Nice wrap-up, decent story, bad acting & dialogue  but overall satisfying climax

Rating: 7/10 (30 September 2006)

The Clone Wars is nearing an end; the Separatists have been driven away and talk of peace is finally spreading in the Galactic Republic. But bubbling to come up underneath a bottled lid is Anakin Skywalker's own morbid ambitions, pride and disloyalty to the Jedi Council. Zooming in more than ever on his psyche, this last Star Wars installment is a much darker and more character-driven piece that explores the gloomy nature of Anakin  how far will he go to get what he wants?
First, let me debunk the myth that this is an excellent film, as the IMDb rating of 8.0 boldly suggests. It is largely a satisfying end to an uneven saga, successfully interweaving all the clues, characters and elements together in the final wrap-up without this process feeling too rushed or too unbelievable. In this sense, yes, Revenge of the Sith is a well-sewn together product and following the low expectations that Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones set it hardly disappoints. But scratch the surface of a fancy-looking sci-fi facade  coloured with beautiful visual effects and adrenaline-pumping dark action sequences  and its flawed individual parts became glaringly apparent.
It starts well enough, however. In the first scene of the film the story tips over into intense sci-fi action sequences of chase scenes and Jedi martial arts. Suffice to say that George Lucas follows this no-nonsense approach throughout the film, which is appropriate and what he does best. He also clumsily botches his way through a few romantic moments between Anakin and Padmé as he goes  as usual, his heart isn't in it and as a result, the lovestory suffers greatly. But then, it was never that good to begin with. It is every bit as cheesy, badly acted and over-the-top as in the previous installments. The greatest source of humour in the film is in fact the rapport between Anakin and Padmé. Example, Anakin admiring his wife on the balcony of their house:
Anakin > "You are so beautiful."
Padmé > "It's only because I'm so in love with you."
Anakin > "No, it's only because I'm so in love with _you_!"
It is difficult to decide if the above is wrist-slashingly bad or if it is a total stroke of genius. Either way, it is hilarious. The good news is that Revenge of the Sith abandons most of the campy fluffy one-liners á la Jar Jar Binks humour that was present in Episode I and II, simply because it is too busy navigating the darker side of the story, the gloomy themes of death, destruction and lost love, and the difficult psyche of Anakin Skywalker. Hayden Christensen has stepped up in his acting slightly but with poor writing it is no wonder that he still chokes on his lines. Nevertheless, toward the end his inner transformation feels both credible and poignant.
For an overall evaluation, Revenge of the Sith perhaps feels more like the original trilogy than either of the prequels. Beneath the over-the-top sci-fi visuals and overdoses of sleek technology of the 21st century, it is still apparent that its core is closer to the original fibre than what could be expected. There are no longer endless trade disputes, lofty politics and constitutions as in the Phantom Menace and there are no longer embarrassingly corny humour as in Attack of the Clones. It returns and reconnects with the saga and hearing the deep voice of James Earl Jones as Darth Vader is just staggering to fans and agnostics alike.
7 out 10