Review of:Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005)
Director:George Lucas
Rating:PG-13 for sci-fi violence and some intense images.
Starring:Ewan McGregor, Hayden Christensen, Natalie Portman, Ian McDiarmid, Samuel L. Jackson
After twenty eight years the franchise known as Star Wars is finally coming to an end. This is the ending to a film franchise that has influenced more than one generation of movie lovers‚ and answers the final questions many fans of the franchise have had.
The events of Star Wars: The Revenge of the Sith are already greatly known since the fourth‚ fifth‚ and sixth films have already been produced. With this film we finally get to see Anakin Skywalker don the black metallic helmet, and make his complete turn completely into the evil Darth Vader. In episode 2 we saw the beginnings of the turn‚ and believe me when I say Anakin does a lot to show he’s completed it.
The film picks up with Obi Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor)‚ and Anakin (Hayden Christensen) trying to save Emperor Palpatine from the clutches of General Grievous (voiced by Matthew Wood)‚ and the Sith Lord Count Dooku (Christopher Lee). Even though the outcome seems obvious‚ this encounter is the vehicle that drives the rest of the film. We are witness to some of the evil intent in Emperor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid)‚ and if you read it like I do‚ see how he manipulates events to produce results.
With all that said this film is about Anakin‚ and his inability to let go of his fear. From the outside it would seem to be ridiculous. He’s faced the universes most dangerous villains‚ ridden to the outer realms of space‚ but he continues to hold on to this fear he has had since childhood. In retrospect I believe that Director George Lucas was right on the money with this phobia‚ and to prove my point I would ask: what would you do to save the one that you loved? If you felt a power just beyond your reach‚ and someone with the knowledge to attain it offered to help you achieve your goal. Would you accept it even though you knew what you would be doing was wrong? George Lucas does an excellent job in showing this conflict in Anakin‚ and it makes his turn to the dark side all the more sweeter.
Some of the things that I enjoyed from this final film would have to be the Jedi sword fights‚ which gloriously‚ there are many of. The highlight of these would be when Yoda (Frank Oz) picks up his lightsaber for what I assure you is the greatest battle he’s faced. The explanation behind the downfall of the Jedi is masterfully played out on film‚ and the mechanisms behind it are not sprung until the very last moment. We get to see the land that Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew) hails from‚ and the answer to what happens to Padme’ (Natalie Portman).
If this had to be the end George Lucas has made it a glorious one. You will walk away knowing that the greatest space story ever told has finally come to an end‚ and that the Director left all the chips on the table when he made it.
