While Pod Racing isn’t without its charms, ask most Star Wars fans what one positive they would take from 1999’s otherwise forgettable Phantom Menace and the likely reply would be ‘Darth Maul’ - swiftly followed by ‘Duh’.
It has to be, doesn’t it?
A double-ended lightsaber-wielding Sith with horns on his head, mixing a mile-yard scowl with the sort of martial artistry which made everything in the saga before it look a bit indolent, the fact his screen time was cut criminally short has only bolstered his cult status among fans.
One man who clearly believes Maul deserves more screen time is German-based filmmaker Shawn Bu, who has now treated us to a brilliant origins short film charting the backstory of this ultimate cinematic badass.
Two years in the making, the footage is seriously impressive. Admittedly, the actor stepping into those dark shoes, Ben Schamma might not have the look down facially-speaking (looking more Ray Donovan than Ray Park, the original martial artist who played Maul), there's no doubt he''s got the skills.
And not one reggae alien in sight. Superb.
