More than a good movie...it makes the rest of the series better

Rating: 9/10 (31 May 2005)

I'm sure everyone by now knows that this movie is vastly better than it's two predecessors. As I write this, it has already made $270 MM domestically, so in all likelihood you've seen it already, too. As I've been thinking about the film, though, I want to add some comments that make me appreciate this movie far more than I expected.
Visually, this is an amazing film, and the story itself moves at a much better pace (and with less painful dialog) than what we've had since "Empire Strikes Back". As a film I don't think it's better than Empire, and think it's on par with Star Wars (although nothing will ever replace the feeling of being a 7 year old seeing that film...) But what really elevates this movie is how it connects the disparate threads of the trilogy, and adds resonance to scenes and emotions from the rest of the film which we are all so familiar with.
It has always been clear before who was good and who was bad in this series. Battle lines were clearly drawn. Each character, for all their quirks, has a pretty clear role in their role as heroes and villains. What Revenge of the Sith does is add a deeper layer of complexity to the motivations of all those characters, and makes re-watching those scenes in the other films even more engaging. There was a real danger that explaining the mysteries of the films (Why is Yoda on Dagobah? Why did Obi-Wan say Luke's father was dead? What made the Emperor so special) would detract from the fun we had in speculating about them, but the movie actually does it right, and enriches those stories with a sense of character, loss, and redemption that was only hinted at before.
I'm more forgiving of some of the political mumbo-jumbo of the Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones than others (although neither was a good movie, and could have easily been condensed and refocused) but the politics become personalized in this film. To see the fate of the Jedi played out so powerfully (and artistically) really drives home the cost and dangers of power, it's abuse, and ignorance of it's manipulation. Many have pointed out the similarities with Bush and the Iraq war, but the more accurate comparison is with ancient Rome, which also went from republic to empire to ruin. Glory can be maintained for a time, but it eventually eats itself, and Revenge of the Sith is a warning and a call for each of us to decide what our role would be.
But let's face it...all this would be an overwrought philosophy lesson if there weren't awesome battle sequences, daring rescues, battles of will, and ridiculous swordplay. I didn't think Lucas had it in him to infuse his vision with that sort of emotion anymore, but I'm thankful he has proved me wrong. You don't have to see Episodes 1 & 2 to love and appreciate this film (and I'd actually suggest skipping them...you won't miss much) but it makes a fitting companion to the original trilogy you have on your shelf and in your soul.