Awesome end to an awesome saga

Rating: 9/10 (19 May 2005)

Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith truly allows the saga to out with a bang, and what a bang it is! From the very beginning we're swept off into action, and considering how much ground Lucas still had to cover he did a remarkable job; nothing feels rushed or overdone and the important pieces of the puzzle all fall neatly into place. There is a VERY good balance of drama and action here and the fight scenes are among the best ever shown in a Star Wars film, not just for their lengths but also for their choreography and effects. The film's visuals start to edge quite a lot towards Episode IV (aka the original Star Wars), effectively allowing this movie to achieve its goal in connecting one trilogy to the other.
Everyone in the cast does a good job. Forget whatever gripes there were about Hayden Christensen in the previous film; he improves for this film, and more than just a little. Ian McDiarmid truly gets his time in the spotlight at last and does not disappoint -- he hits every mark perfectly and truly proves himself one of the best actors in the entire saga. McGregor and Portman also fare better here with plenty more emotion shining through. Anthony Daniels' time is short but he makes good use of it as does the inimitable Christopher Lee, and Yoda is still the best of the non-human characters with some of the best lines to boot. And of course, Samuel L. Jackson does not disappoint.
John Williams is in fine form again himself and gives us a score both hard-hitting and melancholy, with refrains from the scores of all five of the previous films. The new "Battle of the Heroes" anthem is epic and fits the fateful duel we've waited so long to see like a glove.
This is the end. There are no more Star Wars films now. And though it's been said everywhere else already, I'm saying it again: Lucas truly has pulled out all the stops with Episode III and has sent this series out on a very high note. THIS is what Star Wars is all about. First chance I get I'm going to go see it again.
The Force is strong with this one.