Brilliantly traced climax to one of the all time great stories

Rating: 9/10 (25 October 2006)

Though not without fault, this film is outstanding for 2 prime reasons.
1) The numerous iconic scenes that people have been waiting to see for 20-odd years (Yoda v The Emperor, Darth v Obi Wan, slaughter of the Jedi etc) 2) The perfectly executed climax to the beautifully traced development of one the great characters of cinema, Anakin Skywalker.
The 2nd point is important, because for the 1st 2 episodes, many people were left scratching their heads as to how the transformation could take place. Indeed it does with almost perfect verisimilitude, and in a way that puts Anakin's behaviour in the previous episodes in a clearer light. Now, when I see episodes 2, and 1, I can look at certain elements of his behaviour (his separation from his mum, his natural impetuousness in the face of authority), and see how clearly they spell the clouded future that Yoda sensed from the beginning.
Anakin's turning to the dark side is brought about by a multiplicity of reasons. People are wrong to say that it was just to save Padme, cos this would not have led to his killing younglings, and his bragging speech to Obi Wan about how powerful he now was. Firstly, he has an inner resentment against his life as a Jedi, because he has had to sacrifice his mother's life (and/or his life with his mother) for it. This is increased by the fact that he is far more skilled than any of the Jedi (excl Yoda and Windu), leading him to want more and more power to compensate for the relative lack of esteem he holds for this position (note how much he denigrates the Jedi). This desire for power, when coupled with the thought of losing Padme as he lost his mum, leads him to be more pliant to the Emperor when told that he could save her life by becoming a Sith. The Emperor ensures this by flattering Anakin and granting him status, something that he, as any Sith, desires more than anything.
And this is the important point; his transformation to the dark side was well underway anyway. He was filled with an inherent anger and resentment, initially against the Jedi for the reasons stated above, but which spilled over into other parts of his character (see what Dooku says in their fight) and he had a lust for power which was already there, a prime facet of the Sith make up. His speech to Padme is crucial ("I'm not the Jedi I should be. I want more"). THIS is why he has no problem in killing all the Jedi/the separatists; Sith elements have been present in him for a long time. Once he embraces the dark side, he slides into it like a fish to water- note how quickly Padme loses all identification with him, and how soon he is prepared to kill his father figure Obi Wan. The saving of Padme's life is just one part of the equation in his transformation; there are far greater forces at work.
A great part of the plot to look out for is Palpatine's story of Darth Plagus the Wise. This was a Sith who could cheat death, and yet was killed by his apprentice in his sleep. I think Lucas makes it very clear that this is a shot into Palpatine's past; it was Palpatine who was indeed the apprentice, the hint at which is perfectly couched in the scorn and venom that Palpatine has in his voice in recounting his death.
Disappointing is the now infamous "NOOOOO!!!" scream by Darth FrankenVader at the end; the boob that makes Princess Leia look like she had the world's most accurate memory, as Padme dies in childbirth, not when Leia was young; and Christiansen's weak "Well, in my eyes, the Jedi are evil!", that sounds more in place over a cup of tea rather than a fight to the death, from the very soon to be Vader.
Other pluses are a superb performance by McDiarmid, whose transformation to the Emperor is spectacular; some powerful scenes from Christiansen, in which he manages to evince skillfully the hatred and anger that causes his turn to the dark side; and UNREAL fight scenes. Every lightsabre battle is awesome, especially the double fight scene at the end.
Finally, wasn't it a shame that after 3 episodes, Yoda didn't seem so tough after all? 2 fights, 2 losses...