Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of
the Sith
Getting caught up in the hoopla of the next Star Wars release is an easy thing to do. They've been coming only once
every three years, and despite some serious problems with the way George Lucas has been engineering his prequel creations,
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of The Sith is an event in itself, even if based entirely on legacy.
Revenge of The Sith is the final episode in his six yarn stint, and it's excusable if most cinema patrons take a
moment to reflect on that, if only to commemorate the end of what has been a cinematic spectacle over the last 6 years. Few
films have created such consistent fanfare upon release, despite the films being a consistent pile of dung. And if only for
some small reason you feel the need to give credit where it's due, then it's the way the Star Wars campaign can fill
a movie fan with outright anticipation and excitement for an opening night show. All this, despite the fact that you know
exactly what you're gonna get.
Luckily for most fans not expecting much, Revenge of The Sith a notch above Attack of The Clones simply
because it would be so hard to get this last story completely and utter wrong. Oh there's certainly a list the length of
the Murray as to what's wrong with the film, but at least we're not talking Amazon lengths with this one. And it's
thankfully devoid of most of the glaringly offensive problems that plagued the first film.
Let me start with what's decent about Revenge of The Sith. It has plenty of cool moment. Remember what Yoda kicked
ass in Clones> Sure you do, easily the best part of the prequels to that point. Well there's nothing as singularly
great in Sith, but there's plenty of moments that come close, and they all either involve Yoda or The Emperor
slugging it out. The effects, especially with Yoda are stunning. Just imagine what you could do with the image generation
power behind these films if someone had a half decent vision!
Lets start with the trash talking, because it could go for hours. The opening battle. It was lifted straight from the
chapter of the Lost In Space book entitled 'What the hell is going on in this opening space battle' chapter.
Seriously, it's a jumble of ships flying as fast and incomprehensibly as possible. Remember the battle in A New
Hope? Sure you do, we had a space battle with a goal, with clarity, you know who the goodies and baddies were which
allowed the viewer to watch with an entertaining clarity. With too much time is spent on insignificant things like spider
droids attacking Obi-Wan's ship, this opening, while visually spectacular is lost on the viewer and shows us little in the
way of Anakin's supposed skills as the great pilot that Luke told us of.
Second glaring problem, the Wookies. Jesus Christ the Wookies. Wasn't there meant to be a battle of some sort with the
Wookies involved? A single Wookie swinging on a rope from the sky and planting an explosive on the side of a droid doesn't
make a Wookie battle. And then you give it a Tarzan yell? Holy Shit man, even the Ewoks from Jedi were more
threatening, and they were certainly more effective in what was an interesting battle to follow.
Vader's evolution. It's now painfully clear to us now that Hayden was simply, such a bad choice. Remember Darth in the
original series? Sure you do, now do you ever remember him winging like a little bitch? Try mentally visualising the
dialogue that Anakin speaks in the last half of the film, and then try super-imposing James Earl Jones' distinctive voice
over the top, and see if it's anything like the same Darth we know. Sure there's 20 years of growth between now and A
New Hope, but this is one unbelievable Sith apprentice, let alone Jedi.
Remember Obi-Wan telling Luke that he was a Jedi Knight just like his father, and that Darth Vader was the one responsible
for the demise of the Jedi? Now as a hero of the republic, and an acclaimed fighter pilot and one of the greatest Jedi ever,
what does this Darth in the making do? He mows down some kids. That's it, he massacres some kids. He took out Mace by
default, no battle even ensued between him and a competent Jedi that he won! Which role exactly did Anakin play in
destroying the Jedi?
Unfortunately this film is lacking in many areas, most notably Anakin. It's his film, an therefore he should be the
strongest link. Hayden Christensen falls down in every scene, delivering his lines with such a banal one-tone whine that
it cuts at the ears to listen. There's no soul and no heart. Portman delivers her plastic lines with a touch of class,
but it's into such a black hole of integrity that it also becomes lost in the end.
Revenge of The Sith is a spectacle like no other. Visually stunning and more moments of interest than the previous
two prequels. If you can edit most of Anakin's acting and dialogue out, he's got a half decent saber battle at the end.
Nothing will pass McGregor and Park's battle at the end of Episode I, but a single battle doesn't make the film, we leave
that up to Yoda. He single handedly made Episode II, and his entrance into Palpatine's chamber is the high point of the
film. The fight is done well, although their battle should have been the ultimate spectacle of a commander of the good
side facing off with the ultimate power of the dark side. We get a few pods tossed about, but imagine if their battle
really meant something. Imagine if their combat resulted in buildings being razed, and craters being formed in a true
exchange of power. Unfortunately, half measures most of the way.
It is a shame when the most exciting, gut turning and heart pumping moment of the film is when the black screen gives way
to the instantly recognisable tag team of the Star Wars logo and Williams' bold music, which together shatter the
dark silence. It's a pop-culture icon and a moment to savour like no other, the beginning of a new Star Wars film.
out of ten
Reviewed by Paul Boschen
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