made a grand sweeping entrance at the box office but ultimately failed to impress hardened fans or critics. Lucas may have appealed to younger audiences with his futuristic graphics showcase but 12 years later, how does the the beginning of this space opera hold up? Surprisingly well, actually.As the film opens to the iconic fanfare and the much-pastichéd wall of text introduces the basic premise it becomes evident that this new-age Star Wars is catering to a different audience entirely: gone are the cookie-cut villains and instant-story of good vs. evil. Enter instead a distinctly metaphor-ridden tale of the dastardly Trade Federation looking to invade the Republic protected planet of Naboo, unless negotiations are settled with great immediacy. Arriving aboard the Federations headquarters are two Republic commissioned Jedi Knights, Qui-Gon-Jinn (Liam Neeson) and Obi-Wan-Kenobi (Ewan McGregor), acting as diplomats to secure those negotiations but soon the Federation reveals its true nature in a lethal attempt to dispose of the Jedi.
Naturally these two Jedi escape and begin on an adventure to escort Naboo's Queen Amidala (Natalie Portman) in order to take her to the Republic Senate of Coruscant, halfway across the galaxy. Along the way they come across young Anakin Skywalker (Jake Lloyd) whose reflexes and skills display a potent concentration of Force-activity.
