Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith Review
by [email protected] (dnb AT dca DOT net)July 14th, 2005
STAR WARS: EPISODE III - REVENGE OF THE SITH
A film review by David N. Butterworth
Copyright 2005 David N. Butterworth
**1/2 (out of ****)
After the mediocre reception given "'Attack of the Clones," the second (or fifth, if you're counting chronologically) episode of George Lucas's ambitious "Star Wars" saga, fans were understandably nervous about how Lucas would wrap up the series. And while I've seen four of the five films to date--the exception being the afore- mentioned "'Clones"--I wouldn't exactly call myself a fan: I don't attend "Star Wars" conventions; I don't collect any of the merchandise or memorabilia; I don't dress like a Wookie for Halloween; and I certainly didn't notice the late appearance by Tantive IV, Bail Organa's rebel blockade runner from "Episode IV: A New Hope"!
The general consensus out there is that Lucas has redeemed himself with "Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith," the final chapter. And speaking as a non-fan, one who has a hard time differentiating between Jango Fett and Mace Windu, I will say I found the experience of watching the film--one which again stars Hayden Christensen as Anakin Skywalker, Ewan McGregor as Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, Natalie Portman as Padmé, former Queen of Naboo, and Ian McDiarmid as the evil Chancellor Palpatine--mostly entertaining if a little repetitive.
So who plays Darth Vader? Well, that's kind of the point, since one of Lucas's key challenges for "Episode III" was to tie up all the loose ends, to bring all of the characters full circle so that familial surprises served up in episodes one through five (or more correctly IV- III) are given their rightly genesis.
In that regard the ending of "'Revenge of the Sith" is agreeably satisfying, a fitting tribute to the thousands of technicians and artisans responsible for the light year's worth of footage that has passed through film projectors up until this point (and beyond, since not only has the "Star Wars" saga inspired many imitators, some worthy, some not, it has also generated considerable enhancements in the technologies needed to bring these incredibly complex motion pictures to life).
The plot of "'Sith" is largely irrelevant: the Republic sends Obi-Wan to defeat revolting Separatists Count Dooku (Christopher Lee) and General Grievous (a skeletal, metallic android with a Georgia O'Keefe cow skull for a head) while Chancellor Palpatine grows more and more powerful, seeking to overthrow the Jedi Order with the help of an initially unwilling ally in Anakin Skywalker, whose secret marital relations with Padmé are beginning to show.
After a while the film settles into its familiar pace: busy space combat; talky interlude between key figures; tense light saber battle; impressive matte shot--lather, rinse, repeat.
As I noted in my review of 1999's "Episode I - the Phantom Menace" we've become so accustomed to special effects-driven movies these days that we take a lot of today's technical wizardry for granted. Such is the wealth of effects on display in these films, and in "'Revenge of the Sith" in particular, that it's easy to miss what we're supposed to be admiring simply because there's so much of it. The cities and landscapes are incredible, however--none of this looks fake--and the craftsmanship remains state-of-the-art; exquisite; awe inspiring. That's why we go to see these films after all, for a "realistic" look at brave new worlds.
And the best thing about "Episode III"? Jar Jar Binks isn't in it.
But Chewbacca is!
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David N. Butterworth
[email protected]
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