Fun ending to the Star Wars series

Rating: 8/10 (22 June 2005)

"Star Wars" goes out with a bang in the last prequel, and the last cinema episode of the saga, "Revenge of the Sith". Whilst the film is filled with the usual in-jokes and incidental references that appeal only to hard-core fans, and the last-minute introduction of ambiguity into the otherwise clear-cut moral universe of "Star Wars" reduces the emotional impact of the story, "Revenge of the Sith" is in the main a great success.
The Clone Wars begun in the last episode between the Galactic Republic and the Separatists are coming to an end. The film begins with a Separatist attack on Republic government planet of Coruscant and the kidnap of Supreme Chancellor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid). Jedi Knights Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) and Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) rescue the Chancellor, killing off renegade Count Dooku (Christopher Lee) and confronting Separatist leader General Grievous (Matthew Wood) before making their escape.
Back on Coruscant, Anakin discovers his secret wife Senator Padme Amidala (Natalie Portman) is pregnant. But he is later troubled by visions he receives of her dying in childbirth. This places in the centre of a power struggle between Palpatine, who offers Anakin the dark powers capable of saving Padme, and the Jedi who are suspicious of the motivations of the increasingly powerful Chancellor.
The story is filled with thrilling set-pieces. The Clone Wars end, and Palpatine reorganises the Republic into the Empire, with himself as it's self-declared sovereign ruler. In promising dark power to Anakin, he reveals himself to be the Sith Lord Darth Sidious, who has orchestrated the war to place himself in a position where he can wield unlimited power - annihilate the Jedi. When Jedi Knight Mace Windu (Samuel L. Jackson) confronts Palpatine, the two engage in lightsaber combat with Palpatine feigning near-defeat in a successful bid to secure Anakin's allegiance.
Heading to lava planet Mustafar to wipe out the remaining Separatist leaders, Anakin confronts first Padme and then Obi-Wan, while diminutive Master Yoda (Frank Oz) confronts the new Emperor in the Galactic Senate chamber. As Palpatine hurls Senate pod after pod at Yoda, one come almost see the walls of democracy come tumbling down. Obi-Wan defeats Anakin, who is reborn as Darth Vader. But the tragic Padme's twin babies may offer hope for the future...
The script by Lucas is still a mixed bag. There is his usual stilted romantic dialogue, but he also allows for some timely political commentary on the balance between democracy and dictatorship.
The much-criticised Hayden Christensen is good as the doomed Anakin, and there is a genuine warmth in the early scenes between him and Ewan McGregor, who matches the late Alec Guinness as Obi-Wan Kenobi. Portman is very good in her limited role as Padme, and it is she who is the source of much of the film's emotional resonance. Samuel L. Jackson is given more to do as Mace Windu and his death is cleverly made significant to the story.
But this film belongs to Ian McDiarmid as Palpatine. Throughout the whole prequel trilogy, McDiarmid has had the most complex and by far the most interesting role, and here he cuts loose and enjoys himself as his character's evil nature finally erupts.
Action sequences and special effects are up to Lucas' usual superlative standards, and do not disappoint. On a visual level, Lucas throws the lot at the audience. Every imaginable space battle or lightsaber duel has been realised on screen. Exhaustive it may be, but it's still great work.
So that's it then, end of the line. "Star Wars" is big, dumb, bloated and over-expensive but, what the hell, it's fun. With the proposed TV series, it will be interesting to see where it all goes from here.