A truly under-appreciated step

Rating: 1/10 (27 December 2018)

While this movie's lineage seems to be the lesser of the Star Wars universe, and even regarded by some as a snag on the beautiful tapestry that is the Star Wars franchise, I think there is a lot to be said for the Revenge of the Sith. This episode is the conclusion to the "prequel" Star Wars film line and obviously had a HUGE standard to meet, and I truly believe it does deliver in some aspects. The CGI was outstanding for the time; 2005 was no paragon of masterfully crafted computer generated images, but it definitely is passable and by no means distracts a viewer from the plot. The action sequences generated just enough rise out of the viewer to keep a certain level of excitement and heart rate.
The Anakin/Obi-wan battle easily ranks among the top hand-to-hand single combat scenes of the decade. The episode really brought the "student betrays master" archetype to a head in a way that is reminiscent of slow cooking delicious meats. The creators did not force their goal too quickly, but truly made sure to allow the flavors to simmer in over time and slowly begin to reveal themselves.
The tragic love between Anakin and Padme makes his fall from grace that much more emotional and Shakespearean. Anakin is an embodiment of a facet that lives within us all: our primal desire to do what's best for those we love even if it means crossing ethical borders or disregarding our own moral compasses.
While it may not touch the original trilogy in most critics' minds, I believe the Revenge of the Sith is truly the gem in the rough that is the prequel trilogy. There is a lot to be said about the film and its finer points, which may prove to be more adequately highlighted with more releases in the franchise.
That all being said, I cannot give this movie more than a 1/10, there is not even a slight mention of apes at all in the film; for all we know characters like Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Yoda, and General Greivous aren't event aware of the existence of apes. The writers missed their mark in bringing awareness to simple facts about apes such as: apes arms are longer than their legs or that apes share the same blood types as humans. I believe going forward that the Star Wars franchise would benefit both financially and artistically with more ape screen time or dialogue regarding the complexities of ape life. I wish I could un-watch this movie and instead bolster my knowledge of ape dietary habits with the time I wasted.