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Movies & Series 16 February 2022, 15:32

author: Jan Tracz

11 Great Scenes in Bad Movies

Today we present eleven brilliant scenes and film sequences that we got a chance to see in not necessarily successful productions.

Table of Contents

Star Wars: The Phantom Menace – Podracer Race and the fight against Maul

  1. Year: 1999
  2. Directed by George Lucas
  3. Rotten Tomatoes score: 52%
  4. Metacritic score: 51

It's widely agreed upon that Star Wars: The Phantom Menace is one of the more underwhelming moments of the franchise. The entire prequel trilogy in retrospect seems more of a pretext for poking at the more embarrassing moments than a chance to feel the magic of the universe created by George Lucas (save for Revenge of the Sith perhaps, which may have aged a bit better). Jar Jar Binks, weird CGI, pacing that seems accidental... And so on.

We must admit, however, that the most important combat scene in the film – the confrontation of Darth Maul with Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon Jinn – is quite the feat. First of all, the whole thing is just spectacular. The audience, at the time accustomed to a little crude lightsaber action, was delighted with the phenomenal choreography. The two Jedi and the Sith fought in (and within) a visually compelling location in the midst of the Battle of Naboo. Of course, there's also the fantastic score by maestro John Williams. [SPOILER] Even if we didn't know then that Obi-Wan's master would be killed by Darth Sidious's apprentice, we had a feeling there was some sort of tragedy brewing. After all, this movie was too cute, too... Comfortable up to this point? The heroe's death (played by Liam Neeson) puts an end to this magical time. It reminds us that it will not be so cheerful anymore – after all, we're approaching the fall of the Jedi Order.

In addition, let's not forget about the podracing, which young Anakin, still unfamiliar with the ways of the Force, had to win to help his new friends in need. Apart from the consequences of this race (why couldn't he take his mother with him again?), it makes quite an impression... At least visually. [SPOILER] We guess that our young protagonist will win, but here too we feel constant tension. This scene works well from start to finish.

Jan Tracz

Jan Tracz

Graduated Film Studies (BA and MA) at King's College London, UK. Currently, he writes for Collider, WhyNow, The Upcoming, Ayo News, Interia Film, Przegląd, Film.org.pl, and Gamepressure.com. He has had publications in FIPRESCI, Eye For Film, British Thoughts Magazine, KINO, Magazyn PANI, WP Film, NOIZZ, Papaya Rocks, Tygodnik Solidarnosc, and Filmawka. He has also collaborated with Rock Radio and Movies Room. Conducted interviews with Alejandro González Ińárritu, Lasse Hallström, Michel Franco, Matthew Lewis, and David Thomson. His published works include an essay in the anthology "Nikt Nikomu Nie Tlumaczy: Swiat wedlug Kiepskich w kulturze" (Brak Przypisu Publishing, 2023). Laureate of the Leopold Unger Scholarship in 2023. Member of the Young FIPRESCI Jury during WFF 2023.

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