Star Wars: 8 Stupid Changes In The Phantom Menace Special Edition

5. The Padded Pod Race Second Lap

The pod race goes on too long. That may be one of the most recurrent problems raised about the prequels that isn't an obviously repacked point from the Mr Plinkett reviews (when someone can criticise the characterisation in Episode I without actively asking you to describe the characters, I'll be impressed), and while it was something prevalent in the theatrical version, it's only been exacerbated by George Lucas' additions to the 2001 DVD. There was a lot cut from Lucas' ode to Ben-Hur, and while elements still remain on the cutting room floor (don't forget, The Phantom Menace was shot on real, actual film), he managed to mush most of it back in for home video, with call-backs to characters from the opening and expanded cases of Sebulba's dickery (we get to see him use his flaming vents on an unsuspecting racer). It's all unnecessary, not really adding anything to the plot at hand (which should be focused on Anakin), and really only stretches out an already pretty long sequence - it's a lot of action involving characters we only partially care about (and no, a five-second shot of them pre-race doesn't count as development).