Watching Jar Jar Binks doesn’t make for much of a Valentine’s Day gift. Hell, he isn’t much of a character outright, but you’re not here to read about him or what the internet thinks of him. It’s well-known just what so-called Star Wars fans’ opinions are of him. That being said, it’d perhaps be refreshing to read a different point of view. In September 2010, it was announced that all six films in the series were to be stereo converted to 3D, and re-release in in-universe chronological order, with The Phantom Menace 3D released Friday, February 10, 2012. With the Saga being largely a cinematic experience, and 3D being a resurgent theatrical experience, the math was easy. All the changes found in the film from the Complete Saga blu-ray release are here, save one [read below]. But there’s much more here for fans of film generally, and Star Wars fans specifically. Yes, Jar Jar included. Okay, not really.
It’s not that Jar Jar is a poor man’s replacement for Chewbacca; he’s not a “buddy”, there is no Han. Jar Jar serves as easy comic relief in a story that is, in all honesty, heavy on political intrigue. At least for a Star Wars movie. The fourth in a franchise that up until then was almost strictly about good vs. evil. To be fair to Jar Jar, all of the Gungan species are consistently portrayed as eccentric, odd creatures with an abstract language. Very Star Wars. But you’re not taking your significant other/loved one to see this movie because of Jar Jar. You’re taking them to see this film because of the pod race… because of Lucasfilm Ltd.‘s 3D. Indeed, there’s no need to spend time in this review discussing the writing and plot of a film examined to near-literal death by an unappreciative fan base when you’re here for something slightly different. You’re here to have one question answered: “Is the 3D picture worth the ticket price?” Fortunately, I’m here to answer that…
The greatest part about this experience, beyond perhaps taking someone to see this who hasn’t lived through a Star Wars film in-theater – such as your child(ren) – is that the LucasFilm post-production 3D is subtle and bombastic when it needs to be. The opening crawl, for example, and subsequent space scenes certainly allow you to feel like you’re floating in deep space. With a large enough screen you may even feel a bit of exciting unease during outer space camera pans.For this to be possible, the Digital Noise Reduction from the Complete Saga blu-ray release that troubled so many was apparently done away with; gone are the waxy faces, replaced by intricate digital quality, displaying wrinkles and proper textures. The softer edges are still there, as this was the last Star Wars film recorded on actual film stock instead of a hard disk drive. These soft edges aren’t a problem though, and really if they were at one point it’s moot now due to the fact that the entire picture is in digital 3D. This means that even scenes devoid of action have a very subtle bump-up that gives the image more depth. This picture depth is complimented, beautifully, by an apparent 7.1 digital surround sound field that even makes lighter scenes gain attention and gravitas. John Williams‘ score has always elevated the franchise’s cinematic quality, and sells scenes that would have largely fallen flat in many of the movies otherwise; any close-ups or character moments still speak volumes to the senses just due to the specificity of sound (and color).
The centerpiece of the film now more than ever is, of course, the pod race. And holy hell, this display of Anakin’s force abilities is worth the ticket price alone. The graphical quality is crisp (slightly sharper than the rest of the film, though understandably so), the sound field almost ludicrously intricate, and it’s all stunningly complimented by the included 3D. Engine roars and control sounds are wonderfully layered, the color field is impressive (especially for a race taking place in a vast desert world locale), and – most importantly – debris has been added to pod crashes to take advantage of the 3D enhancement, adding just enough to the scene to make it truly engrossing. This really displays just why these films were even considered for the digital upgrade. Many are quick to scream “Money Grab”, but the fact remains that true fans of a booming theatrical experience would not mind paying upwards of $16 if they can afford it when it’s considered just how fun and engaging the amplified space battles and lightsaber duels are in the (enhanced) medium.
But it seems it’s not just the major action sequences that take advantage of the 3D picture. Indeed, certain scenes have been made longer by a few seconds, with a few new unimportant, seconds-long scenes edited in. Yes, this is indeed George Lucas changing his film(s) again and asking you to pay for them. But in all honesty, real fans will still be made happy. Consider just how amazing each Star Wars film has always been in the theater. Consider Lucasfilm’s understanding of just how poorly-used the 3D gimmick has been outside of film’s like AVATAR and Transformers: Dark of the Moon and offering a consistent and engaging 3D experience. Then consider the magic of taking your child(ren) and/or loved one to their first in-theater Star Wars movie (or perhaps their first Star Wars movie ever), being able to experience the sci-fi fantasy with them that defined so much for so many in the most engrossing way possible outside of Star Tours.
The fact that this film is still a quality production 14 years after it made its impact is saying a lot as is. Not many graphic-laden science fiction films truly age well, Original Trilogy included. It’s an ever-evolving franchise. And it’s awesome. Just as Lucas intended.
[Movie Rating: 3 out of 5]
[3D Upgrade Rating: 4 out of 5]
I like Jar Jar, I like young Anakin Skywalker, I love the pod race, and I love this edition of The Phantom Menace. You should too if you’re a true fan. Stay alert for more film reviews and honest perspectives here at the site. Stay Comic Booked!
(Editor’s Note: Emmet, Lucas, and Jeremy go into a bit more detail in their examination of Star Wars: Episode 1: The Phantom Menace 3D in the podcast.)
Tags: 3d, movie, Phantom Menace, Review, Ronyn, Star Wars, Valentine's Day
About the Author
Written by The Ronyn
Artist, Illustrator, Writer, Creative Thinker. Broken Heart, Old Soul. Has 9 lives, lives them simultaneously. And it's still not enough lives to read all the comic books I want to. Shame really.
It’s like… I WANT to see this because A) STAR WARS IN THEATRES! and B) STAR WARS IN 3D!
But then I realize… in 3D Surround Sound… it’s like Jar Jar is actually in the room.
Haha. I honestly don’t think Jar Jar was bad at all. Even in 3D. Shia Lebouf was worse in ‘TF: Dark of the Moon’. At least the Gungans are shown to all be oddballs.
Haha. I honestly don’t think Jar Jar was bad at all. Even in 3D. Shia Lebouf was worse in ‘TF: Dark of the Moon’. At least the Gungans are shown to all be oddballs.
Love how you played up Jar Jar’s importance in the film. You’ve definitely gone where no man has gone before.
Haha.
What no one really wants to admit is that he was important throughout the the prequel trilogy: In Episode 1, Queen Amidala would have never considered utilizing the Gungan Army to stave off the Trade Federation forces from the capital had he not tagged along with the Jedi Knights. In Episode 2, she may not have been able to leave Coruscant if he wasn’t serving as representative, meaning half the story would not have happened the way it did. And in Episode 3, things may have turned out very different had he not been pressured to vote on giving the Chancellor the emergency powers that led to him forming the Galactic Empire.
Even if he *is* annoying, at least he helped serve the story. That’s what counts.