The Phantom Menace: The Phantom Menace is still my favorite Star Wars movie

Let's get this over with—I know that The Phantom Menace is not the film most fans gush about when they talk about the Star Wars franchise. It's usually a whipping post for complaints, from the infamous character of Jar Jar Binks to the "clunky" dialogue. And yet, despite all the lukewarm reviews and its status as a polarizing prequel, it is my hands-down favorite in the whole series.

Yeah, it's flawed, but to me, it's a movie that gets to the heart of what made Star Wars so magical in the beginning. There's wonder, an expansiveness to the world-building, and an undercurrent of melancholy that exists beneath the surface of what many of us write off as a "children's movie."

In The Phantom Menace, you find the beginning of all things—the beginning of the Sith, the downfall of the Republic, and, ultimately, the tragic inception of Darth Vader. It's a film that left me feeling as though I were entering a galaxy far, far away for the first time in far too long. That, I think, is something that I have never been able to get out of my system.

A galactic adventure—The story that sets it all in motion

What The Phantom Menace did for me, beyond anything else, was set the stage for a sprawling galactic adventure that felt new yet familiar. We’ve all seen the epic battles, the high-stakes diplomacy, and the rising threats in Star Wars, but there’s something about the world-building in this movie that makes it feel unique. It’s not just the grand battles or the space action, though those are brilliant, mind you.

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It’s the political landscape that truly captivated me. The emergence of the Sith, Palpatine's maneuverings, and the Trade Federation's blockade of Naboo are far more than mere background noise—they're the strings that bind it all together, ultimately driving the Republic towards total collapse. It's complicated. It's layered.

Seeing this film as a child, I was concerned with the action and the lightsabers, but as an adult, I can see just how much the political machinations anchor this film. We don't get to see the Republic at its strongest very often, and in The Phantom Menace, there is a poignancy to the way it all unravels.

You can feel the weight of what’s coming, especially if you’ve watched the original trilogy and already know what’s at stake. And that’s what’s so amazing about it—the movie stands on its own, yet it builds something much bigger. It’s the beginning of a tragedy, and that’s a bittersweet thing to witness.

Memorable characters who shape the galaxy

Let’s talk characters. The Phantom Menace may not contain as many classic characters as the original trilogy, but the ones it does contain are unforgettable. Let's start with Qui-Gon Jinn. There's something about his unassuming wisdom and absolute faith in the Force that just strikes a chord with me.

He's the type of Jedi who doesn't do things just to do them; he listens to the Force, trusts in it, and will make choices that aren't necessarily popular even with the Jedi Council. Liam Neeson's take on Qui-Gon was a welcome respite in a show that had previously been stereotypical for more conventional, rigid Jedi characters.

And then there's Obi-Wan Kenobi. This film is the start of his evolution, from eager apprentice to the wise Jedi we know in A New Hope. Ewan McGregor's performance is so charming, and it's obvious he's the transition between the old generation of Star Wars and the new.

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Obi-Wan's character development is one of maturation, loss, and allegiance, and it's executed magnificently in The Phantom Menace. Anakin Skywalker, also, is at the center of this film. I realize that a lot of fans have their reservations about Jake Lloyd's acting as young Anakin, but to me, his innocence and naivety were precisely what the character required.

His potential, his talent, and the hint of the dark road he would eventually follow struck more forcefully, knowing what lay ahead in the sequels. There's a gravity to his performance that, in retrospect, makes his descent into darkness all the more heartbreaking. And then there's Padmé Amidala.

She's not just a princess or a damsel in distress. Natalie Portman lends a sense of maturity and toughness to the role, balancing her position as a leader and diplomat with that of someone who will do whatever it takes to keep her people safe.

Even the supporting actors—love them or hate them—are integral to the plot. Jar Jar Binks? Okay, sometimes he gets a bit much, but his existence serves to bridge the gaps between different factions of the Star Wars universe, and his part in bringing the Gungans and the inhabitants of Naboo together is an essential part of the plot.

And then Darth Maul. That double-bladed lightsaber. That face. The fight with him at the end of the movie is one of the greatest choreographed action scenes in Star Wars history, and he's the ideal physical manifestation of the threat of the Sith. He didn't require much dialogue to be a memorable villain.

Action, visuals, and why they still hold up

Let's not pretend—the action in The Phantom Menace is breathtaking. The podrace on Tatooine? Even one of the greatest action sequences of Star Wars. The pacing, the risk, the consequences—it's a roller coaster that hasn't aged. And then you have Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, and Darth Maul's climactic duel.

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I could watch the lightsaber fight a thousand times and never tire. The choreography, the suspense, the score—it's all Star Wars. It's a confrontation that's not merely lightsabers clashing, but two philosophies—the Jedi and the Sith—coming into full-scale conflict for the first time.

The visuals of The Phantom Menace are something else. It was an innovative film for its time, combining practical effects and CGI in ways that were previously untested. The world of Naboo is breathtaking, green, and vibrant, and Coruscant is a city that really never sleeps.

Every planet, every place, is meticulously designed to be immersive, and even to this day, almost two decades later, it remains one of the prettiest-designed Star Wars movies.

Expanding the Star Wars Universe

Another reason why The Phantom Menace succeeds for me is that it's not only a prequel, but it's a work of world-building art. This movie explores the Galactic Republic's political framework, the Jedi Council, and, of course, the return of the Sith.

It adds so much new material, such as the Jedi code, the influence of the Sith Lord, and the idea of midichlorians, which opens up the possibilities of how we perceive the Force. It lays the foundation for the entire prequel trilogy and enriches the mythology of Star Wars in a manner that feels necessary.

The Phantom Menace might be the underdog of the Star Wars saga, but it’s the heart of everything that follows. Its magic isn’t in perfection, but in the raw potential it sparks, setting the stage for one of the greatest tragedies ever told.