Great Film: Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith
It's OK to be a STAR WARS fan again.
For several years now, it's been a rather uneasy proposition to be
known as a STAR WARS fan. First, we had to put up with the great
embarrassment of the clownish Jar Jar and the gut wrenching "acting"
from the muppet known as Jake Lloyd in PHANTOM MENACE. Then came the
laughably stilted dialog and the clumsily told love story from ATTACK
OF THE CLONES. Fans far and wide were wondering what George Lucas had
done to their beloved STAR WARS franchise! Something that once was so
rollicking and without peer was being transformed into
kiddie-pandering, muppet populated, CGI over-loaded dreck!
Mr. Lucas, all is forgiven. Welcome back. REVENGE OF THE SITH is the
prequel installment we've been hoping for all along. Gone is the overly
wooden acting and the ridiculously petrified dialog. In there place is
a logical and believable storyline. Anakin's transformation is
inexorably sensible. It is natural and not forced into shape by wooden
dialog. Scenes between Anakin and Padme, are heartfelt and honest- a
far cry from their nearly unwatchable scenes in ATTACK OF THE CLONES.
The same can be said of scenes between Anakin and Obi Wan Kenobi (Ewan
McGregor is legitimately great in this film. He gives Kenobi real depth
and the viewer thoroughly believes that he grows up to become Alec
Guiness). There exists a real bond of deep feeling the viewer can feel
between master and apprentice thus making Anakin's fate all the more
tragic, as he slowly becomes more and more entangled in Palpatine's
(Ian McDiarmid, in a joyfully malevolent turn) web of deception and
evil.
Visuals have never been an issue in the prequel films and this is most
certainly the case with REVENGE OF THE SITH. The opening sequence is a
jaw-dropping collage of ships in movement, dazzling colors, and
frenetic combat. Additionally, the technology used to create Yoda seems
to have grown exponentially over the already impressive wizardry used
to animate Yoda in CLONES. Front to back, the vistas Lucas shows us are
entirely believable and staggering joys to behold.
George Lucas goes right for the jugular in this film (the PG-13 rating
is well earned! Parents be advised!!). This is a very well-told story
of a fall from grace told in an unflinching manner. And yet, the hope
for the future is so firmly in place as this film rolls to an end, a
tear will roll down your cheek if you've lived with this series of
films as long as I have. STAR WARS is back. It's cool to be a fan
again.
Cast
- Mace Windu played by Samuel L. Jackson
- Obi-Wan Kenobi played by Ewan Mcgregor
- Count Dooku played by Christopher Lee
- Padmé played by Natalie Portman
- Ki-Adi-Mundi played by Silas Carson
- Yoda played by Frank Oz
- Anakin Skywalker played by Hayden Christensen
