The best of the new trilogy, but can't quite reach the heights of the original three...

Rating: 5/10 (9 June 2005)

With Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith, George Lucas redeems himself for the first two Star Wars 'prequels', however he is unable to escape the huge weight of expectations which were placed upon him by older fans since the completion of the original trilogy in 1983.
'Sith' is not a bad film by any means, however it is not a strong one either. It is painfully average. Lucas' ingenuity for coming up with fantastic creatures and worlds is still as strong as it has ever been, however his dialogue and direction still leave much to be desired. For many this was make or break for the 'Star Wars' franchise. It was going to have to be the strongest - acting as a link for the old trilogy and at the same time answering all the nagging questions which fans had. It was also the story in which everyone knew the outcome - one which was bound to be dark, the story of how Anakin Skywalker turns to the dark-side and into the super-villain that we all know and love; Darth Vader.
However Anakin's betrayal against the Jedi and subsequent embrace of the dark side isn't at all convincing, and I believe that this can be blamed on the direction. Which is still nowhere near the mastery which Lucas showed in his early films like 'American Graffiti' or 'THX 1138'.
In addition, it attempts to tell too much in its 140 minute run-time. As a result much of the film's concluding scenes seem 'tacked on', purely so it can link with the old trilogy. Much of this is unnecessary, for whilst it is a good idea for the sake of the entire saga, it weakens it as a stand-alone film. Which I believe was something Lucas should have focused on more; focusing on Anakin's torment rather than the conclusion of the Clone Wars and the birth of the Republic.
On the plus side, the action sequences are fantastic. 'Sith' features more battles, planets and lightsaber battles than any of the previous 'Star Wars' films and all are executed flawlessly. The film opens with a gigantic space battle, with visuals to die for and the effects and action never dip in quality once throughout the film. This unrelenting action is great for Lucas, since it takes the focus off of his chunky dialogue and instead on the CGI, which is the film's highest point.
The performances in the film, like the first two prequels are varied in quality. Ewan McGregor is excellent as Obi-Wan Kenobi. Where he was uneasy in the role in 'Phantom Menace' and even 'Clones' he really comes into his own in 'Sith' and his performance even contains some subtle Sir Alec Guinness nuances, which brings the character full circle to the old trilogy. Hayden Christensen does a satisfactory job, however unlike McGregor he is unable link his character to his old trilogy persona. He is also unable to truly wow the audience as Anakin Skywalker and deliver a sterling performance as he delivers in 'Shattered Glass'.
The support in the film is strong, but unfortunately many of them are under used; such as Natalie Portman as Padme. Her character is so poorly written that by the end of the film, you have more or less forgotten about her role in the saga. Ian McDiarmid as Palpatine on the other hand is very memorable, however it seems to be for the wrong reasons. McDiarmid is very good in the first half of the film, but he overacts in the extreme in the second half. Of course, it is a 'Star Wars' film and not meant to be taken seriously, but it is a questionable move when you find yourself laughing more at the character who is meant to be the most evil character in the 'Star Wars' universe.
In surmising the film and indeed the prequel trilogy one wonders whether or not the film could have been stronger if it had not focused on using blue-screen technology so much. Whilst the virtual sets are stunning in terms of design, some could argue the point that it distracts the viewer, as they are noticeably CGI. There was certainly a charm in the original trilogy's physical sets, something which is sadly lacking in 'Sith'. Indeed, one couldn't help but wonder whether some of the performances could have been improved if they had been able to have the actual sets around them.
So whilst 'Sith' may not have pleased all die-hard fans of the original trilogy, it certainly delivers to the new fans, those who 'grew up' with the prequel trilogy. Lucas shows that he can still think of an interesting story, but his powers in storytelling are weak. Indeed, it will be these weaknesses that many are going to remember as the lasting memories of the Prequel trilogy; a series which turned out to be mostly gloss and little substance.