Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999)

Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace was significantly burdened from the outset. It had to capitalize on new technology to further the Star Wars mythos, relaunch the series after a hiatus, and lay the groundwork for future films.

The advent of CGI gave George Lucas a whole new avenue of visual exploration, and the results range all the way from good to poor. Some of the new settings and aliens are eye-catching but others only serve as gaudy digital additions to a once highly practical world. A particular fight late in the movie even takes place with a Windows XP desktop wallpaper as the backdrop. The film's visual identity was a point of controversy for fans. Still, entire sequences of The Phantom Menace would have been impossible without digital effects. And while it is easy to point to the hokey battle droids and Gungans, it ignores real visual strengths elsewhere. This is ironic because while some of the film's visual strength comes from digital effects, much of it remains grounded in practicality.

As an example of a successful use of digital effects, the podracing scene stands as one of the highlights of the film and required extensive and sustained CGI. In terms of practical successes, the props from the blasters to the lightsabers, as well as the make-up and costuming are all excellent. Queen Amidala and Darth Maul represent all of the above coming together to create visually striking characters with unforgettable designs. The film may not be as practical as its predecessors, but it did not discard the skillset altogether.

With an expanded toolbelt with which to get the job done, the question stood: could The Phantom Menace successfully redeploy the Star Wars formula?

If there is a fault, it is following the formula too closely, not departing from it. We spend the early parts of the film on an arid planet (the same one we've been to before, in fact) where a young male with incredible power is hidden away. He must then make the daring journey into space where he plays a key part in a military engagement, guided by his connection with the Force.

Also staying true to the originals, a legendary lightsaber battle is delivered with the orchestrally incredible "Duel of the Fates" accompanying it. While the narrative placement of this battle is classic, the choreography is all new. We see a three-part conflict, with Obi-Wan fighting like an eager apprentice, Qui-Gon fighting with the patience and discipline of a weathered Jedi, and best of all, Maul swinging, jumping and taunting wildly with aggression only found in a Sith. The reveal of the dual lightsaber to match his two opponents is visual ecstasy.

In laying the groundwork for future films, The Phantom Menace is fascinating in its departure from the first Star Wars film. The departure is of course that The Phantom Menace even concerned itself with sequels in the first place. While inconsistent with the original formula, this stands as a legitimate improvement. The film doesn't end on a production note of "maybe, we'll see what happens"; it is custom built for later addition. And given the episodic nature the series took on, this is fitting.

While it doesn't reach the heights of its predecessors, the film still manages induction into the cultural lexicon, serving as fodder for nostalgia and memes to this day. From technology, to maintaining the brand, and preparation for the future, The Phantom Menace succeeded in restarting the engine that is Star Wars.