As May 19th came closer and closer, I was getting more and more anxious. I mean, I'd been waiting for this movie for sixteen years!! Finally, the tickets were gonna go on sale... one week before the movie was to be released. Though I'm not a big enough fan to sleep on the street waiting for movie tickets, I left work earlier than usual so I could buy tickets one week in advance. On May 19, I took the day off of work and saw the 9:30AM showing of the most anticipated film in movie history.
I can't explain to you what it was like to sit there as the 20th Century Fox logo appeared on the screen and the sound of the fanfare blared through the speakers (music so synonymous with "Star Wars," that even though the fanfare is played before most 20th Century Fox movies, it can be found in the "Star Wars" original motion picture soundtracks). I was instantly the little wide-eyed three year old boy watching the original "Star Wars" for the first time. And when the "Star Wars" logo filled the screen, and the horns screamed, signaling the start of the familiar music, I was locked in a zone that I couldn't describe to you.
No, the movie didn't meet my expectations. That would be literally impossible, and I was smart enough to know that going in. Because of that, I loved it regardless of the slight disappointment (for a more detailed analysis of my thoughts on my first viewing of the film, read my review). The thing is, it's difficult to understand how I felt about the film after I saw it for the first time because while watching it, my mind was cluttered with the excitement, anticipation, and expectations that came along with the hype that surrounded it. So yes, I saw it a second time. This time, there were no astronomical expectations, and I knew what to expect. I could sit down and enjoy it. Unfortunately, I had to pee really badly most of my time watching it (not enough to leave and use the restroom, though), and that was pretty distracting, but I don't think it was enough to ruin it for me. My experience watching "The Phantom Menace" with a clearer head proved to be interesting. I STILL love the movie, but the time didn't fly by like it did the first time. As a matter of fact, the time dragged during certain parts. I liked the performances of Natalie Portman and Ewan McGregor even more, I liked "Jar Jar Binks" even less (and it didn't help that I still couldn't understand most of what he said, or anyone else in his race, for that matter), and Jake Lloyd seemed more well-suited for the role of "Anakin Skywalker." As for "Darth Maul," whoa... forget about it. To me, he's simply the coolest villain I've ever seen in a movie. If only we saw more of him. Anyway, I wanna make it very clear that watching it a second time was definitely a good thing. I ended up liking it even more.
Ya wanna know something else about my second viewing of "The Phantom Menace"? I saw a super-secret cameo of an alien race outside of the "Star Wars" mythology. Wanna know which alien race? Here's a hint: Keep in mind who George Lucas' friends are who are also filmmakers. E-Mail me if you want me to tell you who the alien race is and when you can see them.
It really bothers me how cynical people are when it comes to this movie. The only film critic I know of who liked it is the great Roger Ebert. Of all the critics out there, only Ebert seemed to understand what Lucas was going for. Even some die-hard "Star Wars" fans have been bitching about the movie. Personally, I believe that most people would like the movie a lot more if they saw it a second time, when their judgment isn't clouded by the stuff that surrounded this movie. Don't let your opinion of the hype get in the way of your opinion of the movie. That's why I think it requires a second viewing by most people, especially the "Star Wars" fans who left the theater disappointed after seeing it the first time. And yes, the movie IS flawed, but the way some people have been carrying on is pathetic.
Almost everyone I've spoken to who has seen the movie told me that they loved it. There is a girl I work with who is more into independent films and usually stays clear of big overhyped Hollywood movies. When a few guys from work and I decided to go see it again, we invited her, and she decided to join us for the hell of it. She ended up liking it a lot.
Eventually (perhaps this weekend), I'm gonna see "The Phantom Menace" again. Maybe I'll like it more, maybe I'll like it less, or maybe my thoughts on it will remain the same (I just hope I don't have to spend the whole time holding in my pee again). Either way, I'm gonna sit there and be happy knowing that I'm watching another chapter in a story that is heavily responsible for making me love movies as much as I do.