The Saga Is Complete

Rating: 10/10 (23 May 2005)

The film itself was wonderful, haunting, relentless, and an instant classic despite its few failings. I ignore the critics who lambaste the acting. I roll my eyes at the critics bent on the George Bush agenda. Lucas wrote this story 30 years ago. While not scripted then, the targeted lines could be linked to any administration, hence its timelessness. Look at the poll here and it's clear: The naysayers should just stay at home.
What I Liked: The entire opening sequence. This segment of the film had everything good about Star Wars: The best effects we've seen in long, purposeful shots. Brining R2 to life. Anakin and Obi-Wan working together as warriors and friends as we needed to see according to Alec Guinness' account of their relationship. Anakin as a great star pilot. Jedi action that was human and spectacular.
Ian McDiarmid. He is a blessing to these films. I LOVED him in this film. The mask no longer needed, he is cackling and gleeful in his glory. What I liked is that they portrayed him still as a bit of a coward, albeit a powerful one. Mace Windu's death and his transformation thrilled me. His fight with Yoda was of the epic proportions it needed, essentially two gods fighting each other. "Do not underestimate the power of the Emperor," Yoda tells Luke. Indeed.
The editing. Some of their choices were magical. The scene of Anakin in the Temple looking across Coruscant as Padme looked from her apartment. The Jedi Purge. The three-way scene showing Obi-Wan and Yoda discovering the Temple carnage while Anakin murders the Separatists while the Emperor proclaims the birth of the Empire. The idea of paralleling Padme's death and the birth of the twins with the birth of Vader as we know him.
Anakin's Turn. I thought it was done very well. Step by step, until he reached a point of no return. And the key element that is barely implied (and that detractors ignore) is the control of the Emperor. I'm certain that his mind control over Anakin is considerable, that Anakin watches himself in horror but is inexorably drawn to his destiny.
Ewan. He shines again here. A favorite moment was seeing him standing at the top of the ramp of Padme's ship. He was hurt, angry, and disgusted in what Anakin had become. The mercy in us wants him to climb down and drag Anakin up while he still can.
The Music. This score soars. The droning male chorus accompanying the opera is as darkly iconic as the Cantina band is bright. Many sparkling moments.
The light-saber battles were spectacular.
The Imagery from this film rival Empire's. One of Sith's strengths is its compositions and "snapshots," if you will, of iconic moments. It's chock full of beautiful in-action moments.
Palpatine is Anakin's "Father" This to me was the masterstroke of the film. It was left open to interpretation, but I love feeling that I'm dead right with mine. During the opera scene, the story of Darth Plagueis passing on his knowledge and his apprentice killing him in his sleep was told pridefully as Palpatine recounted one of his greatest moments. It perfectly fits with the mysterious nature of Anakin's conception. Palpy is a genius when it comes to taking over galaxies. He knew that his ultimate, prodigal apprentice would be this boy he created, so to keep him hidden from the Jedi he created him in a slave woman on Tatooine. It mirror's the Jedi hiding Luke from the Sith in the same place! The implications make me giddy. Qui-Gon confirms this by saying something like "He would have been discovered earlier if he didn't live in the sticks." They've established in both Ep I and II that Naboo is close to Tatooine. Palpatine establishes his residency, begins his rise to power, and simultaneously watches over the neighboring boy. Again, this mirrors Obi-Wan living in near the Dune Sea to watch over Luke.
So... Was it the will of the Force or Palpatine that had Obi-Wan point to the screen and say, "Here Master... Tatooine" in Episode I? It could go either way. I'm reminded of LotR's prologue: Then something happened that Palpatine had not intended... If it wasn't his intention that the Jedi find Anakin, then he rolled with it very well and was able to time his move to Coruscant to coincide. Man... I'm not sure which is cooler. "I'll be watching your career with great interest," he tells the young boy.
I think the book goes into more detail, confirming what I suspected that Palpatine hires the Sandpeople to kidnap and torture Anakin's mother, much like Vader tortures Han, Leia, and Chewie in Empire to lure Luke to Bespin.
It helps to explain Anakin's turn and why Palpatine would even bother with this disfigured monster at the end.
What I Didn't Like: The editing. There are still clunky points here. A few scenes looked like they ran the reel a few frames too long. Scenes often felt like we barely missed the clapper board leaving frame, so the actors were cold until warmed up.
The light-saber battles, while spectacular, felt somehow detached. We need to see and feel those blows and understand what's happening, no matter how fast they are. Nick Gilliard put a lot of motivation into those fights, and I fear much of his work was lost in translation.
The births/death of the twins, Vader, and Padme felt VERY rushed and paid no heed to Luke and Leia's conversation in Jedi.
The Birth of the Rebellion. Evidently we'll see those scenes on the DVD. I was looking forward to seeing Organa and Mon Mothma confer and seed the Rebellion. See you there!