Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (Rifftrax)

Film Year:  1999
Genre:  Fantasy, Science Fiction
Director:  George Lucas
Starring:  Jar Jar Binks, Liam Neeson, Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, Jake Lloyd, Ian McDiarmid, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, Pernilla August, Samuel L. Jackson, Frank Oz, Ray Park, Terrence Stamp, and did I mention Ahmed Best as Jar Jar Binks?
Rifftrax Year:  2006
Riffers:  Michael J. Nelson, Kevin Murphy

The Movie

*I HAVE SURVIVED WATCHING THIS MOVIE UNRIFFED*

Full Confession:  I have no large affection for Star Wars.

I think this needs to be noted as context for any review I might have on the subject, because I didn't grow up with the films.  When I was a kid my trilogy of choice was Back to the Future, and in classic sci-fi I was more into Godzilla and Planet of the Apes.  Star Wars just didn't interest me.  As I grew up I grew more interested in Star Trek and the world those television shows created, which got me more seriously into science fiction.  When I turned 17 I figured "You know, maybe I should give this Star Wars thing a try."

So I watched the first movie.  I thought it was fine.

Outside of my sheltered life Star Wars has had more of an impact on film culture as well as the imaginations of an entire generation of youth.  I won't contest that.  It just doesn't really tickle my fancy to the point of obsession like it does other people.  I enjoy the movies for the most part (well, except for that Clone Wars movie, which is just horrible), and can put them on and just have some empty fun.  But that's really all they are to me,  just silly big budget schlock with some flashy lights.  And I mean this in an endearing way, because I have this blog devoted entirely to schlock.

The Phantom Menace was actually the second Star Wars movie I watched after the original.  I thought it was enjoyable at the time.  I started hearing more grumbling about it as time went on until the point where universal hatred set in, I just kind of raise an eyebrow and think to myself "Huh.  Sure, why not?"  I have no real desire to defend the movie, nor do I have anything against it.

This first film in the prequel trilogy takes place when the Republic is still in full swing in the "Long Time Ago in a Galaxy Far, Far Away."  There are some trade negotiations that are going sour, with some shady underdealings by a pair of Sith known as Darth Sidious and Darth Maul.  A pair of Jedi by the names of Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi Wan Kenobi are up to their necks in it as they protect Queen Amidala and find a young boy who is apparently some sort of Force Jesus, and the future Darth Vader.

The film is more or less a breezy special effects showcase for kids, which honestly feels like I'm describing all of the Star Wars movies if I break it down like that.  The film does have a tendency to make more obnoxious decisions than most Star Wars films, notably that of Jar Jar Binks, who is the prequel film whipping boy.  Do I have an opinion on Binks?  Not really.  He's just a bad comic relief character that exists for some reason.  This isn't the first movie to have this and it wasn't the last.

I have no passion when it comes to this series, so I can't work up any passion to love or hate this film.  It feels like all other Star Wars movies to me, but I'm probably the wrong person to ask about that.  I'm a filthy casual.  If you're one too, you may think it's okay.

The Trax

"I never thought I'd say this but I miss Mark Hamill."

Rifftrax becomes something legendary in their first year by riffing Star Wars, the most popular film franchise of all time.  They start out by riffing the prequels, a choice that cemented them in our hearts because a lot of fans have disdain for them.  A riff of Phantom Menace probably helped catapult Rifftrax into being the riffing juggernaut it is today.

"Remember when this first came out?"

"Oh yeah man, dewy-eyed fans lining up for days with hearts full of hope, the theme song plays, they cheer like mad, and then...the movie started."

"Those poor, dumb sons of guns."

It becomes clear early on that their approach to this movie is to merely insult it at every turn.  They speak with nothing but venom in their voices, come up with silly names to mock Lucas's own silly names, and do little more than scream "SHUT UP!" at Jar Jar Binks and child actor Jake Lloyd.  As much anticipated as I think this riff was, it is much like the film it's mocking in that it feels like a weak disappointment.  Very little about the riff is smart, as it's just aggression from beginning to end, with a weird reference to Mitchell, South Dakota thrown in for good measure (which I suspect was name-dropped just so they could fan service MSTies by saying "Mitchell").

When the riff stops complaining and starts merging with the movie, laughs become more frequent.  I enjoyed the riffs a bit more when they are in character doing a silly ad-on to the scene, but about 70% of this riff is just basic plays on "Uuuuuuuuuuuugh, this movie!"  This riff was made for people who detest The Phantom Menace.  It will play even better if you hate all the prequels.  And it will play best if you hate all of Star Wars in general, that way you can snicker at their utter hatred of something that you yourself hate.  But even if I were to hate Star Wars, I'm not too certain I would have liked this riff all that much.  I might have been more upset that I sat through a movie I didn't like just to hear them complain about it.

Note:  George Lucas is notorious for being not Rifftrax safe, since he constantly re-edits his films whether the people who buy them want him to or not.  The most glaring edit in Phantom Menace is the replacement of the Yoda puppet with CGI.  In total the blu-ray edition is six seconds longer, which may not seem like too bad of a resync job, though I've never tried to sync with the blu-ray so I wouldn't know.  For the purest sync reacting to what is actually onscreen, use the DVD version of the film.

Average