Revenge of the Sith Delivers

Rating: 10/10 (12 March 2006)

So, it all comes down to this. The magic #3, where not only the saga completes itself, but we FINALLY see the transformation of Anakin into Darth Vader.
As a huge Star Wars fan, and honest nitpicker, I still maintain that Empire is the best of the six, but Revenge of the Sith has become my personal second. But not quite for the reasons I think George Lucas intended.
The opening sequence was a bit of a let down. Yes, the space battle was huge, with all kinds of ships from fighters to cruisers to battle stations. Yet this sequence had no soul to it. Many of the ships we're introduced to for the first time. So as a viewer, you spend more time wondering who the good guys are from the bad guys. Just who am I rooting for again? The battle sequence in RotJ was far superior. Especially when you can identify with the ships, and motivation of both sides. This, would be my biggest gripe of the movie.
While this is indeed Anakin/Vader's story, I am here to say that Palpetine/Sidious really stole the show. Perhaps the best collaboration of acting talent and direction came during the "opera" scene when Palpetine discusses Sith Lord Darth Plageous the wise. Nothing is concrete, but watch the scene again and how the lines are delivered. It eludes to the fact that Sidious may in fact be Anakins "father." And I say father in the sense that if Plageous could create life from midichlorines and Sidious was the apprentice he referred to who stole his knowledge and killed him. Then it is possible. Yet still open to interpretation.
In fact, Ian McDirmads (sorry, forget how to spell it)entire performance was deliciously evil. He perfectly played out the dual nature of Palpetine and Sidious. I love how his voice changes from the aristocratic Governor to the slimy Sith Lord.
We've waited for years to see the lightsaber duel between Anakin and Obi-Wan. Believe me, their fight delivers. Yet again, Sidious steals the show. While Anakin battles Kenobi on Mustafar, I don't think there has ever been a lightsaber duel as symbolic as the fight between Sidious and Yoda. The ultimate evil vs the ultimate good, with the grand senators' hall crumbling around them. Very well done.
I've heard people complain about the cheesy scene at the end where Sidious tells Vader that he killed Padme, to which Vader breaks free from the table and yells, "Noooo!!!" I admit, it could have been done better....but how? His only reason for going to the darkside was to save her and now she's dead. How should he react? Vader turns to Sidious and says, "Win some, lose some?"