The best film of the prequel trilogy

Rating: 8/10 (18 December 2015)

After the crushing disappointment of "The Phantom Menace" the Star Wars series got back on track with "Attack of the Clones", which set the stage for the concluding chapter of the saga, "Revenge of the Sith". Luckily for moviegoers, it seems that George Lucas saved the best for last.
A tragedy in the classical sense, George Lucas's script is easily the most dramatically compelling of the prequels. The ultimate fate of the hero is known ahead of time but we are nevertheless drawn into the story as it unfolds before our eyes. Although the tone is serious, it is kept from becoming oppressive by several infusions of action.
The cast is largely unchanged from the previous instalment and this movie finds them comfortable within their characters like never before. Even Hayden Christensen, whose performance in "Attack of the Clones" left something to be desired, managed to rise to the challenge of the lead role.
As before, the special effects were well handled, though a bit ostentatious at times. George Lucas was again in the director's chair and he did a fine job. And, of course, John Williams once again lent his talents to the film's musical backdrop.
Although arguably falling just a bit short of the original trilogy in terms of overall quality, "Revenge of the Sith" still provided a satisfying conclusion to the story of how Anakin Skywalker became Darth Vader. If only the first two prequels could have captured more of what made this film stand out.