Darkly Tragic And Exciting Conclusion To The Second Star Wars Trilogy

Rating: 8/10 (14 August 2005)

Order in the universe hangs in the balance as galactic war rages and the guardian Jedi Knights are threatened by the evil Sith Lords. Powerful Jedi Anakin Skywalker is manipulated by the evil Chancellor Palpatine into embracing the Dark Side of the Force and the Republic is torn in two as he embarks on the destruction of the old order. Can he be saved from his misguided lust for power ? The tremendous conclusion to Lucas' astounding six-film Star Wars saga has all the hallmarks of the other movies - stunning action sequences, eye-popping visual effects and a great story that sweeps along at breakneck speed. What's unique about it is that it's by far the darkest and most tragic of the tales; a man's misplaced loyalties and limitless ambition, combined with his tremendous powers, lead him to an irredeemable and hideous fate and destroy universal freedom in the process. It's grim stuff, and kudos must go to Lucas for producing a blockbuster epic that's closer to Macbeth than Flash Gordon. The film is also an odd experience in that its task is to set the stage for Star Wars (the transformation of Anakin into Darth Vader, the birth of Luke and Leia, the inauguration of the Empire), which it does very well, but at the same time retaining its own dramatic structure. There are some inconsistencies (for example, in Return Of The Jedi, Leia says she can remember her mother, but her mother dies in childbirth), but they don't really matter - the pathos of the story is what counts. There are also some surprises, like the moment when Palpatine reveals his villainous identity and Anakin, rather than join him, immediately reports him to the Jedi Council. Anakin's descent towards Vader is afforded real depth, and any movie which presents the bad guys in a sympathetic light is always worth seeing. Christensen handles the pivotal role with aplomb, with McGregor giving strong support and the excellent McDiarmid gleefully stealing all his scenes in his second outing as the evil Emperor. As ever with the Star Wars universe, the visual imagination is simply outstanding - the rainswept landscapes of Attack Of The Clones are replaced with hellish infernos - and the action sequences are superb, notably the opening battle with General Grievous (cinema's first robot with emphysema) and the brilliant Night of the Long Knives montage as the Jedi are virtually wiped out. The visual effects by Brad Alexander, Roger Guyett and John Knoll, the music by John Williams, and the direction are all first-rate. Lucas may have his detractors, but none can deny that he has created an astonishing, exuberant series of films and in his lifetime has probably had more influence on film-making technique than any other director. This is a tremendous conclusion to his great cinematic vision.