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(More customer reviews)It has been interesting, to say the least, to follow the buzz surrounding the final Star Wars prequel film, from the time before the film was released in theaters to now, 4 years afterward. In the beginning, people were claiming that "no one cares about Star Wars anymore" after the first 2 prequels (despite their having made nearly $750 million total in domestic box office, and that Ep.II was generally considered an improvement and a step in the right direction after Ep.I), and that Ep.III was going to be another "bomb". Then, lo and behold, just when some people were salivating at the chance to rip apart yet another SW film, the critical reaction to "Revenge of the Sith" came back positive, with accolades from Time, Newsweek, the NY Times, USA Today, and others who had hated the previous films; many declared Ep.III the finest entry since "The Empire Strikes Back", and one reviewer even liked it more than the original "Star Wars". The film would go on to make over $380 million to become the biggest blockbuster of 2005. It seemed that rumors of Star Wars's death had been greatly exaggerated.
That is...until after the movie had been out of the theaters for a few months, and then all the usual suspects came out, nitpicking and complaining like they always do. It became "cool" and "hip" to trash this film just like its predecessors, and soon things were right back to the way they were before, with people claiming that Ep.III was also a "flop" that no one really liked, pretending that the film's critical and commercial success never happened. And so here we are again, with the perpetually disgruntled fanboys crying about their "raped childhoods", etc. (It is ironic that this time the mainstream critics were mostly more forgiving than those know-it-alls who think George Lucas personally OWES it to them to make his movies to their exact specifications.)
Anyway, it is THEIR problem if they don't "get it", NOT Lucas's, or anyone else's. "Revenge of the Sith" completes the prequel trilogy in fine form, and brings SW full circle, as well. Ep.I began in a rather muddled fashion, trying to balance introducing the characters with a plot focused on small, localized events. In Ep.II (which was a decent movie in its own right), the grand plots sweeping the entire galaxy began to take shape, and events began on a galactic scale to lead inexorably to Ep.III, wherein we witness the fall of both the Republic, and Anakin himself.
In the crucial role of Anakin Skywalker, Hayden Christensen is clearly more comfortable this time out, capturing Anakin's conflicted emotions and insecurities that rage beneath his ostensibly heroic persona, which cause him to become disillusioned with the Jedi and his own lot in life. This leaves him open to the manipulations of Palpatine -- the second crucial character here. Ian McDiarmid does a masterful job as the Emperor, who is revealed as the driving force behind the events in the saga to that point. The relationship between Anakin and Palpatine, his trusted father figure who leads him astray into making his Faustian bargain, is the heart of the movie, and is what makes it work. Indeed, one of the most emotionally powerful sequences is > when Anakin betrays Mace Windu and pledges his loyalty to the now disfugured Palpatine and his cause, then receives his first orders as Darth Vader -- effectively marking the birth of the evil Empire. Yet, it seems clear that Anakin is still conflicted and unsure of himself, even as he commits more evil acts, up until his final transformation at the end -- by which it is too late.
The third player is Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan Kenobi, who continues to fight for the doomed Republic ( I especially like the battle with General Grievious, who swings multiple light sabers like whirling neon helicopter blades) until he is forced to take action against his former pupil; the aftermath is particularly moving, inspiring pity not only for the mortally wounded Anakin, but also for Obi-Wan, who seems to suffer just as much. McGregor has practically made the character his own; he could almost be the "Han Solo of the Prequel Trilogy" -- which lends a bit of irony to Han's remarks about Kenobi in Ep.IV...
Finally, there is Yoda, who seems to feel the final defeat of the Jedi as a personal loss. His duel with the Emperor, where they both unleash their powers to the greatest extent yet, was also one of my favorites. The deleted scene on the DVD showing Yoda's arrival on Dagobah, while not vital to the story, did capture the melancholy of his situation perfectly.
All these elements, wrapped up in the usual barrage of sights and sounds that can only be found in a Star Wars film, make Ep.III a classic that ranks right up there with the Original Trilogy; the entire last act of the film has a pervasive mood of sadness and melancholy, coupled with the exhiliration one gets from watching the best tragedies. All the cards are laid on the table -- the covert plots and foreshadowings of the previous 2 episodes are finally brought to fruition, and the previously hidden conflicts are now waged openly, leading to the civil war of Eps.IV-VI. The fall of the Republic is symbolized by the transformation of Anakin into Vader, and the original series can now be viewed as his struggle for redemption, as much as the Empire vs. Rebellion conflict. Vader has been redefined as a tragic figure, rather than a purely evil one; it is impossible for me to see Vader now without imagining the brooding, grieving Anakin behind the mask. It also sheds light on the true nature of Vader's and the Emperor's relationship as master and slave, having been from the beginning based on lies, deception and betrayal -- a theme that would resurface throughout the original films. (In fact, this was hinted at even before the Anakin/Obi-Wan duel, when Anakin refers to "his empire" in his speech. It suggests that he was NOT acting purely for unselfish reasons [saving Padme, etc.] when he chose his path, but also for his own secret desire for power.)
As for the Emperor, he shows his true nature in his reaction to Vader's scream when he realizes what has happened. (Many criticize this scene, but it is a fitting illustration of the Faustian themes of the film, with the Emperor as the grinning devil and Vader as the tormented soul in Hell.) Yet, at the same time, when Palpatine rescued Anakin after he was burned and near death, he showed hints of the fatherly affection that he may have indeed felt for him, despite his twisted motives.
At the end of the day, the Prequel Trilogy, with Ep.III as its crown jewel, effectively fleshes out the background of the Star Wars saga. While some parts of the PT were uneven, it makes it possible now to view the original movies with a new sense of the history behind them. And "Sith" is a film that actually improves after repeat viewings, which enable one to catch all the nuances that might be missed the first time around. With this movie, Lucas rewarded the fans who stuck with him, and brought the Star Wars series full circle.
...And now, the saga is complete.
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