The Message: ...*stunned silence*...*nerd weeping*...
The Truth: Star Wars fans had no idea what was coming.
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The recent 3D re-release of The Phantom Menace didn't change any of the overarching problems that arose when George Lucas revisited the Holy Grail of science fiction and fantasy. But as many problems as the 'first' (*shudder*) Star Wars movie had, it's this poster that sits the worst with all of us fans.
Why? Because of what this single image promises, drawing on every fan's nostalgia. The sands of Tatooine, the rough clothing of the young Luke Skywalker, and the looming shadow of the galaxy's most threatening soldier. The image said it all, promising fans that Episode 1 wouldn't be exploring random corners of the larger universe, but the core narrative alluded to in the original trilogy: Anakin Skywalker's life from a good man to an agent of evil, destined from the age of ten to bring and end to the Jedi Order.
But then, that's not at all what was delivered. While the poster promised the world - the story of a boy's development into Darth Vader - what the movie showed was the journey of a young boy into...a slightly older young boy. We don't want to lay blame solely on Jake Lloyd's shoulders, since the terrible miscasting is anyone's fault but his - and he's admitted it was all a mistake.
In this single poster, young Anakin seems more innocent, likable and childlike than at any point in the actual film. The image states: "this kid is going to be Darth Vader." We just hoped the filmmakers had something more complicated in mind for the actual movie.