George Lucas
Star Wars: Episodio I - La Minaccia Fantasma

At 6, I played Doom 2 on a Windows 95. It was forbidden to under 18s, but my father let me play it because you could see the pixel cubes even from 100 meters away, and partly because that electronic music drove him crazy. And he also liked the game, which he had bought for 100 bucks of that era. In those years he was still into computers, buying games, floppies, and more. Probably if I were to ask my father what he thinks of computers today, he would answer me with the same metaphor Tommy Lee Jones uses in the movie "No Country for Old Men" (if you haven’t already seen it, I recommend you watch it, it's worth it).

We were talking about Doom 2 and its giant pixels. Setting aside the various zombies and barons of hell, here comes this game out of my father's bag, with a very colorful cover. It was called "Rebel Assault."

"Papa, what's this?"

"It's a game set in the Star Wars universe."

"What's Star Wars? (Sigh!)"

"It's a movie about spaceships and lightsabers. Do you want to watch it?"

"Maybe tomorrow..."

And that tomorrow came. And more came, again and again, until the VHS tapes were worn out. Until we talked like Yoda. But I’ll talk about that on another occasion.

It's 1999, and the world is preparing for the new millennium. In provincial towns, capitals, and huts all over the world, Star Wars fans are thrilled. The reason? George Lucas, lounging at his Skywalker Ranch, decided to revisit the Star Wars universe by producing not a new movie, but a new trilogy he had in mind since the release of the first 3 chapters (pardon, the 4th, 5th, and 6th). The first episode of the new trilogy will be called "The Phantom Menace" and will be released in cinemas around the world that year, 1999.

I remember the advertising campaign. Unprecedented, basically there were posters and slogans of the movie in every hole. You heard the trailer on the radio while you were in the car. But the memory that will remain the most impressed in my mind is something particular: On the evening of the film's "premiere," my father, my sister, and I marched towards the cinema. I remember it was raining. By now, I was no longer a newbie when it came to Star Wars. I had worn out all 3 videotapes, and like millions of others, I awaited this new episode. Arriving at the parking lot in Piazza Cittadella, I see what, for some strange reason, would become my most vivid memory of that evening—a giant, full-wall poster of the Pepsi advertisement featuring the legendary Darth Maul (whom I hadn't had the pleasure of knowing yet) with his double-bladed lightsaber.

As always in these cases, the expectation is directly proportional to the anticipation of seeing the movie. The result? As always, less than expected.

The Phantom Menace is not an insult to fans of the original trilogy, as many have written, but it is an introductory film. A slow film, especially in the first part, sprinkled here and there with scenes probably aimed at younger audiences, but nevertheless enjoyable (the first that comes to mind is the pod race). An excellent Liam Neeson portrays the key character of this episode, the one who will believe in the future villain par excellence (Darth Vader), the one who will perish at the hands of Darth Maul, the legendary Quai Gon Jinn. A “young” digitally-remade Yoda, a Samuel Jackson as the wise Mace Windu, a young Obi-Wan Kenobi, but above all a very young Anakin Skywalker (basically a nuisance) make this film a “must-see” for fans, despite being for the most part a slog designed for an audience of all ages.

The film nonetheless finds its reason to exist in the final 20 minutes, when the 3 Jedi knights cross blades in a "Duel of the Fates" accompanied by one of the most beautiful pieces written by John Williams. The scene (my favorite of the saga, right after the Yoda duel in the second film) is a triumph of music and choreography, a duel to be reckoned with that makes you say "finally a proper scene" and especially "I want Darth Maul's lightsaber."

So nothing to tear your hair out over, then—The Phantom Menace remains a cumbersome stew in some respects and a brilliant film in others. A digital toy, a new Star Wars in short.

A fan of the saga will always see it anyway, and as much as I have tried to give an objective review, I absolutely cannot bring myself to give it a star rating, because in fact, I never bothered to give a rating to such a film.

P.S. For a poster, I wanted to include what I think is the most ingenious of the entire saga. Simple but brilliant.

"At last we will reveal ourselves to the Jedi...

                                                             At last we will have revenge...."

                                                                                                        Darth Maul.