The Force Strikes Back

Rating: 7/10 (17 May 2002)

The fifth in the Star Wars galaxy blasts into that faraway long ago continuing the tale of the Skywalker clan. The Force strikes back in the extreme. In this the 2nd prequel we are introduced to Anakin Skywalker, the future Darth Vader, in his young adult incarnation. His romance with the lovely former queen and present Senator Padme Amidala and his journey to the dark side improve on the juvenile shenanigans of the child in Episode I. The silliness of Jar Jar Binks in the earlier film is also kept to a minimum here.
George Lucas, always pushing the envelope technologically, again does so here, filming the entire movie digitally. Visually the images are sumptuous and eye filling. The variety of environments on different planets keeps the viewer engaged and delighted. The story returns to the city planet of Coruscant, the desert planet of Tatooine, and introduces a rain-swept planet where the clones of the title are being grown.
Here Lucas begins filling in the gaps leading up to the 4th episode, the original Star Wars film. The relationship between R2D2 and C3PO develops humorously. We find out the genesis of the character, Boba Fett. However, the high points of any space adventure are its action sequences. These are thrilling and more frequent than in the Phantom Menace. A fantastic chase through the skyscrapers of Coruscant gives you the feeling that these characters are really zooming and swooping between the canyons of this throbbing metropolis. A later sequence in an arena that dwarfs those in Gladiator or Ben-Hur pits our protagonists against fearsome creatures which are indescribably ugly and vicious. A final light saber duel brings the audience to applause because. . .no, I won't spoil it.
John Williams score is an integral part of Star Wars lore. Here he interweaves themes introduced in the first three films, Leia's theme, the Imperial March and others, with the new music for this opus. In particular, the love theme for Anakin and Padme is moving and effective. It really supports the actors' tentative performances during these scenes. Lucas has never been much of an actor's director. It's in this one area that he has left his two main characters out in the cold. Han Solo and Princess Leia had a perfect chemistry that is not as natural here. Ewan McGregor is evolving smoothly into Alec Guinness' Obi-Wan. Yoda is now completely in the CGI domain. Samuel L. Jackson has more to do than in Menace and always adds that something special to his roles. He even gets to wield a light saber. Wonderful Christopher Lee is the evil Count Dooku. Interesting that his counterpart in so many Hammer horror films, Peter Cushing, was a villain in the first Star Wars film.
Star Wars fans will not be disappointed. The romance in the tale will also make the tale much more accessible to women. The film builds to a rousing conclusion making the audience wish that they would not have to wait another three years to find out what events will bring the saga full circle.