VI. Star Wars - Episode I: The Phantom Menace, May 19, 1999
And so the most anticipated movie of all time has hit the theatres to be viewed by the public. The race has officially begun to sink the ship, and the countdown to Episode II has begun (still more than 1000 days).
Was it worth it? What did I think of it? Who's my favorite character? What's my favorite part? Well I'll tell you...
Was it worth it? This is a question from people who don't understand why we stood in line. We could have been waiting for Point Break and it still would have been worth it. The line itself was an experience I will probably never have again, and that I'm glad I didn't miss. The experience has often been compared to life as a Kosovo refugee, and I can obviously think of better experiences (Something involving Natalie Portman comes to mind), but I wouldn't have missed it for the world. There is simply no other situation I could be in where I could watch my favorite movies with new friends who share my love for the movies, lying on the ground which shakes with the sound of the movies outside of my campsite. I could enjoy knowing more than anyone else at Star Wars trivial pursuit, but where else could any number of people soundly defeat me at the game? This is the problem with expertise: you are rarely around compatriots. Where else would a special episode of Animaniacs get cheers from a standing-room only crowd? The month of May gave me more Star Wars fun than I've had since I was 12 and played with the action figures in my back yard (no, I don't have any of them left, but I'll bet they're still buried in my back yard). Regardless of how good the movie was, waiting in line was certainly "worth it".
What did I think of the movie? I loved it! From the first alien whose words don't match his mouth, the robots who exclaim, "Uh Oh! Blast 'em!", and Qui-Gon Jinn showing the power of a Light Sabre by melting half of a huge steel door all in the opening sequence, I was hooked. By the time we'd learned that "there's always a bigger fish", and that it's important to follow your instincts, and that "Any time you gamble, you eventually lose", and that Anakin is surely the Chosen One, and that even a race we consider inferior is important to our survival, and the beginnings of the Empire and the Rebellion, I was practically drooling with happiness. That's why I've seen it 6 times already, will see it 3 more times on Saturday, and plan to see it several more times before it's gone.
Who is my favorite character? What's my favorite part? Going in, I fully expected Queen Amidala to be my favorite character. I'm kind of a feminist at heart, and she looks like a strong female role. Unfortunately, she didn't have as much of a role as I was expecting. I think she'll be much more interactive in Episode II. My favorite turned out to be the Droid Soldiers. I didn't expect them to talk at all, so their high pitched "Roger, Roger" really took me by surprise. When I heard the leader say, "Uh Oh! Blast 'em!", I was positively gleeful. But my favorite scene in the movie is when the Jedis are escorting the queen off of Naboo and are met by the droids:
Droid: "Halt!"
Qui-Gon: "We are ambassadors from the Republican Senate. We're taking the queen to Coruscant."
Droid: "Where are you taking them?"
Qui-Gon: "To Coruscant."
Droid: "Uh...Coruscant, that doesn't compute...uh, wait...(points menacingly)...you're under arrest!"
Great destruction of droids by light sabres commences, ending with disembodied droid legs stumbling around aimlessly.
I have to admit two things. 1. The droids are not really a character at all 2. The droids are bad guys. Sorry on both accounts. This is just my honest opinion.