This is one of those films that you can watch ten times and find new things—details in production design, subtleties of performances—that you gain a new appreciation for, or notice seemingly for the first time, and watching films over an over again is not something I do, even for most films that I really like, but this film is a damned classic, as proven by its staying power, creativity, charm, and yes, intrigue, 25 years later.
For instance, on this re-watch I thought that I wasn't keen on the pod race at all, or had grown not to be, as I have no idea what I felt in the theater in 1999, but I was on the edge of my seat watching it as much as I was during the space battle and lightsaber two-on-one.
I often don't try to watch the whole thing, and I think that's the part of the issue, because this film has some great dialogue resting within its script, no matter how much people want to dog on the intentionally campy lines (which is one reason it's a classic, pratfalls and all), or the truly awkward and careless lines that Lucas found unimportant enough to his intention of storytelling, he still does manage some scenes—especially with the amazing performance of Shmee's actress, as well as Neeson and Portman—that feel as celluloid gold as ANH or Empire. They aren't as often, because this is a different kind of film, and yeah, it has some janky special effects execution that didn't age well, but it also has the most spectacular space scenes, underwater scenes, and the best lightsaber duel ever filmed.
But importantly, for a savvy, jaded viewer, its plot actually makes sense and isn't rife with holes and contrivance, has adult themes of wide space opera nesting nearly beside genuine character moments, and all but one of them are fully earned. You hear that, J.J., et al! Imagine actually legitimately earning an emotional character moment. It's crazy. It requires actual narrative forethought and screenwriting ability.
Is it at times overly goofy and disjointed, with uneven acting and some bad casting choices (that were totally George's (and Sam Jackson's for wanting to be a Jedi)? Yes, no one denies that. But films are more than the sum of their parts, and some parts can be truly exceptional on their own, and this film was revolutionary. For that I'm rating it up again, because I truly think it desrves an 8 for what all it does that most other films could not, would not, and wouldn't even try (including every single one of the Disney-era films and television shows) and that was to actually get Star Wars, and iterate on it in a new way, something sorely lacking in cinema overall now, since oh, I don't know Nineteen-Fucking-Ninety-Nine!
I'm serious, if you didn't watch many films back then, or you were born after, just look back at the sheer variety and diversity of films in that single year. It hasn't happened since, thanks to Hollywood greed and executive cowardice and lack of imagination.
Review by LNeroBlockedParent2024-05-07T04:52:45Z
This is one of those films that you can watch ten times and find new things—details in production design, subtleties of performances—that you gain a new appreciation for, or notice seemingly for the first time, and watching films over an over again is not something I do, even for most films that I really like, but this film is a damned classic, as proven by its staying power, creativity, charm, and yes, intrigue, 25 years later.
For instance, on this re-watch I thought that I wasn't keen on the pod race at all, or had grown not to be, as I have no idea what I felt in the theater in 1999, but I was on the edge of my seat watching it as much as I was during the space battle and lightsaber two-on-one.
I often don't try to watch the whole thing, and I think that's the part of the issue, because this film has some great dialogue resting within its script, no matter how much people want to dog on the intentionally campy lines (which is one reason it's a classic, pratfalls and all), or the truly awkward and careless lines that Lucas found unimportant enough to his intention of storytelling, he still does manage some scenes—especially with the amazing performance of Shmee's actress, as well as Neeson and Portman—that feel as celluloid gold as ANH or Empire. They aren't as often, because this is a different kind of film, and yeah, it has some janky special effects execution that didn't age well, but it also has the most spectacular space scenes, underwater scenes, and the best lightsaber duel ever filmed.
But importantly, for a savvy, jaded viewer, its plot actually makes sense and isn't rife with holes and contrivance, has adult themes of wide space opera nesting nearly beside genuine character moments, and all but one of them are fully earned. You hear that, J.J., et al! Imagine actually legitimately earning an emotional character moment. It's crazy. It requires actual narrative forethought and screenwriting ability.
Is it at times overly goofy and disjointed, with uneven acting and some bad casting choices (that were totally George's (and Sam Jackson's for wanting to be a Jedi)? Yes, no one denies that. But films are more than the sum of their parts, and some parts can be truly exceptional on their own, and this film was revolutionary. For that I'm rating it up again, because I truly think it desrves an 8 for what all it does that most other films could not, would not, and wouldn't even try (including every single one of the Disney-era films and television shows) and that was to actually get Star Wars, and iterate on it in a new way, something sorely lacking in cinema overall now, since oh, I don't know Nineteen-Fucking-Ninety-Nine!
I'm serious, if you didn't watch many films back then, or you were born after, just look back at the sheer variety and diversity of films in that single year. It hasn't happened since, thanks to Hollywood greed and executive cowardice and lack of imagination.