the characters being more archetypal and less fully developed characters, all I can say to that is... George deals in archetypes. George is more of a classicist when he tells a story. He's using older forms, not what's commonplace in our present day. The way he presents his characters is going to reflect that. The comparison you make between the ground mission on Scarif and the space battle in Rogue One vs the ground battles on Naboo and the space battle against the Trade Federation in The Phantom Menace is totally fair, if perhaps also a little misplaced. George is using a chiastic structure in his writing, which means the prequels "rhyme" with specific sections of the original trilogy. In the case of the Battle of Naboo, he's riffing off the Battle of Endor, the ground battle on Endor, and the lightsaber battle between Vader and Luke. The ground battle on Naboo splits to include what the Gungans are doing and the skirmish Padme is leading, but it's still a parallel to its mirror section in ROTJ. George is also taking from classic cinema as well. For instance, the hijinks Jar Jar gets in is essentially what happens to Harold Lloyd in the Silent film Gun Shy (1924), and it becomes part of the visual language of the sequence. George is framing Jar Jar (and the film itself) through a very old fashioned lens. And while I think your critique about Anakin just "happening" to destroy the Trade Federation is totally fair, I think what the scene does is presents Anakin's Force intuition as a series of childlike mistakes because he is, in fact, a child. I know it's silly, but if it isn't silly, I don't think it would be honest.

[@thegoldman25]

you wer 24 when it came out, and now it's been 24 years later. Isn't that wild! also thanks for taking the time to write this, I love reading longer comments

[@michaelgiammarino6962]

@The Gold Man It's crazy, right? I saw it Thursday night before it opened. After it was over, while I was making my way to my car, fascinated even then by how much the film reminded me of Return of the Jedi, a group was just bursting out of the main doors behind me, and one of them, fuming, said, "What the !@#$% was THAT???" The backlash had already begun. And that's something I definitely agree with you about. Toxic Fandom didn't begin with the sequel trilogy. It was beginning right there, with Episode I. Well... let's say the seeds were sown with the special editions, which then begun to flower with Episode I.

[@mattrobledo4871]

8:23, training Anakin isn’t a plot point. It’s if he’ll be trained that is the question. Anakin actually has no personal relevance to this plot but is the heart of the story. That’s really where I felt the emotional presence of Jake Loyd. Especially in the scene of him leaving his mom. It’s the antithesis to why Luke left Tatooine. During the scenes on Tatooine, Anakin has nothing to lose there, if he loses then the most is gone is his pod, he can build another, it’s the lives of these people he just met and he wants to help. And an urgency to prove to himself that he can do the right thing because he has to. His defiance to his mom that helping the people he just met is met with a positive effect, something that would grow to define his personality of over the years, following his intuition. He never questions whether he’ll lose or not but everyone else does, especially Padmé, except for Qui-Gon. Even r2 and 3p0 discuss the statistical anomaly that would have to happen for him to win. It brings up a point of conflict between Qui-Gon and Amidala that’s never actually resolved because Qui-Gon trusted his instincts and won. Something Amidala learns to do by the end of the picture, set up during said “boring” Corusaunt scenes. That race is more important to the plot of the movie than the plot of the movie. On the topic of those boring scenes let’s talk about that. They set up the rest of Saga. “The remnants of the imperial senate have been swept away” “the Emperor has dissolved the council permanently” - Grand Moff Tarkin Episode 4. The political scenes work to set up the 3 main characters of the series going forward. These scenes explore and explain how Palpatine comes into initial power. It establishes the Jedi order at their height but shows how they really are. Soulless and detached from everything. They don’t serve the Will of the force like Qui-Gon, they serve the Senate. Doesn’t that sound like a lot of Christian churches and the way they rationalize doing something immoral but saying it’s okay as long as it’s constitutional? And if it isn’t we’ll change our stance to make systemic change that fits the needs of the republic. For Padme she’s spent the entire picture trying to be as pacifist as she can be. Not defending her people as she “would not condone a course of action that will lead us to a war” but she still has to deal with the consequences it’s having on her people and her choice to leave in order to fight for her people. After trying to handle things the legal way and it only leading to more bureaucracy, then SHE DECIDES to go back. She also has a change in heart and is willing to take a chance on using the Gungans army draw out the troops “just walking around” away from the cities to “wipe them out all of them” the gungans while they enter the palace and capture the Viceroy. This change in heart and very risky plan she’d only have the stomach to see through because she met Anakin who proved her wrong and is really the reason Naboo was saved in the first place when you get down to it. Also it’s not important to see the people of the planet suffering. That’s a part of war. There will always be civilian casualties and suffering during a time of war. We didn’t see all those deaths in A new hope when Alderan was destroyed, or the Death Star. Because you didn’t see the likely grotesque way in which these billion people all died doesn’t mean they didn’t happen. What’s important is how the characters who are responsible for those who are suffering deal with it or don’t deal with it. I mean no disrespect dude, I like your videos and you seem like a nice guy, but I couldn’t get through 10 minutes of your plot analysis given how full of holes it is and downright hypocritical. If you really want to have a comprehensive understanding on things that don’t make sense to you then do some research to make sure what you are talking about is authentic and not trying to pass your opinion off as fact. It makes you no better than the fans you criticized for having too strong of an opinion about the prequels before The Last Jedi. In fact it’s just downright backtracking. Your entire video is based on a what if and what you wanted. But if you took the time to understand the more complex details of the movies I’m sure you’d have a much better time with them as I do and people who actually enjoy the prequels and movies in general. Also don’t try to correct the writing of these movies. It’s clunky but it’s intentional to reflect the dramatic nature of movie cliffhanger serials like Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers, of which Star Wars is directly based on. George even said he directed his actors in the prequels as if he was directing a period piece. Which makes sense, why would the characters who predate the heroes from the original trilogy sound and speak in a vernacular younger than them. There’s more weight in tradition in the prequels, that’s clearly gone out the door by the originals, and George makes a point to put an emphasis on this. But isn’t the whole point of these movies to embrace traditions but to follow your instincts despite it being against the conventional narrative? kzbin.info/www/bejne/rKLRm62MjZ14gaMsi=Y1mWuMi7jDouLnzd for a full intellectual comprehension of the prequels and Star Wars as a whole.

[@michaelfiori6700]

I was like 6 or 8 when episode one was released. To me that was star wars and I had all the Legos, played the pod racer games. I'm 28 now rewatching the prequels is not as bad as rise of Skywalker but damn did the dialouge give use amazing memes

[@thegoldman25]

people do love the memes

[@fabriciorosso9807]

Love your videos!. Despite disagreing with a few things about SW (specially the sequel trilogy), its always good to hear refreshing and different perspectives. Also thank you for not calling the fans that dislike the new Star Wars "toxic" or something like that.

[@thegoldman25]

Thanks! I would never call someone toxic for a movie opinion, I appreciate the support

[@akimomalrov3241]

What I got from the Movie alone, is that the Trade federation was ultimately NOT harming the citizens. They were attempting to Anex Naboo and the entire point was the legal battle in the senate as to whether or not the actions were legal. The battle of Naboo was the culmination of taking action into your own hands and rebelling against the overlords, but not necassarily out of attempting to live, but out of right to own naboo. that is why we are not shown any bloodshed, cause there actually was none. So, hence the reasons why the "crisis" isnt that urgent, and why most are fairly emotionless within their individual scenes.

[@thegoldman25]

great analysis. It still begs the question why everyone was saying people were dying. Was it a lie?

[@alexo_pog]

⁠​⁠​⁠@@thegoldman25 the "dying" is mentioned first in the governor's message which both the jedi express that it has to be a bait by their opponents to track their location once they transmit back the message was in fact a fake, a trick ordered by the sith (maul?) confirmed by maul's dialogue with sidious at the balcony "tattooine is sparsely populated. if the TRACE is correct, i will find them quickly, master" so although it is not shown and it is easy to miss what happened i think it's implied that someone of the naboo crew (padme's double/someone else) has secretly sent out the message *despite* obiwan's warning (quigon was not present on the ship, his words probably would've meant way more to the others than the ones of a *padawan,* quigon only expresses his thoughts about the bait message in a private convo with obiwan) later it's not really a "everyone is saying" situation, it is mentioned only by padme, twice, who watched the governors message later herself when they arrived with anakin, she says it to anakin and says it to palpatine in his quarters, she is worried as she thinks it's true

[@Naoto-kun1085]

I do think that's a good analysis of the Naboo conflict, but I don't think that makes for a very interesting plot for a film. There's no real emotional investment from the characters in that case, it's just Padmé saying "This planet belongs to me" without her having any real connection to it. And there's no emotional investment from the audience because even if the characters fail to save Naboo, we know no real harm will come to the planet as a whole. While it makes sense from a lore standpoint, it's not a great plot for a film that's meant to start a new trilogy, sadly. (Not to say I don't like TPM, I love this movie dearly)

[@cambatson8740]

Slowly watched the subscribed viewers go from 4% up to 10%, it’s nice. You deserve it.

[@look4lec]

I stayed up on a school night to watch this in 1999 and I thought it was FANTASTIC. I've soured since then but I saw special edition and all that... like I know the name of Jaba's shrimp sidekick, do you? Salacious B. Crumb, Bib Fortuna is the guy with the crazy head snakes in RotJ... it was good on that night.

[@reggiebuttsmash2321]

I was 6 and this was the first movie I ever felt excited for! I know people are critical of it but it’s just such a FUN TIME for me and seriously never gets old

[@thegoldman25]

It's a fun movie for me too! Kinda...

[@vgrepairs]

@@thegoldman25 jaded much? we loved these as kids. im 27 now, i was the target demo for these films. they're a lot deeper than ANY mainstream children's film i've ever seen. slave 9 year old mechanic that has never finished a race before prevails through experience, main character/father figure dies, female lead portrays diplomatic and fighting strength, complex political manipulation, the bumbling fool is shown compassion and given a chance to contribute. the whole film is an homage to myths and cinema of old. please watch the rick worley vids man.

[@brianfoster3615]

In the initial writing of Star Wars circa 1975-1976, George Lucas really only had fleshed out the Fall of the Jedi forward and anything preceding was only a few bullet points. Had George Lucas fully fleshed out the bullet points into a true 9 part saga (he did have bullet points for the sequels from that original writing session), the prequels and sequels would have had the same quality of the Original Trilogy.

[@Carvello20]

One thing you never mentioned is the 'sound' of it. Has this retro analogue vibe that booms out of the speakers, like listening to an LP in stereo (rather than an mp3)

[@8Scientist]

I have such rose tinted goggles for this film. I was the perfect age when it came out to be way to young to understand anything about characters, plot, story etc but to be completely hooked by space knights with laser swords, pod racing, space battles, robots and silly goofy aliens.

[@timmywoo3572]

Finally about the phantom menace, a new post from the gold man is always a good day

[@thegoldman25]

Enjoy! Thanks for the support!

[@ChemBoy613]

First of all - I like the prequils a lot - but i think the problem is that the story is really too big for films. Context like the history of the jedi and the sith, which might be in the EU or in games, and the incredible fleshing out of the story in The Clone Wars TV series makes all the plot beats in these film make sense and land way harder. The texture and time we get into in the other medias means that when we now watch these films we understand the significance of every move. Also, just thinking about it, we can't blame the actors as all these people have incredible perfomances in other media. Even Hayden, they did him dirty. Anyhway, keep up the good work! Thanks for the video :D

[@thegoldman25]

I think you're right. the prequels are so big that it would've made a great TV show. thanks for watching!

[@Jeremyisthings]

On the wooden dialog / delivery piece, I think RRR is a good example. Ram is a no nonsense policeman in his public life, and he presents himself as such in those scenes. However in private, there are incredible displays of frustration where his emotions take over and you really see the toll this takes on him.

[@amss6433]

I think the trade federation scenes in the prequels were one of the best especially the dialogue between Nute Gunray and whoever he is talking to that bloke has more charisma and charm than anything in the sequels and don’t get me started on the droids that say “roger roger” although in the cartoon they were shown more they have more charisma and charm as well

[@TheUndertaker805]

Even as a kid I hated Episodes 1&2. Such a shame the PT took 3 full movies (and basically an entire TV show) to become decent.

[@thegoldman25]

that's the cycle of star wars it seems

[@TheUndertaker805]

@@thegoldman25 fantastic video btw!

[@thegoldman25]

thank you!

[@starwarsprequelsandsequels7582]

@@thegoldman25i share it

[@Lsalm11]

This movie completely falls apart under the lightest scrutiny from a filmmaking perspective. But man that john williams score is incredible. This was a great breakdown!

[@thegoldman25]

100% agree, thanks for watching!

[@KnoxCarbon]

I was three when the movie came out. I never saw it in theaters, but my dad got us a VHS copy later. It was the first Star Wars movie I watched from beginning to end.

[@Freenure]

Bro, did you miss the part where the Prequels are about Anakin becoming Vader? Phantom - Loss; Clones - Rage; Revenge - Hatred.

[@cloudyfoam]

Fun fact: George Lucas mentioned that the prequels are something that nobody wanted back in the day because, like you said in one of your videos, they're not necessarily stories. Like the sequels and even Empire Strikes Back. The Phantom Menace is easily the weakest of the prequel trilogy and the weakest of the Skywalker saga and I too don't like the movie, But the movie isn't the worst, and I feel sorry for Jake Floyd and Ahmed Best for being bullied so heavily from "fans" and even Kelly Marie Trans and Daisy Ridley, they deserve more respect than the "fandom"

[@starwarsprequelsandsequels7582]

True

[@thegoldman25]

interesting, i never heard him say that

[@gregmanca1474]

Love your channel- keep up the great work!

[@thegoldman25]

Thank you!

[@xalix77]

As a Brazilian, i watched this movies voiced in portuguese, and they choose the BEST voice actors at the time, the dialogs are so much better

[@wettoaster.]

To me, Qui Gon only had one characteristic, and it was the only one that mattered: he was chill as heeellllllll

[@millieboon]

Yes jar jar was a bit much and they put to much emphasis on him and yes some of the dialogue is a little off but not enough to where it ruins the movies but other than that I really enjoyed the movie , might be biased as the movie is 2 years older than me but the prequels still felt like Star Wars the fighting enhance the score and soundtrack enhanced , it gets to much hate, but the clone wars tv series definitely enhanced and added so much but I still like the prequel

[@starwarsprequelsandsequels7582]

If jar jar binks didn’t exist we might won’t have motion capture/performance capture based characters and movies

[@thegoldman25]

ah shit I forgot to talk about that. I'm upset now

[@starwarsprequelsandsequels7582]

@@thegoldman25without him we might not have gollum, Steven Spielberg’s Tintin movie or James Cameron’s Avatar

[@starwarsprequelsandsequels7582]

@@jamesarnold7253true

[@stefanklietsch5500]

That is a thoughtful video essay, Gold Man. That being said, while you are correct that The Phantom Menace should be analyzed on its own merit as a standalone film, I think that you under-appreciate the best part of this film: the worldbuilding. At an immediate glance the Coruscant scenes are boring and slow, but they open up the human imagination in ways that few or no scenes in any other Star Wars films do. That is partly why the expanded universe in everything from books to video games was successful and profitable during this time period: the Jedi and the politics of the galaxy never were more begging for more attention and background detail. This is not at all the case with the sequel trilogy, where there is little world-building to generate interest in fan theories or any bigger franchise. That is probably why you find Episode 1 more rewatchable than some other Star Wars films, despite being one of your least favourites, and why you wish there was more background on some characters: too much is left to the imagination, at the expense of immediate character growth in the present. (Whereas the sequels have character growth to build off of, but too little is left to the imagination.)

[@CM-ry5pt]

This is covered in the RedLetterMedia Mr. Plinkett review of The Force Awakens, but I think a huge part of the noted shift in the online discourse surrounding the prequels was a concerted effort by Disney to change the narrative surrounding Star Wars to try to improve engagement and sales for their new expensive acquisition.

[@starwarsprequelsandsequels7582]

Screw that boomer that compared a movie (the phantom menace) to his son and insults the fans of that movie who grew up with it by acting gatekeeper (before the term gatekeeper existed).