‘The Phantom Menace’ follows the action-packed and imaginative story of a young boy’s journey leaving his mother on the desolate desert planet of Tatooine to join a galactic order with the prospect of wielding a mystical energy called The Force. Along the way, the young boy named Anakin Skywalker (Jake Lloyd) is joined by a myriad of exciting characters, including Jedi Master Qui Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson), his Jedi apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor), and Darth Maul, a menacing double-bladed lightsaber-wielding Sith Lord. After the influential Trade Federation, run by powerful galactic business leaders, cuts off all trade routes with the planet Naboo, Qui Gon Jinn and his apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi are sent by the Jedi Council to investigate and resolve the conflict.
The story of ‘The Phantom Menace’ has captured the hearts of many, but for many die-hard fans of the original Star Wars trilogy, it was ill-received. Many complained about the movie’s poorly written dialogue, uncomfortably painful acting, and questionable visual effects. Unfortunately, actor Jake Llyod, eight years old when he was cast as young Anakin Skywalker, faced significant backlash for his performance in ‘The Phantom Menace,’ and the negative attention his character garnered triggered schizophrenic episodes for Lloyd that he continues to deal with today. While Lloyd has reportedly been doing better mentally in recent years, the bullying and backlash he faced at such a young age sparked important conversations regarding the importance of separating fictional characters from their actors.
Disregarding the backlash, there were many who fell in love with the movie’s unique characters and imaginative story. The release of ‘The Clone Wars in the late 2000s and early 2010s and a myriad of additional Star Wars content since the release of ‘The Phantom Menace’ have contributed to the love the movie and its characters have garnered over time, particularly among young generations of Star Wars fans, myself included. Those who grew up watching the excitable animated adventures of Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker, and Padme Amidala in ‘The Clone Wars’ are among the multitude of die-hard prequel fans, maintaining a more neutral and generally positive attitude toward the early 2000s controversial movies than older generations.
With The Phantom Menace’s 25th anniversary return to theaters, I am among the younger generations of Star Wars fans excited to watch our favorite animated and live-action characters on the big screen for the first time. However, plenty of older generation Star Wars fans have also expressed their excitement about rewatching the movie in theaters. ‘The Phantom Menace’ will return to theaters across the United States starting May 3rd and run over the entirety of the weekend. Tickets are available now to experience the imaginative beginning of the epic Star Wars saga.
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