Star Wars' return to glory!

Rating: 10/10 (19 May 2005)

Now THIS is what we've been waiting for. This is not only the best of the prequel trilogy...but the BEST Star Wars movie since The Empire Strikes Back! It has it all....action, humor, drama, spectacle. From the stunning visuals, to John Williams' masterful score, this is Star Wars at its' finest. The movie opens precisely where the animated series Clone Wars left off, with Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi attempting to rescue Supreme Chancellor Palpatine from the droid army leader General Grievous. The playful banter between Anakin and Obi-Wan is very funny, and doesn't come off as forced as it did in Attack of the Clones. It's an exciting sequence that mirrors the tone of the movie itself. It starts out light and becomes very dramatic as Anakin once again squares off against Count Dooku. It is the very best opening sequence of the ENTIRE Star Wars saga. The movie then settles into its' narrative as we witness the end of the Clone Wars, and eventual fall of Anakin to the dark side of the Force. The visuals are incredible. The opening space battle is as detailed and complex as any action sequence we've seen, and the final lightsaber duel between Anakin and Obi-Wan on the volcanic planet Mustafar is awe inspiring. But besides the visuals, the movie also includes what many feel the previous sequels were lacking....emotion. This is epitomized in the final duel. Many feel that the duel in The Phantom Menace is the best fight in the series. While it IS the highlight of that film, there is a reason why (in my opinion) it ranks 3rd behind the Luke/Vader duel in Empire, and the duel in this film. You are emotionally invested in the other 2 duels. You know that there is REALLY something very big at stake. And that adds SO much more to the thrilling action. Much will be said about the acting in this movie. Most will easily toss it off as wooden. But I disagree. While some of the dialog occasionally hits a real clunker, the actors do what they can with it. Hayden Christensen really comes into his own as Anakin. He's given so much complexity here as he goes from misunderstood hero, to a lost soul that becomes what he swore to destroy. We LIKE Anakin, we don't want him to go down that road, and do the terrible things we KNOW he's going to do. Ewan McGregor OWNS as Obi-Wan Kenobi. With all due respect to the late Sir Alec Guinness, McGregor IS the heart and soul of that character now. He was given the opportunity to grow, whereas Guinness is the finished version of Kenobi. Natalie Portman has a reduced role here, but her character is no less pivotal. Pregnant with Anakins' children, she struggles to hold on the good in her life as everything she believes in, especially Anakin, collapses around her. Of all the characters in the Star Wars saga, hers is the most tragic. But of all the people in this movie...Ian McDiarmid RULES (no pun intended) as Palpatine. We always knew he would eventually be revealed as the mastermind behind all of this evil, but here he REALLY struts his stuff. The Emperor has never had a chance to be shown as the powerhouse he is until this movie. Big props to George Lucas for creating such a successful bridge between the two trilogies. This one FEELS like a Star Wars movie. That's a feeling I think too many thought was missing from the first two films. There are many memorable images here, but the most anticipated of all is the first appearance of Darth Vader in full armor. (BIG SPOILER AHEAD)It at this point that Star Wars reaches it's most tragic moments as we see the birth of Luke and Leia tied in to the spiritual death of Anakin, and the physical death of Padme. It is probably the most pivotal moment in the ENTIRE Star Wars saga, and it hits home HARD!!! Speaking of bridging the saga, the final shot of this movie gave me CHILLS....I can't imagine a better way to end the movie. You'll know what I mean when you see it. So for all those who were left cold by Episodes I & II, you will find MUCH to love here. THIS is the Star Wars movie we've been waiting for. We've been patient through disappointments, and now we have been rewarded. Thank you Mr Lucas for 28 years of unmatched imagination.