Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace (Remake)

Star Wars: The Phantom Menace is a 2014 science fiction remake of the 1999 Star Wars prequel of the same name. This reboot was directed by Christopher Nolan and stars Sean Bean, James McAvoy and Thomas Horn among others.

Plot
The Trade Federation creates a deadly blockade of armed battleships around the small planet of Naboo, disrupting trade routes and causing the people of Naboo to starve. Hoping to resolve the conflict peacefully, the Supreme Chancellor of the Republica Galactica Coriolanus Valorum (Jonathan Pryce) dispatches two Jedi Knights, Qui-Gon Jinn (Sean Bean) and Obi-Wan Kenobi (James McAvoy), to negotiate a peace treaty with the Federation Viceroy Nute Gunray (Ian Holm).

A mysterious shadowy figure then appears to the Federation heads and warns them of the Jedi in their midst. The shadow orders them to kill the Jedi and then invade Naboo with an army of security droids which have been altered for war.

Gunray seals the two Jedi inside of a room and fills it with poisonous gas, then orders the battle droids to reopen the doors and destroy their corpses. However, using their knowledge of the Force, the Jedi are able to hold their breath long enough to survive and escape by cutting through the droids with their lightsabers.

After an attempt to capture Gunray is foiled by a thick blast door, the Jedi are forced to escape via the hangar bay, where the hide on board one of the ships which is deploying the armies of battle droids to the planet below. However, they are left unable to contact their allies to warn them of the coming invasion.

Once on Naboo, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan witness a brutal act of deforestation by the Federation. Qui-Gon spots a clueless Gungan (Seth MacFarlane) native standing in the path of a large tank, and manages to save his life. The Gungan reveals that his name is Jar Jar Binks and as Qui-Gon saved his life, he is now his servant. Qui-Gon simply requests that he take them to the underwater Gungan city, but Jar Jar reveals that he was once the protector of an special Gungan relic, but he lost it and was then exiled from the city. Left with no choice, Qui-Gon must threaten Jar Jar in order to get to the city, were Jar Jar is arrested for returning. Qui-Gon manages to negociate his release and obtain a way to transport himself, Obi-Wan and Jar Jar to the Naboo capital, Theed.

As the group arrive in Theed, the Naboo Queen Sabe Amidala (Eva Green) has been captured and taken prisoner by the Viceroy. As the Queen, her handmaidens, and her chief of security Captain Panaka (Idris Elba) are being escorted to a holding camp, the Jedi intervene and manage to rescue them. Then, they make a run for the main palace hangar, managing to commandeer a ship and escape the planet. During the escape, the ship is damaged by fire from the blockade, forcing a small crew of droids to go out onto the wing to fix the damage. All but one of the droids are blasted away, leaving only the one to save the ship. It manages to save the ship from destruction, but the ship has taken too much damage to make it to the Republic capital of Coruscant. The droid, R2-D2, is hailed as a hero for saving the ship. Shortly thereafter, the ship is forced to land on the desert planet of Tattooine.

Qui-Gon and Jar Jar take the Queen's handmaiden Padme Naberrie (Anne Hathaway) to search the nearby town Mos Espa for the parts needed to get the ship up and running again. While doing so, Qui-Gon interrupts a fight between two local boys; Anakin Skywalker (Thomas Horn) and Greedo, Greedo having claimed that Anakin cheated in a game. Later, in the marketplace, the group discover a shady junk shop owned by Watto (Toby Jones), who refuses to accept Qui-Gon's payment, citing the lack of value for Republic Credits on Tattooine. Qui-Gon once again encounters Anakin, who works in Watto's shop. As night falls, a sandstorm hits and Anakin offers the group shelter at his home with his mother Shmi (Jennifer Connelly). Meanwhile, the shadowy figure reappears to Gunray and learns that he failed both to kill the Jedi and capture the Queen. However, the Viceroy does reveal that he placed tracking devices on all of the starships, and believes that the Queen is on Tattooine. The shadow reveals his apprentice, Darth Maul (Jason Statham), and informs the Viceroy that he will pursue the group to Tattooine. Qui-Gon learns that Anakin is a pod racer and built one himself. Qui-Gon decides to enter Anakin in an upcoming race, and makes a bet with Watto. If Anakin loses, Watto can have the Queen's ship. If Anakin wins, he gets both his freedom and the parts necessary for the ship. Watto decides to go along with it, but conspires with Anakin's rival Sebulba to sabotage Anakin's pod.

Qui-Gon, Jar Jar, Padme and Shmi watch the race along with most of the Mos Espa population. During the race, Sebulba's sabotage begins to take effect but Anakin manages to persevere. Due to the hazardous terrain across which they are racing, many of the other racers crash and lose their lives. When it comes to the final stretch, only Sebulba and Anakin are left on the track. Sebulba, getting desperate, tries ramming into Anakin, hoping to run him off, but Anakin doesn't give up. With final burst, Anakin is launched across the finish line ahead of Sebulba, who subsequently crashes and perishes. A disgruntled Watto then hands over the ship parts and Anakin to the Jedi.

With the ship repaired, the group prepares to depart from Tattooine. Qui-Gon revealed that he sensed the the Force was strong in Anakin and wishes to train him as Jedi. After Anakin says farewell to his mother, they set off for the ship. While en route, however, Darth Maul attacks them, trying to grab the Queen. The ship begins to take off as Qui-Gon and Darth Maul duel on the ground. Qui-Gon jumps onto the open platform as it flies over head, but Darth Maul also leaps up. Qui-Gon is forced to cut off the piece of the platform Maul is standing on, leaving him stranded in the desert.

Having finally escaped Tattooine, the group sets off for Coruscant to discuss the matter of the blockade in the Senate. Qui-Gon also brings Anakin before the Jedi Council, and informs them off the warrior he fought in the desert; he recognized the tattoos on his face as those of the Sith, an ancient order which practiced the Dark Side of the Force. They went into exile millenia ago, and the practice has since become outlawed. The appearance of Darth Maul foreshadows the possible return of the Sith.

Naboo senator Palpatine (Gary Oldman) convinces Queen Amidala to put forward a vote of no confidence in Chancellor Valorum, leading to him being forced to leave office. Subsequently, Palpatine becomes a candidate for the next Chancellor. However, Amidala is fed up with waiting on the Senate to decide on a course of action and decides to take action against the Trade Federation herself. Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, Anakin, Jar Jar, the Queen, her handmaidens and Panaka all return to Naboo.

The group comes before the Gungan High Council to try and warn them of the coming threat, claiming that once the rest of Naboo is conquered the Trade Federation will invade and massacre the underwater city. It is in this attempt that Padme steps forward and reveals herself to be the true queen of Naboo; Sabe was her decoy. When it also revealed that the relic Jar Jar lost is now in the hands of the Federation, the Gungans form an alliance with the Naboo and they prepare to lead an assault against the occupied Theed.

The Gungan armies lead a standoff on the grassy plains between themselves and the droids. This is a distraction so that the others can save the imprisoned soliders and then attack Theed. As the battle mounts, Qui-Gon forces Anakin to hide inside of the cockpit of a fighter jet, which he then commandeers and joins the space battle.

As the Queen's forces invade the hangar bay, Darth Maul emerges. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan tell the others to take an alternate route, while they stay behind to face the Sith warrior. The gathered forces manage to enter the throne room, only to be subsequently cornered within. Meanwhile, on the plains, the Gungans find themselves outnumbered before the droids.

Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan chase Darth Maul into the Theed Generator Complex, where Obi-Wan becomes separated from them. He soon finds himself on the other side of a laser wall, watching as his master battles the Sith. To his horror, Darth Maul catches Qui-Gon off guard and impales him.

With things looking grim for the liberation effort, Anakin arrives as the hero. He flies into the central control ship and manages to destroy the core, shutting down the droid armies spread across Theed. This allows the group trapped in the throne room to conquer it, fully retaking the palace. Gunray tries to flee but is captured.

In the generator complex, Obi-Wan and Darth Maul engage in a final showdown. Maul manages to knock Obi-Wan down a reactor shaft, although Obi-Wan gets a grip and is left dangling above certain doom. As the Sith stands over him, Obi-Wan notices Qui-Gon's lightsaber lying by his side. Using the force to gain momentum, Obi-Wan leaps out, pulls the lightsaber towards him, and cuts Maul in half as he jumps through air. Obi-Wan then delivers the final blow by kicking Maul into the reactor shaft, sending him to his death. Afterwards, Qui-Gon tells Obi-Wan to train Anakin, before dying in his arms.

In the aftermath of the conflict, Nute Gunray is imprisoned, Palpatine is elected the new Supreme Chancellor, Anakin becomes Obi-Wan's apprentice. The Naboo and the Gungans move forward into a new age of peace and prosperity. At Qui-Gon's funeral, masters Mace Windu (Michael Jai White) and Yoda (Andy Serkis) discuss the possibly Sith resurfacing. Transcripts taken from the Theed palace reveal the name Darth Sidious to them. Yoda reminds Windu of the "Rule of Two," an ancient Sith code which claims that there can only be a master and an apprentice; no more, no less. This leaves a question on Windu's lips; which was destroyed? The master, or the apprentice?

Cast

 * Sean Bean as Qui-Gon Jinn
 * James McAvoy as Obi-Wan Kenobi
 * Thomas Horn as Anakin Skywalker
 * Anne Hathaway as Padme Naberrie
 * Eva Green as Sabe Amidala
 * Idris Elba as Captain Panaka
 * Andy Serkis as Yoda
 * Michael Jai White as Mace Windu
 * David Tennant as C3PO
 * Seth MacFarlane as Jar Jar Binks
 * Gary Oldman as Palpatine
 * Jonathan Pryce as Coriolanus Valorum
 * Ian Holm as Nute Gunray
 * Michael Chiklis as Boss Nass
 * Jason Statham as Darth Maul
 * Jennifer Connelly as Shmi Skywalker