Ending the most popular film epic in history, Star Wars: Episode III, Revenge of the Sith is an exciting, uneven, but ultimately satisfying journey. Picking up the action from Episode II, Attack of the Clones as well as the animated Clone Wars series, Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) and his apprentice, Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen), pursue General Grievous into space after the droid kidnapped Supreme Chancellor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid).

The Star Wars Family Tree (click for larger image)

It's just the latest maneuver in the ongoing Clone Wars between the Republic and the Separatist forces led by former Jedi turned Sith Lord Count Dooku (Christopher Lee). On another front, Master Yoda (voiced by Frank Oz) leads the Republic's clone troops against a droid attack on the Wookiee homeworld of Kashyyyk. All this is in the first half of Episode III, which feels a lot like Episodes I and II. That means spectacular scenery, dazzling dogfights in space, a new fearsome villain (the CGI-created Grievous can't match up to either Darth Maul or the original Darth Vader, though), lightsaber duels, groan-worthy romantic dialogue, goofy humor (but at least it's left to the droids instead of Jar-Jar Binks), and hordes of faceless clone troopers fighting hordes of faceless battle droids.

But then it all changes.

Star Wars Time Line (click for larger image)

After setting up characters and situations for the first two and a half movies, Episode III finally comes to life. The Sith Lord in hiding unleashes his long-simmering plot to take over the Republic, and an integral part of that plan is to turn Anakin away from the Jedi and toward the Dark Side of the Force. Unless you've been living under a rock the last 10 years, you know that Anakin will transform into the dreaded Darth Vader and face an ultimate showdown with his mentor, but that doesn't matter. In fact, a great part of the fun is knowing where things will wind up but finding out how they'll get there. The end of this prequel trilogy also should inspire fans to want to see the original movies again, but this time not out of frustration at the new ones. Rather, because Episode III is a beginning as well as an end, it will trigger fond memories as it ties up threads to the originals in tidy little ways. But best of all, it seems like for the first time we actually care about what happens and who it happens to.

Episode III is easily the best of the new trilogy--OK, so that's not saying much, but it might even jockey for third place among the six Star Wars films. It's also the first one to be rated PG-13 for the intense battles and darker plot. It was probably impossible to live up to the decades' worth of pent-up hype George Lucas faced for the Star Wars prequel trilogy (and he tried to lower it with the first two movies), but Episode III makes us once again glad to be "a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away." --David Horiuchi

The Complete Star Wars Saga

Episodes 4-6 Trilogy (widescreen)	Episode I: The Phantom Menace	Episde II: Attack of the Clones
Star Wars: Clone Wars Vol. 1	Star Wars: Clone Wars Vol. 2	The Star Wars Store

Stills from Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (click for larger images)

Anakin turning to the dark side	When Wookiees attack
Yoda, Jedi master	Mr. and Mrs. Vader
Saber training with Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen	The cast

Who Is Really Beneath that Mask?

Recall what Lucas himself has said about his relationship with the Hollywood power/money structure: in his early films he struggled against an "evil" corporate structure that tried to control and hinder his creative energies and goals; once the first three Star Wars films became block busters he was able to bankroll his own projects, set up his own corporate structure. In other words, Lucas himself was Anakin, now Darth Vader, and the filming of Episodes I-III was more about that power dynamic and Lucas's greed than it was about film making. Star Wars fans can hope he'll one day be "saved" a la Anakin and Luke. Episodes VII-IX have been supposedly canned, but who knows what Lucas will decide he wants his legacy to be.

Episode III is vastly better than II, but that's not much of a compliment. The same nails-on-blackboard problems remain: terrible dialogue, weak script, unmotivated actors, over-reliance on special effects, and a seemingly complete rejection of the things that made the first three films so endearing to Star Wars fans. Natalie Portman is all but wasted in this film, and that is something for which I can't forgive Lucas. There is a scene in the Bonus Material DVD---cut from the film---that actually shows Portman's character Padme involved in the political discussions out of which the Rebel Alliance would be founded, showing the character as a concerned, dynamic, adult woman. Lucas cut this out in favor of showing Padme as utterly devoid of self motivation---after having been a queen and a senator---completely controlled by and dependent upon her boyfriend and unable to see the obvious in his behavior. (Recall that Anakin admits to her in Episode II that he has committed mass murder on Tatooine and all she can do is feel sorry for HIM.) In Lucas's view, women are models upon which fashion designers can hang their creations.

Considering this film's plot---Anakin's descent into hell---our explanation for his transformation is almost completely bankrupt. He has dreams he'll lose Padme. He's not the Jedi he's supposed to be. The Jedi Council masters are "unfair." Good grief, is this all Lucas can come up with? Even so, in the hands of a more competent actor (Hayden Christensen remains an unfortunate choice for this role), the lame script's characterization might still have been persuasive, but that would have required the careful, patient direction of an interested, thoughtful director. It's a relief when petulant Anakin is absorbed by the black plastic and leather of Vader and we're given the expert voice acting of James Earl Jones. The best acting in the movie is delivered by Ewan McGregor; his ability to put at least a bit of a playful or dramatic spin on the worst of Lucas's comic book dialogue is truly proof of his talent.

The action sequences in this movie are good, yet Lucas can't manage to sell even this aspect of his creation as well as Peter Jackson does with his adaptation of THe Lord of the Rings. The opening sequence's crash landing of Obi Wan's and Anakin's star fighters in the hanger bay of General Grievous's ship is Lucas at his best and worth many viewings.

As disappointing as Anakin's descent is depicted in this film, as downright painful as most of the dialogue is, I have to say that the film's denouement, in which the twins are delivered to their foster parents, is surprisingly moving. But the effect is achieved not so much by its artfulness but because we know the story so well; and Lucas wisely (for once) chose to show rather than to tell. When Leia and Luke are brought to their respective foster mothers there is none of Lucas's heavy handed dialogue to ruin it. It works because we know that the beautiful Alps-like setting in which Leia will grow up will later be destroyed by the first death star.And it works because we know as we see Luke's young and hopeful foster parents staring off into the double sunset of Tatooine, reflecting Mark Hamill's memorable scene in A New Hope, that they will give their lives protecting his.

It seems the best that Lucas can do now is to quote his own early efforts---when he was the restless, idealistic Anakin/Luke rather than the resigned and self-absorbed Vader.

The Real, but not Final, Battle Begins

The tragedy foreshadowed in the first two episodes of George Lucas' Star Wars Saga takes form, and leaves the viewer with anticipation for yet another Episode to unfold. After all, after the terrible mess our favorite characters get themselves into this time around, you can only wonder what happens to them afterwards. The suspense is incredible, in every jaw-dropping scene after another, and keeps you hooked till the end, where you find yourself wondering the fate of our heroes and villains. Let me assure you, fans, another Trilogy awaits for those who are wondering, and the Final Battle has yet to begin.

Not Even Close...

George Lucas will be forever revered as the man who created the "Star Wars" saga, but he will also be forever reviled as the man who produced Episodes I, II and III. I keep thinking this movie will be better if I watch it one more time. What is that definition of "insanity?" Repeating a mistake but hoping for a different outcome? If so, then I am truly INSANE! =:-(