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This is not simply a review of the third and final installment of George Lucas' operatic prequel to the groundbreaking original trilogy of the late 70's and early 80's; this is an ode to the awe inspring feeling that i felt last night after leaving the midnight showing of "Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith."
The movie itself is great, by no means perfect, and by no means comparable to the classic originals. It is by far tho, the best movie from the current trilogy, surpassing its predecessors quite handily. As far as im concerned, the 2 previous installements (The Phantom Menace and The Attack of the Clones) served their purpose effectively, by setting up this epic finale. The usual grievances are there: the bad acting, the sketchy and uneven plot, the mundane and uninspiring dialogue, and the overall sense of heartlessness. Yet despite its flaws, "revenge" left me with a sense i had not felt since watching episodes 4,5,6 as lil younglin. This might be do to the fact that "revenge" ties all the loose ends for " A New Hope", and is more closely related to the original movies. The feeling of seeing Darth Vader once more (along with other pre-cursors such as the buliding of the death star, the seperation of Luke and Leia, the exile of Obi-won and Yoda etc...)brought chills under my fitted cap. I will credit the sequence and the eventuality that this movie offers, but it is not its only accomplishment.
The movie is balanced quite well. The action sequences are remarkable, and appropriately well placed throughout the film; from the opening space battle to the absolutely engaging and exhausting final light saber fight between Anakin and Obi-won. The cinematography, or the the lack their of,since i assume every backdrop of scenery was computer generated, created a galaxy that one can only dream of being apart of. From the desert landscape of Tattoine, to the rich tropical texture of Naboo, every planet offered its own unique and breathtaking environment. The volcanic planet of Mustafar which serves as the backdrop for that final fight between apprentice and master is the most enthralling of all settings, and aided in the portrayal of Anakin's path to darkness. The scene in which Anakin is left dismembered, smoldering, screamin in pain and anger is one of the movies best. That performance, although not sustained by Hayden Christensen, further solidies the great villain Darth Vader will become. The standout acting, again lacking, are there from Ian McDiarmid as Senator Palpatine/Darth Sidious and Ewan Mcgregor as Obi-wan Kanobi. Mcgregor is especially memorable as the wisdom filled jedi knight, as he fullfills the role with unusual sincerity. The deep thinking and always mindful jedi master is the real star of this picture. With his performance you sense the camaraderie shared by him and Anakin, and the eventual fallout caused by the trappings of the darskide. It is one of the few relationships conveyed emotionally well by both actors. While the Anakin/Padme relationship is clearly more interesting, both actors in that situation are unable to bring it out convincingly on screen, which is a shame. There are other notable and memmorable pairings, Anakin and the Jedi Council, Anakin and Palpatine, Yoda and the wookies...
Ultimately the movie is great because it is a perfect set-up to an even better movie. What makes that movie better, and what makes the susbsequent follow-ups better, is because they are simply the originals. They are the blueprint in which "revenge" is built on. The Jedi, the empire, the rebellion, are all themes that the two contemporary prequels touched on, but never quite as in depth as this latest movie has. That is where i got that feeling, i merely borrowed it from my childhood. The concept of selflessness, the lure and attractivness of evil, the notion of balance and choice, and the promotion of liberty and justice are what we learn as children growing up. Therefore a strong sense of nostalgia plays its own part in that joyous and ambitious feeling one gets from Star Wars. A hopeful feeling... Although "revenge" ends with the newly formed Galactic Empire, there is that feeling again, creepin up on u, and soon you realize that Luke, Leia, and Hahn Solo will bring us "A New Hope".
May the force be with you all...
"... granted nine to five is how to survive, I ain't trying to survive I'm trying to live it to the limit and love it a lot..."
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