Why didn't they switch of the freaking' droids right from the start ???

Rating: 8/10 (19 May 2005)

Well, well, well, here it is, the long anticipated final Star Wars installment. I admit, I was a little bit infected by the incredible hype, conducted by the fans as well as the critics, so my expectations were a little too high . And that's what I definitely wanted to avoid, after I expected the best movie ever with Episode I, and was pretty much disappointed. Resulting attitude before watching Episode II? "George, please don't screw everything up again !!" And that's why I was positively surprised with part II! My expectation now was a mixture of these two, and I have to say the movie served both, sort of. I mean, the beginning is awful! After a terrific but rather short space fight almost knocking at the door of "Return of the Jedi" (You can say what you want about "Eeew, ewoks, hate them, stupid etc.", the space fight in "Return of the Jedi" has never been topped in any other movie), the indoor space ship scenes just terribly sucked, I partly thought I was sitting in the wrong movie and expected again the worst for the rest. R2D2 is almost turning everything into a complete farce, even the fights are relatively lame, I mean, come on, that stupid, childish droids with their bullshit comments, who needs this ? Which brings me to another weak point: General Grievious ! Oh man, how silly can you get, a coughing, hopping robot lord ? I still wonder what character is more hate able and displaced: This one or Darth Maul ? Sure, General Grievious had more lines (not just two :-P), but that's not necessarily providing him with more depth. The chancellor rescue is OK, although a ship breaking in two pieces we already had in starship troopers, and Palpatine didn't have to throw an annoyed eye at R2 three times ! The middle part of the movie gets better, although there is a lot of talk which sometimes seems repetitive and sort of displaced for we all know Lucas isn't the greatest script writer. The fight scenes are OK, but they are appearing a little discontinued and unfinished, I expected a lot from the wookie fight, and you just get to see some tiny bits ! The great landing of the separatists's army, resembling the landing of the allies in the Normandy, lasts for about a minute, I wish they had skipped some of talks for more of that or the actual indication of the fight's outcome. Anakin's transfer to the dark side is put on stage very well, I mean, a lot of people I know and also a lot of critics don't like him and think he's the wrong choice for the role, I disagree, especially after this episode. Only the motive, which comes, hands down, as the only real surprise in that movie, leaves a little to argue. I think it's a pretty good idea to make Anankin switch sides because of love, although it's a paradox in itself and not really comprehensible. Which brings us to the treason, and the end of the jedi council, this was a little bit too fast for me and without the necessary depth. Well, some jedis get killed, so what ? A little more pathos would have served this scenes well, but I think the whole jedi council and codex is under treated in all first three episodes.But now, after so much critic, let's move to the ingenious final, which makes up almost each of the previously mentioned flaws. The two light saber duels are just awesome, incredible that Lucas still manages to entertain us like this and always brings in some new aspects, after five times ! The pathos is exactly right dosed here, leaving my favorite scene when Anakin is defeated and almost burns to death, with just his hatred keeping him alive ! As mentioned in a lot of previous comments, I can just agree that the indications allow for a glue less transition to Episodes IV-VI, Lucas really thought of almost everything, hats off ! I still secretly hoped the blasphemy from episode I gets revoked concerning the father of Anakin, which is not only offending a lot of people, but also highly uninspired ! Alright, you might wonder why this movie still gets 8 out of 10 after all my complaints, well mostly because of the great final, the typical "star wars" bonus, and not to forget, it's always easier to find flaws then strengths, especially after a little too high expectations because of all the hype. I would like too close this comment by indicating that Francis Ford Coppola and Steven Spielberg have to be real sissies(they admittedly were in tears), come on, I for my part really didn't feel like crying throughout the whole movie :-)