We've seen the trailer, the marketing hype, all the merchandising tie-ins, and hundreds of articles unimaginatively beginning with the line, "A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away . . ." Now, finally, we can see the movie itself, Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace, which has its Irish premiere at the Savoy in Dublin next Thursday night, with star Liam Neeson in attendance, and goes on release across the country on Friday, when many multiplexes will be playing it on three screens. If you have been living in a galaxy far, far away, you will need to know that the new film is a prequel set a generation before the original Star Wars, with Neeson playing the Jedi master Qui-Gon Jinn and Ewan McGregor as his apprentice, ObiWan Kenobi, and they are sent to the peaceful planet of Naboo when it's threatened by an invading android army commanded by the unscrupulous Trade Federation. George Lucas is back in the director's chair for the first time since he made Star Wars 23 years ago.
Michael Dwyer