final installment in the space saga delivers action and effects but little else

Rating: 3/10 (19 May 2005)

I think its safe to say that the audience has long since abandoned any expectations of genius or eloquence from the mighty quill of George Lucas. No where is this expectation, or lack there of, more evident than in the final installment of the Star Wars saga. Granted, to the legions upon legions of hard core, light saber wielding fans, Episode 3 is a heaven sent, a closure to a story that began nearly 3 decades ago. It is an epic, fast paced with spectacular vistas and booming sounds... All of which really amounts to a ride at theme park, but not a film. The problem is that unlike two previous films or the first 3 films there are no mysteries left. The story line is clearly charted. Any plot twists or revelations are gone ( there was no room left for items such "Luke, I am your Father...", for instance or any other more modest subtitles.) All of this means that execution and not content will be key. This is where Lucas and the film fail. Lucas does not provide the viewer with an engaging subplot, dense, deep characters or strong motivations for action. Young Skywalker accepts everything at face value, evil is pure evil and no gray exists in the world of Star Wars. Even the climax is underscored by cheesy allusions to Frankeinstein where some real drama would have been useful. In short, this film is strictly for fans.