If you think the death of Qui-Gon Jinn wasn’t satisfying, you’re not alone. In fact, Liam Neeson himself may never be happy with it, saying the first installment of the Star Wars prequels may not have given him a proper send-off.
Liam Neeson recently told GQ that he feels his character’s death in The Phantom Menace wasn’t good enough for Star Wars fans, saying, “I thought my death was a bit namby-pamby. I’m supposed to be a Master Jedi. My character fell for that. ‘Oh, I’m going for your face! No, I’m not, I’m going for your stomach.’ ‘Oh, you got me!’ Like, oh please. Hardly a Master Jedi….But still, it was great.”
Liam Neeson has had plenty to say about the Star Wars prequels, previously stating that he thinks the sheer number of movies and TV shows has proven to be more of an issue than intended. “There’s so many movies and spin-offs now I think it’s diluting the whole thing, that’s my personal thing. Occasionally there’s kids after a Star Wars autograph and I don’t want to give autographs at the airport. Oh, but it’s not the kid, it’s the grandfather, there he is – or the dad.”
In Liam Neeson’s entire career, The Phantom Menace stands as the actor’s highest-grossing movie worldwide, at least in terms of significant roles (The Dark Knight Rises surpasses it but he only has a cameo there). According to The Numbers, it took in $1.047 million, helping mark it as one of the defining movies of the decade.
Whether you liked Liam Neeson’s death scene in The Phantom Menace or not, his place in the Star Wars universe is undeniable, and the actor absolutely deserves credit as far as the more positive attributes of the prequel go. So, did his death scene have truly have a negative impact on him or The Phantom Menace? That’s ultimately up to the fans to decide but it doesn’t seem like something he should be too critical of.
What are your ultimate thoughts on Liam Neeson’s death scene in The Phantom Menace? Is he being hard on himself or are his criticisms justified? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below.
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