Revenge of the Stiffs

Rating: 6/10 (20 May 2005)

My My, young ScreenWalker, your powers in the dull side have grown strong indeed. Whoever directed this mess should report to the emporer / chancellor / senate / jedi council for immediate remedial training in DIALOGUE! This is the premier movie series of our time, and the acting looks like a training rehearsal in the screen actors guild, or a bad melodrama academy.
I trusted my feelings prior to entering the arena of SW3, using the force to sense that the special effects and imagery would compensate for the traditional dead lines, boring chemistry, and predictable 'plot'. I guess I'm a Jedi because it was exactly as expected, with the exception of more depth in the development of why Anakin became Darth. I actually was pleasantly surprised with a level of subtlety in this subplot - has Lucas been communing with Joda to complete some training?
Lucas is a true Sith master. He might be the only director in the world to take Samuel Jackson, Natalie Portman, Jimmy Smits, Christopher Lee, and James Earl Jones, combine them with the best special effects imaginable, and produce a 'B' level story. Did he actually de- coach these actors to become simalcrams of themselves?
I loved the movie, believe it or not, which is why I am so P-- off that it was so badly directed. Great people need to recognize they have blind spots, and get help. Lucas should outline the story line, focus on special effects, and get a real director to create a set of lovable characters etc to make this a truly great movie.
Oh well, at least I got the matinée - it was a good value for 6 bucks.