REVENGE OF THE SITH
Star Wars didn't start for me as it would have for others. I born in 1980. To late for the likes of New Hope and Empire Strikes Back. 1983 would only have me 3 years at the opening of Return of the Jedi. Followed by an age of Transformers, GI Joe, and Thundercats, it would seem as though it would have been my destiny to completley skip the Star Wars fanaticism. Sure I knew of Star Wars. I even knew some people who were frantic about it. But for one reason or another, it just never ever interested me to see it.
It wouldn't be until I was 14 years old that I would finally decide to rent the trilogy and sit down and watch them back to back. And a world of magic, science fiction, and wonder opened up before me. And it was GREAT! 1996 rolled around, and the Star Wars movies were scheduled to be re-released to theatre's. And this would be the first time in my entire life that I would be able to watch these movies that I loved on the big screen. It was a day that should have been filled with childish giddy. I was planning to giggle like a school girl through the whole show. But what did I get? Greedo shooting first.
Okay. Greedo shoots first. Not a choice I would have made, but at least I can pretend that Han is still looking out for #1.
1998 comes around, and I'm nursing a broken leg. Whispers on the net hint that Lucas was well on his way to doing a prequel trilogy scheduled to start summer of the next year. 1999 comes around, and what did I get? Jar-Jar Binks.
Okay, I hate Jar-Jar. I fear that the entire story that I fell in love with now means nothing but another means to milk me of my money.
2002 comes about and we get promises of a movie called Attack of the Clones that should put Phantom Menace to shame. Show time. And what did I get? The whiniest little Jedi this side of Luke. Anakin is a little child in big boy clothes. Offically my faith in this new trilogy is shook. I'm a-scared.
And now here we are. 2005. And Revenge of the Sith has opened. And what did I get? Pure, unfiltered, BLISS!!!
This story has taken everything that I wanted to see since the first time I saw the original trilogy and made all my dreams come true. The birth of the Empire. The transformation of Anakin into Darth Vader. And the epic duel between Darth Vader and Obi-Wan that lead to Vader's deformity. Everything I've been begging for, for years. All transpires in the short 2 hours and 25 minutes of this movie.
There were moments during the first two movies that I was worried that George Lucas may not be the genius everyone made him out to be. I mean, sure the original Star Wars trilogy was awsome, but don't forget that Lucas was behind the helm of the first one and the first one only. Episode 1 marked the 4th time ever that Lucas would direct a movie. And although they made bank at the box office, fans like myself couldn't help but feel scorned.
Revenge of the Sith is nothing like the first two. The story has actually grown up with the audience that has followed it. It has treated everyone watching it like an adult and didn't pull the punches. All this is extremly obvious before 1 frame rolls thanks to it PG13 rating. The first Star Wars ever to break the PG tradition. It opens dramatically with a long singular shot that takes almost 2 minutes to complete. Think along the lines of Orson Welle's Touch of Evil. After that it breaks into one of the largest space battles ever caught on film. Which transitions to Obi-Wan and Anakin doing what they did best. Fighting enemies side-by-side. It only makes it harder on the viewer to watch. Knowing that this may be the last time these two close friends will face the same enemy together. Ewan McGregor is once again one of the best reasons to view any part of the new trilogy. He does a masterful job portraying Obi-Wan Kenobi. What's really great about him doing all three of the movies in the trilogy is that we actually get to see Obi-Wan age as Ewan ages. In Episode 1, Obi-Wan was an eager and determined Jedi apprentice. 2 movies later and he has matured into not only a Jedi Master, but a masterful actor as well.
Hayden Christiansen also matures in this movie. He's a much older man and a far better actor since the first time we watched him. He now portrays Anakin as a conflicted and odd-man out Jedi. As he should be if he's destiny is to join the dark side of the Force.
In a surprise move, it's Natalie Portman's character Padme that churns out the downer performance of the movie. Not neccessarily because she's a terrible actress, but because George Lucas has given her very little to do in this movie. In the past she was a go-getter. A newly elected Queen, and then a strong willed Senator. Now she's sort of in the middle with nothing very interesting to do. Just kind of look weepy and worried. Her biggest line in the movie, which is delivered kind of shoddily, "Annie...You're breaking my heart!" Just leading to the theory that's been said over and over again. You can write this stuff George, but you can't say it.
Ian McDiarmid turns out an Oscar worthy performance as Supreme Chancellor soon to be Emporer Palpatine. The catalyst that would ultimatley turn Anakin to the Dark Side. He is creepy and crawly and manipulative as all hell. Seriously, think about it. This man has orchestrated an event that has caused all out war between two sides. And both of those sides he's in charge of. He leads the seperatists against the republic and the republic against the seperatists. All while seperating the Jedi into such small units that when it comes time to turn the tide they are spread so thin they cannot stand against the clones. And while doing this he actually has a chance to sit with Anakin as a father figure and explain to him the way of things. Even the Jedi with all their wisdom don't have a second to explain thought and theology and mythology to Anakin. Is there any wonder why Anakin switched sides? Palpatine is offering him a chance to hang on to what he loves, and the Jedi are like "Shit happens, get used to it."
Even the grandest Jedi, Master Yoda is complacent as all hell. Leaving Anakin with just more questions. But looks great nontheless. ILM has outdone themselves with their work. He looks as photo realistic as Gollum.
The final duel between Obi-Wan and Anakin has been a long time coming. And when it arrives you can't help but marvel at the ferocity of it all. But also feel sad at the ame time. These two are friends. They're brothers, closer than brothers. And now they face a destiny that darkens the horizon.
As awsome as all this is however, I still have gripes and wish some things had been explained. In Episode 2 we learned that a Jedi named Syfo Dias was the one that placed the order for the clone army almost 10 years prior. We don't learn who he is. And Liam Neeson while on E! commented that Qui-Gonn might have been in this movie. He's cut. And the explanation on why he did not disappear when he died and Obi-Wan and Yoda did is barely touched upon. Giving us only a hint to the explanation.
John Williams returns stronger than ever as he makes his lifetime opus complete. This is seriously strong work on his part. It's almost a brilliant combination of Danny Elfman and John Williams. It's hauntingly unreal music.
FINAL ANALYSIS!
This movie is unbelievable. It totally redeems Lucas for his past 2 mistakes. Not that I still don't think they're 2 bad movies. It's just now that I see the whole picture, they're more tolerable. Except Jar-Jar. I still refuse to believe that the man that brought us Han Solo and Luke Skywalker is the same man who brought us Jar-Jar Binks. It's amazing.
All history aside, this movie is just flat out amazing. In the Star Wars saga, this rates just below Empire Strikes Back. It's that freakin' good. The drama unfolds like a classic tale, and the special effects have improved light years ahead of what ILM was capable of. Plus Chewbacca is in this movie. Granted he's some sort of high ranking general in the grand Clone Wars. Because he didn't fight one iota. The other Wookies were in charge of that. The mighty Chewbacca fight? Pssh.
Lucas is back in full swing. Too bad this is the last new Star Wars movie ever. Now that's ironic.