Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace has had its age rating reclassified in the UK almost three decades after its release. Coming 16 years after the conclusion of the original Star Wars trilogy, the first of George Lucas’ prequel movies was met with a mixed response from audiences and critics.
The Phantom Menace may have confounded some with its exploration of space politics and the inclusion of Jar-Jar Binks as comic relief, but it also features plenty of space opera action. The Star Wars movie’s lightsaber and blaster battles earned the film a PG rating in the U.S. from the MPA and U (for Universal) in the UK.
Per RTE, Star Wars: The Phantom Menace has now been reclassified in the UK from a U rating to a PG, for Parental Guidance. The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) made the change due to “moderate violence,” particularly during the film’s climactic lightsaber fight with Darth Maul.
More details are revealed in BBFC’s annual report for 2024, which cites the film’s starship space battles, laser weapon action, and the brief “bloody detail” in the Darth Maul fight. Though labeled “non-graphic,” Darth Maul’s dissected body also contributed to the rating change.
Unlike U, which means the film is suitable for all audiences, PG means children eight or older shouldn’t be unsettled by the content of The Phantom Menace. The film’s American PG rating remains unchanged.
What This Means For The Phantom Menace
The Final Lightsaber Duel Is The Primary Reason For The Rating Change
The Phantom Menace‘s age rating change accompanied a theatrical re-release last year, both in the UK and in the U.S. Despite the film’s mixed reputation, the re-release was a success, and it managed to rake in $14.5 million worldwide in its opening weekend.
The reclassification isn’t likely to drastically affect the film’s reputation or standing. The Star Wars prequels were widely criticized at the time of their release, but opinions on the films have softened over the past two decades.
Of the three prequels, The Phantom Menace earned the most negative reviews from critics, and it was, until the release of The Rise of Skywalker in 2019, the lowest-rated live-action Star Wars movie on Rotten Tomatoes, as seen in the chart below.
|
Star Wars Movies Rotten Tomatoes Scores |
|
|---|---|
|
тιтle |
RT Critics’ Score |
|
Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope |
94% |
|
Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back |
93% |
|
Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi |
84% |
|
Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace |
54% |
|
Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones |
61% |
|
Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith |
79% |
|
Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens |
93% |
|
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story |
84% |
|
Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi |
91% |
|
Solo: A Star Wars Story |
69% |
|
Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker |
51% |
Still, a widely-celebrated highlight of the 1999 film is the final lightsaber dual between Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor), Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson), and Darth Maul (Ray Park). This marks the most intense and violent sequence in the movie, with Qui-Gon impaled by a lightsaber and Darth Maul cut in half.
Our Take On The Phantom Menace’s Reclassification
PG Is A Suitable Rating
By today’s standards, it certainly makes sense that The Phantom Menace would earn a PG. Though this is clearly a movie designed to please younger audiences, the final lightsaber fight could be unsettling to very young viewers or those particularly sensitive to violence.
Even 26 years later, Qui-Gon’s death remains impactful, and the killing blow is clearly shown. The fantastical nature of the Star Wars: The Phantom Menace takes away from the severity and realism of the two deaths somewhat, but a PG more accurately accounts for the scenes’ violent content.
Source: RTE
