Very Disappointing

Rating: 2/10 (26 May 2005)

While I am greatly disappointed in this the sixth and final installment of the Star Wars saga, I am still a loyal fan. Episode III is not as good as Episode II, which is not as good as Episode I. As with Episode II, Episode III seems to be too concerned to tie into the story of Episodes IV-VI. This compelling need to be a tie-in, bridge episode is the greatest flaw in Episode III as it was in Episode II. Episode III is the weakest installment by far. It seems as if George Lucas has become tired of the story and wants to be done with it.
The human characters lacked humanity. The action scenes were excellent, but the human drama of the situation was passed by. There were so many missed opportunities.
The greatest failure of the piece was the lack of believability of the love between Anakin and Padmé. There could have been more time spent in showing scenes of their relationship, their marriage. The tragedy of the destruction of their love for each other could have been explored. They ended Episode II with their marriage, well, why not start Episode III with them together? At least a few flashbacks. A major point of the film is the irony of Anakin's desire to protect Padmé that destroys her as well as himself. This should have been emphasized by more footage.
There should have been more of a presentation of how Palpatine became a Sith Lord or how he recruited apprentices. If you have read the novel of Star Wars IV A New Hope, you will discover that the Emperor is Palpatine. The scene in which Anakin finds out that Palpatine is the Sith Lord should have been followed with a flashback that ties together the connection that Palpatine had with his accomplices like Darth Maul, Count Dooku, and Lord Grievous. I guess that when Palpatine tells Anakin of the Darth that tried to have power over life and death, they could have portrayed this. Perhaps they could have had Palpatine himself be the apprentice that kills this other Darth.
Master Yoda made the point that a prophecy could be taken a right way and a wrong way. This was not brought out more clearly. Anakin was the promised one: Anakin would bring order by reinforcing the dark side of the Force, and he would kill the Emperor in Star Wars VI Return of the Jedi. Would he do it as a Jedi Knight or a Sith Lord? There might have been more workings of the Jedi Council to show why they did not trust Anakin. All in all, the Force itself is a disappointing god or almighty power. Perhaps we could have had more of a feel of the workings of the dark side by exploring a day in the life of a Sith.
In short they should have planned on making another movie! You would then have the perfection of the final installment being Episode 7, the number of perfection. Of course, if there would be Episodes VII, VIII, and IX, being the foreseen third trilogy, then there might have been more balance to the Force! This final episode is the weakest and the most forgettable. Why doesn't George Lucas just pull this movie, destroy it and do a new Episode II and Episode III. Maybe add an Episode 3.5!
The film was an exercise in how humans become machines or non-human creatures. The dehumanization is seen in Obi Wan's simply walking away from the burning Anakin->Darth Vader. With how he is presented you seem to care even less than Obi Wan did. There does not seem to be happiness or compassion anywhere in this galaxy far, far away long, long ago.